Lesson 1
Defining Climate
Focus Question
What is the difference between climate and
weather?
New Vocabulary
climatology
normal
tropics
temperate zones
polar zones
Review Vocabulary
jet stream: a high-altitude, narrow, westerly wind
band that occurs above large temperature changes
Annual Averages and Variations
• Climatology is the study of Earth’s climate
and the factors that affect past, present, and
future climatic changes.
• Climate describes the long-term weather
patterns of an area.
• The data used to describe an area’s climate
include daily high and low temperatures,
amounts of rainfall, wind speed and direction,
humidity, and air pressure.
Annual Averages and Variations
• Climatic data are averaged on a monthly or
annual basis for a period of at least 30 years
to determine the normals, which are the
standard values for a location.
• Normals apply only to the specific place
where the meteorological data were
collected.
• Changes in elevation and other factors, such
as proximity to large bodies of water, can
cause climates to vary.
Causes of Climate: Latitude
Latitude has a great effect on climate. The amount of
solar radiation received on Earth decreases from the
equator to the poles.
Causes of Climate: Latitude
• The area between 23.5°S and 23.5°N of the equator
is known as the tropics.
• Tropical areas receive the most solar radiation and
are generally warm year-round.
Causes of Climate: Latitude
• The temperate zones lie between 23.5° and 66.5°
north and south of the equator.
• As their name implies, temperatures in these
regions are moderate.
Causes of Climate: Latitude
• The polar zones are located from 66.5° north and
south of the equator to the poles.
• Polar temperatures tend to be cold.
Causes of Climate: Topographic Effects
• Water heats up and cools down more slowly than
land. Thus, large bodies of water affect the climates
of coastal areas.
• Temperatures in the lower atmosphere generally
decrease with altitude. Thus, mountain climates are
usually cooler than those at sea level.
Causes of Climate: Topographic Effects
Orographic lifting leads to rain on the windward side of
a mountain. The leeward side is usually dry and warm.
Causes of Climate: Air Masses
• Air masses affect
regional climates
by transporting
the temperature
and humidity of
their source
regions.
• Five major air
masses affect
climate in North
America.
Quiz
1. Which describes the average weather for a region?
A latitude C climate CORRECT
B radiation D greenhouse effect
Quiz
2. Which is NOT true about climatic normals?
A They are averaged over a 30-year period.
B They can differ from daily weather conditions.
C They describe average conditions.
D They are gathered at one location. CORRECT
Quiz
3. Which best describes the
climate on the leeward
side of a mountain?
A warm and rainy
B cool and dry
C warm and dry CORRECT
D cool and rainy
Quiz
4. What happens to air as it
passes over the windward
side of a mountain?
A It sinks and gathers moisture.
B It sinks and begins to condense.
C It rises and begins to condense. CORRECT
D It rises and evaporates.
Quiz
5. Which climate zone is located between 23.5°S and 23.5°
N of the equator?
A the tropics CORRECT
B the westerlies
C the temperate zones
D the polar zones