• Distance from the equator• Ocean currents• Distance from the sea• Aspect• Orientation of mountain ranges• Altitude

Distance from the equator

TITLTED RAYS

VERTICAL RAYS

Atmosphere

diagonally rays

vertical rays

earth's surface

• The hottest place on the earth's surface at the equator. • Equatorial regions receive more sunlight and heat energy.– Smaller surface that receive the heat.– Sun rays more vertically

• The coldest place on the earth's surface, the poles. Polar regions receive relatively less sunlight and heat energy.– Larger surface to heat.– sun rays are more diagonally.

• Thus: – With change in latitude temperature decreases towards the poles.– The further one moves from the equator to the poles the greater

the temperature range between summer and winter is.

Ocean Currents

HOT MOZAMBIQUECURRENT

HOTAGHULASCURRENT

COLD BENGUALACURRENT

• Ocean currents can influence the temperature of a particular place.

• Next to the east coast of South Africa flow two warm currents; Mozambique and Aghulas currents.– The currents help the ocean to keep warm, so that

winds that blow over this ocean to the land, be warm and humid.

– Keep temperature high.– Promote air circulation.– Facilitate the arrival of rain carrying clouds from the east.

• Next to the west coast of South Africa, flows the cold Benguel current.– The ocean current helps to keep the ocean cool, and winds

blowing across the ocean to the land, is cold and dry.– Chill temperature remarkably– Making a contribution to the drought and stability of air

masses (less rain)

WEST COASTEAST COAST

DISTANCE FROM THE SEA

• Near the sea- Smaller temperature difference between winter and summer.– Smaller temperature difference between Maximum and

minimum

• Far from the sea- Larger temperature difference between winter and summer– Larger temperature difference between Maximum and

minimum

ASPECTNORTHERN HEMISPHERE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

LESS HEATING, GREATER Area

VERY HEATING, SMALLER Area / SMALLER Area, KLEINER OPPV

LESS HEATING

GREATER Area

• Overhead rays of the sun is always between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.

• Sun will always shine from the north in places located south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

• Sun wil always shine from the south to places located north of the Tropic of Cancer.

• Southern Hemisphere: mountain slopes pointing North is warmer than mountain slopes pointing South.

• Northern hemisphere: mountain slopes pointing South is warmer than mountain slopes pointing North.

• Local example. The Magaliesberg's northern mountain slope is warmer than the southern slope, so it is one of the factors that affect our temperature north of the mountain.

ORIENTATION OF MOUNTAIN RANGES

Mountain ranges that stretch from west to east, prevents the cold winds in winter and prevent the cold air reaching some places. Eg. Alps

• Mountain ranges stretching from North to South, in the Winter lets cold winds through to reach areas further South. Eg. Rocky Mountains

Altitude

• Solar radiation will begin heating the land and oceans when it hits the Earth's surface. Once the land and oceans is heated, heat transfers to the air directly above the soil surface. Air is thus heated.

Heat is not transferred evenly. There are more air molecules concentrated in the air near the Earth's surface. The gases in the air absorb heat at this level and the transfer of heat is easy. Air is thinner at higher altitudes. This means there are fewer air molecules. Heat transfer is less efficient, so temperatures are cooler at higher altitudes.