Weather and Climate

Weather and climate are not the same thing. It may be sunny and hot in one place, but freezing and cold
in another place. Weather is what forecasters predict for a specific time and place. They forecast the
temperature, humidity, cloud cover, and precipitation for the next few days.

Climate is the average weather of a place over a long period of time. Climate includes the average
temperature and the average precipitation in a certain place. The weather where you live can change
from hour to hour, or day to day. However, the climate stays the same for many years.

Q. How are weather and climate different?

- Weather is what forecasters predict for a specific time and place, whereas climate refers to the average
weather of a place over a long period of time.

Factors Affecting Climate

Climate varies from place to place, depending on the distance from the sea, ocean currents, latitude,
altitude, mountains, and other factors.

Latitude

Latitude is a measure of the distance from the equator. The latitude of a location determines the amount
of sunlight that a location receives. Latitude is measured in degrees starting at 0˚at the equator to 90˚at
the poles. Different latitudes on Earth receives different amounts of sunlight. The higher the latitude of a
place, the less sunlight it will receive throughout the year, and the cooler the climate will be.

Near the equator, energy from the Sun hits Earth’s surface directly. This means that the climate is hotter
nearer the equator. At the poles, energy from the Sun reaches Earth’s surface and passes through a
thicker layer of atmosphere than at the equator. This means that the climate is cooler farther from the
equator. There are three general climate zones: polar, temperate, and tropical.

1. The Polar zone is located from 66.5˚N (North) to 90˚N and from 66.5˚S (South) to 90˚S. The polar
zone receives less sunlight. The climate within the polar zone is snowy all year.

2. The Tropical zone is located from 23.5˚S to 23.5˚N. The tropical zone receives the most sunlight during
the year. The climate within the tropical zone is warm.

3. The Temperate zone is located between the polar and tropical zones. Most of the United States is in
the temperate zone. The climate within the temperate zone is warmer during the summer and colder
during the winter.

Q. What is the climate zone that receives the most direct sunlight?

- The tropical zone receives the most sunlight.

Q. What is the climate of the polar zones?

- It is snowy all year.

Distance from the Ocean

Oceans heat up and cool down much more slowly than land. This means that coastal places are cooler n
summer and warmer in winter than inland places that are at the same latitude and altitude. For
example, Glasgow is at a similar latitude to Moscow. Glasgow is milder in winter than Moscow because it
is nearer to the coast than Moscow.

Ocean Currents

An ocean current is a stream of water that flows through an ocean. Some currents are warm while
others are cool. Warm currents generally flow away from the equator. Cool currents generally flow away
from Earth’s poles. Ocean currents can increase or reduce air and ocean temperatures.

The Gulf Stream is one of the strongest ocean currents in the world. The Gulf Stream moves warm water
northward. Then, the Gulf Stream flows eastward toward Europe. The water warms the winds above it.
These winds contribute to a warmer climate in northern Europe. The Gulf Stream keeps the west coast
of Europe free from ice in the winter and, in the summer, warmer than other places of a similar latitude.

Q. Would Glasgow be warmer or cooler than Moscow in summer? Why?

- Glasgow, Scotland, will be cooler than Moscow during the summer because its location is nearer to the
coast than Moscow.

Altitude

Altitudes is the height above sea level. Places at a higher altitude have colder temperatures.
Temperature usually decreases by 1˚C for every 100 meters in altitude.

Mountains

When warm and wet air move toward a mountain, the mountain forces the air to move upward. As the
air moves up, it cools and then rains. Most of the rain falls on wind-facing side of the mountain. The air
that moves over the top of the mountain becomes cool and dry. This cool, dry air sinks down the other
side. The dry air warms up as it sinks. Land on this side of a mountain tends to have a dry climate. This is
called the rain shadow effect.

Q. What can happen as warm and wet air move up a mountain?

- As the air moves up, it cools and then rains.

Climate Change

The Sun gives off rays of heat that travel through the atmosphere and reach Earth. The rays of the Sun
warm Earth. The heat from Earth then travels back into the atmosphere. Some gases in the atmosphere
such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor trap some of the heat from escaping into space.
Theses gases are called greenhouse gases. Some human activities, such as burning of fossil fuels, can
produce greenhouse gases. The process of trapping heat from the Sun in Earth’s atmosphere which
result in average temperature increase, is called global warming. Increasing temperature means the
climate all over Earth will change. For example, summers will get hotter, and winters will too. The
conditions we currently live in are perfect for life. A large rise in temperature would be terrible for all
living things.

El Nino

El Nino is a climate pattern where the water in the Pacific Ocean near the equator gets hotter than usual
and affects the atmosphere and weather around the world. El Nino climate conditions occur every few
years. They are not easily predictable.

Q. How can greenhouse gases cause climate change?

- They trap some of the heat from escaping into space.