EARTH &
SPACE 9
WEATHER &
CLIMATE
WEATHER
•Changes in the atmospheric
condition over a brief period of
time such as a day or a week
CLIMATE
the general pattern of the weather
that occurs for a region over a
number of years.
Both weather and climate are the
result of the interaction of several
Earth systems;
1)the movement of moisture in the
water cycle that evaporates ocean
water into the air where it condenses
into travelling clouds or storms that
eventually cause rain or snow;
2) the movement of heat that
begins at the sun-soaked equator
and moves warm air toward the
north and south poles;
3) the movement of the oceans that
takes icy-cold water from the poles
to the tropics, warming or cooling
the air above the water.
Greenhou
se Effect
Different
factors that
affect the
climate
LATITUDE
• Main factor affecting global climate
• The further we go from the equator, the cooler
it gets
• This is because the earth is curved which means
that the sun’s energy is more concentrated in at
the equator
ALTITUDE
• Temperature decreases with increasing altitude at an
average rate of 6.5 degree Celsius for every 1000m
increase in altitude, as the atmosphere receives less
heat through terrestrial radiation.
•The lower layers of atmosphere are
denser, have water vapor and dust
particles that absorb heat, which is
not prevalent in the higher altitude.
•At higher altitudes, the air is less
dense and air molecules are spread
out and less likely to collide.
Distance from the sea
•Land absorbs & releases heat faster
than water
•Seas and oceans are large bodies of
water that serve as the moderator
of climate
•The effects of land and sea breezes
extends inland from the coast. The higher
temperature differences between land
and sea, the breezes are the stronger.
•The land breezes and sea breezes resulted
in elevated humidity levels, high
precipitation, and temperature
moderation in coastal areas and nearby
lands.
PREVAILING
WINDS
•Prevailing winds are wind directions over a
particular location on Earth due to uneven
heating from the sun and the rotation of
earth on its axis.
•The warm air in the equator expands,
become less dense, and rises. As the air
rises, it cools, decreases its pressure, and
loses water vapor forming a low-pressure
area at the equator.
•The rising air at the equator does not flow
directly to the poles because the Earth
rotates on its axis causing an air build up at
30˚ north or south latitudes.
OCEAN CURRENTS
• Ocean currents are the continuous and directional movement of
ocean created by the wind friction, water density, earth’s rotation,
solar energy, and gravity variation in different parts of the ocean.
The direction of water movement is either horizontal or vertical.
The ocean current systems flow clockwise in the northern
hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere in
circular patterns. The ocean currents transport warm water and
precipitation from the equator to the poles and cold water from the
poles back to the equator. These regulate the global climate, and
uneven distribution of heat reaching earth’s surface.
TOPOGRAPHY
TOPOGRAPHY
• The topography of earth's surface is one of the factors that
affects weather system and climate. The difference in
elevation and mountain ranges determine the distribution
of precipitation on earth. The bodies of water shape the
climates and create the high- and low-pressure systems
that cause weather events.
• The mountainous areas tend to have extreme weather
because it acts as a barrier to air movements and moisture.
• The windward side of the mountain faces the wind and
receives warm, and moist air. As the wind hits the mountain,
the air is forced to move upward along the slope of the
mountain and begins to cool due to decrease in atmospheric
pressure. The cooling of air results in the formation of clouds
and precipitation.
• The leeward side of the mountain is the opposite side of the
windward. The air that goes down the leeward slope has lost
its moisture on the windward side resulting to warm air and
low relative humidity. As the dry air descends the leeward
slope, it expands and reduces the possibility of precipitation
forming a rain shadow effect. This side of the mountain is the
driest place.