Name: Climographs
Introduction:
Climate is affected by several factors. A brief description of each factor is
listed below.
Latitude The lower the latitude, the warmer the temperatures and usually a
smaller temperature range
Elevation The higher the elevation, the colder the temperatures
Mountain Barriers The windward side is more moist and cooler than the leeward side
Wind Belts
Wind from lower latitudes causes temperature to be warmer than
wind coming from the higher latitudes
Wind from water cause greater amounts of precipitation
Ocean
Currents
Cool ocean currents cause temperatures to be lower than warm
ocean currents
Nearness to large
body of water
The closer you are to a large body of water, the smaller the
temperature range
Materials
Color pencils
Highlighter
Objective:
Draw and analyze climographs
Procedure:
(1) Draw the climograph for Buffalo, NY as instructed by your teacher
a. Plot the average temperature for each month.
b. Connect the plotted points and create a line graph for temperatures.
c. Create a bar graph using the data for average rain for each month. Color in ONLY the
larger space, leaving a small space in between bars.
d. Precipitation for January has been done for you.
e. A sample climograph is pictured below.
(2) Using the Earth Science Reference Tables as a guide, draw the following on the map of
South America.
a. yellow - trace the line for the equator and 30 S latitude ONLY
(do not highlight 20˚)
b. green – planetary winds (ESRT page 14)
c. blue – cool ocean currents (ESRT page 4)
d. red – warm ocean currents (ESRT page 4)
(3) For each climograph given:
a. Find the location on the map of South America and highlight it.
b. Draw the climograph using the data in the table at the top of the sheet.
c. Look at the map and the climate variations listed to the right of your climograph.
Describe how each factor should be effecting this location.
Climograph: Buffalo, NY - USA
Latitude 42.93 N Longitude 78.73 W Elevation 702 feet
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Yearly
Average
temp (F) 23.7 24.6 33.8 45.1 56.5 65.8 71.1 68.9 61.9 51.1 40.5 29.1 47.7
Average rain (in) 3.0 2.5 2.9 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.9 3.5 3.1 3.9 3.5 38.6
Degrees Inches
100
32
90 30
80 28
70 26
60 24
50 22
40 20
30 18
20 16
10 14
0 12
-10 10
-20 8
-30 6
-40 4
-50 2
-60 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Climate Variables:
Latitude
Elevation
Lg. Body of Water
Wind Belts
Mountain Barrier
Ocean Currents
Climograph: Victoria (Aeroporto) Brazil
Latitude 22.27 S Longitude 40.20 W Elevation 13 feet
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Yearly
Temp (F) 81.3 82.4 81.5 79.3 76.5 73.4 72.5 72.9 74.1 75.9 78.1 79.3 77.2
Rain (in) 3.7 3.8 4.2 2.6 1.5 1.8 1.6 1.1 1.0 1.4 4.0 4.4 30.9
Degrees Inches
100
32
90 30
80 28
70 26
60 24
50 22
40 20
30 18
20 16
10 14
0 12
-10 10
-20 8
-30 6
-40 4
-50 2
-60 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Climate Variables:
Latitude
Elevation
Lg. Body of Water
Wind Belts
Mountain Barrier
Ocean Currents
Climograph: Iquique, Chile
Latitude 20.53 S Longitude 70.09 W Elevation 16 feet
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Yearly
Temp (F) 69.6 69.6 67.8 64.8 62.8 61.0 60.1 59.7 61.0 62.8 65.1 67.6 64.2
Rain (in) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1
Degrees Inches
100
32
90 30
80 28
70 26
60 24
50 22
40 20
30 18
20 16
10 14
0 12
-10 10
-20 8
-30 6
-40 4
-50 2
-60 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Climate Variables:
Latitude
Elevation
Lg. Body of Water
Wind Belts
Mountain Barrier
Ocean Currents
Climograph: Belem, Brazil
Latitude 1.45 S Longitude 48.40 W Elevation 52 feet
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Yearly
Temp (F) 78.4 78.1 78.3 78.6 79.0 79.5 79.2 79.7 79.5 80.1 80.1 79.5 79.2
Rain (in) 13.8 16.2 17.4 14.6 11.1 6.5 6.1 4.8 5.1 4.1 4.0 7.9 111.7
Degrees Inches
100
32
90 30
80 28
70 26
60 24
50 22
40 20
30 18
20 16
10 14
0 12
-10 10
-20 8
-30 6
-40 4
-50 2
-60 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Climate Variables:
Latitude
Elevation
Lg. Body of Water
Wind Belts
Mountain Barrier
Ocean Currents
Climograph: Quito – Observatorio - Equador
Latitude 0.22 S Longitude 78.50 W Elevation 9252 feet
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Yearly
Temp (F) 56.5 56.1 56.5 56.3 56.8 56.1 56.5 56.7 56.7 55.8 55.6 56.1 56.3
Rain (in) 3.5 5.3 5.8 6.5 4.3 1.9 1.1 1.4 3.3 5.3 3.9 3.7 46.2
Degrees Inches
100
32
90 30
80 28
70 26
60 24
50 22
40 20
30 18
20 16
10 14
0 12
-10 10
-20 8
-30 6
-40 4
-50 2
-60 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Climate Variables:
Latitude
Elevation
Lg. Body of Water
Wind Belts
Mountain Barrier
Ocean Currents
1. 1. How can you tell by looking only at the temperature graphs if the location is in the
Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere?
2. 2. Explain why is Quito’s temperatures relative cold, even though it is on the equator.
3. 3. Both Vitoria and Iquique are located close to the same latitude and right next to an ocean.
Explain why there is a difference in the amount of rainfall.
4. Which location has the greatest temperature range?
How can you tell by looking at the graph?
5. Describe the wind patterns around the equator (inward or outward)
Explain why Belem is so wet.
6. For each of the locations, give two climate factors that effect that location the most and
explain how.
Quito
Belem
Iquique
Vitoria
7. Name two climate factors that affect the area in which you live and explain how.