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Climograph Worksheet
Climograph Worksheet
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AnalyzingClimographs
Source:Dr.NormHerr,CSUN
Climographs:Itisoftenhelpfultoplottwodifferenttypesofdataonthesamegraph.Forexample,a
climographisasinglegraphthatchartsboththeaveragetemperatureandprecipitationforagivenlocale
throughoutthecourseoftheyear,usingseparateaxesforeachvariable.Asshownintheclimographs,theline
graphrepresentstemperature,whilethebarchartrepresentsprecipitation.Thehorizontalaxisrepresentsthe
monthsoftheyear.Theclimographnotonlyshowsaveragetemperaturesforeachmonth,butalsoillustrates
seasonalvariationsintemperatureoverthecourseoftheyear.Likewise,theclimographrevealsmonthly
precipitationandseasonalvariationsinprecipitation.Combinationgraphs,liketheclimograph,musthavethe
sameindependentvariable(xaxis),butcanhavedifferentdependentvariables(yaxes).Notethattheaxison
theleftisprecipitation,measuredinmmrainfall,whiletheaxisontherightistemperature,measuredindegrees
Celsius.
(1) Analyzingclimateswithclimographs.ComparetheclimographsforIquitos,PeruandBarrow,Alaska.
Thegraphslookverydifferentwithrespecttotemperatureandrainfall,indicatingthatthesearevery
differentclimates.ThetemperaturegraphforIquitosislinearandflat,indicatinglittleornovariationin
temperatureduringthecourseoftheyear.Bycontrast,thetemperaturegraphforBarrowappearslikea
sinewave,withamaximuminJune,JulyandAugust,andaminimuminDecember,Januaryand
February.FromthiswecanconcludethatBarrowisinthenorthernhemisphere(acityinthesouthern
hemispherewouldhavemaximumtemperaturesduringDecember,JanuaryandFebruary).Althoughthe
summermonthsaremuchwarmerthanthewintermonthsinBarrow,theyarestillverycool,indicating
thatthiscitymustbelocatedveryfarnorth.Indeed,BarrowisonthenortherncoastofAlaska.The
climateinBarrowiscoldanddry.Itissocold,however,thatwaterrarelyevaporatesfromthesoil,
leavingthesoilswetandoftenfrozen,acharacteristicofarctictundra.Bycontrast,theclimatein
Iquitosiswarmandwet,indicatingitwillsupportalargeamountofvegetation,andindeeditisfoundin
thetropicalrainforestsofPeru.Analyzetheclimographstoanswerthefollowingquestions.
1. Whichcityhasthemostequable(constant)climate.Explain.
2. Whichcityhaswhatmostpeoplewouldconsiderthemostcomfortableclimate?
3. ChicagoandNewYorkhaveapproximatelythesameclimographs,exceptthatChicagoswinter
iscolder.Whymightthisbe?
4. Whichofthesecitiesislocatedinahotdesert?
5. WhichcityisintheSouthernHemisphere?
6. Whichofthesecitiesislocatedintropicalrainforest?
7. WhichoftwoofthesecitieshaveaMediterraneanclimate,characterizedbymildwintersand
warm,drysummers?
8. Whichcitywouldexperiencemonsoontyperains(heavy,summerrains)?
9. Whichcityhasthecoldest,driestsummers?
10. Whichofthefollowingcitieshasthemostannualrainfall,Chicago,NewYork,Dallasor
Miami?
11. Whichofthefollowinghasmoresummerrainfall,Denver,LosAngeles,orSeattle?
12. WhichcityhasaclimatemostsimilartoChicago?
13. Whichofthefollowingcitieswouldbebestsuitedforoutdooriceskatingrinks,Chicago,New
York,DallasorMiami?
14. Whichhasmorewinterrainfall,Mangalore,IndiaorSeattle,Washington?
15. Whichcityhastwowetseasons?