Climate

Weather

• The conditions in the atmosphere at any given time.

Climate• The average weather in an area over a

period of time

Factors affecting Climate• Latitude – Determines the amount of direct

sun light an area will get and how air circulates

Factors affecting Climate

• Wind Currents• 90 and 30 degrees away

from the equator have areas of high pressure and are dry

• 60 degrees and 0 the equator have areas of low pressure and have more precipitation

Ocean Currents

Cold currents

Dry Climate

Warm Currents

Wetter climates

Milder winters

Increase elevationDecrease temperature

Altitude

• Increase in altitude has the same affect as increasing latitude

Increase ElevationIncrease Precip.

Seasons

• The tilt of the earth and how light hits the earth

• Distance from equator determine the seasons

Topography = Rain Shadow

Urban Build up

• Built up areas absorb and retain more heat from the sun

• They also produce heat as they consume energy

Volcanoes

• Volcanic dust and aerosols can reflect sun-light cooling the earth

• 1816 “Year with out a summer” Mt Tambour erupted

• CO2 and other green house gases can warm the Earth

• http://www.volcanoweather.owlinc.org/

Green House Gasses

• Green house gasses absorb and trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere

• With out the green house effect the planet would be about -2 degrees F instead of about 59 degrees F.

• Water Vapor - evaporation• CO2 – comes from Combustion, respiration,

decomposition (1)• Methane- digestion of cellulose in cow and termite guts,

swaps and dumps (25)• N2O – Nitrous oxide, burning fossil fuels (296)• CFCs- Refrigerants, solvents and propellants

Where do Greenhouse gases come from?