CLIMATE

María Jesús Camposlearningfromgeography.wikispaces.com

Climate It is the usual state of the atmosphere in a place over a long period of time. The sum up of weather in a place during more than 30 years give rise to climate. It is studied by Climatology.

Climate is the result of: The combination of

meteorological phenomena.

Meteorological phenomena (temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, air masses, precipitation) give rise to weather. The average pattern of that combination on a place during more than 30 years determines Climate.

Meteorological Phenomena

Weather

Temperature

Atmospheric Pressure and

WindPrecipitation

Air Masses

Average weather during more than 30 years

CLIMATE

Climate zones

The earth’s has got different types of climate distributed according to latitude and altitude:

Warm zone: located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. All of its climates have an average annual temperature above 18ºC.

Temperate zones: there are 2 temperate zones located between the Tropics and the Polar Circles. Its climates have an average annual temperature around 15ºC and different seasons.

Cold zones: there are 2 cold zones located within the polar circles and in mountains higher than 2,500 metres. The temperatures are very cold, usually below 0ºC.

Types of climate Within those climate zones

we can find at least 12 different types of climate.

Each of them is grouped in a category according to the characteristics that they share and the area in which they are found.

Climate changes over time but very slowly.

The Earth has experienced many different climates over its 4.54 billion years.

Tropical or Hot

Climates

Equatorial Climate

Humid Tropical Climate

Dry Tropical Climate

Temperate or Moderate

Climates

Humid Subtropical

Climate

Mediterranean Climate

Maritime/Oceanic Climate

Continental Climate

Cold Climates

Polar Climate

Tundra Climate

Alpine Climate

Dry Climates

Arid or Hot Dessert

Semiarid

Equatorial climateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

• Along the Equator, usually within 25º of the Equator

• These areas receive constant direct sunlight so temperatures are high and stay the same throughout most of the year.

•The mean annual temperature is over 25ºC

• Abundant and regular rainfall throughout the year. The regular warm temperatures evaporate water and keep humidity high allowing it to rain almost every day.

• Precipitation is over 1500 mm annually.

• Only 1 season because these area always receive direct sunlight throughout the entire year.

Humid Tropical ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

• Near the Equator, on the outer edges of Equatorial climate.

• Temperatures are high throughout the year.

•The mean annual temperature is over 20ºC

• Abundant rainfall but under 1500 mm annually.

• Precipitation only falls during the summer monts, usually from May to August with June and July having the heaviest rain.

•

• 2 seasons, wet (summer) and dry (winter). Usually the dry season is longer.

Dry Tropical ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

• Near the Equator, on the outer edges of Equatorial climate.

• Temperatures are high throughout the year. But they are mild in winter and hot in summer.

•The mean annual temperature is over 18ºC

• Precipitation is scarce, although more than 250 mm annually.

• 2 seasons, wet (summer) and dry (winter). Usually the dry season is longer.

Humid Subtropical ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

• On the east coast of continents between 20º and 40º north and south of the Equator

• Hot humid summers and mild winters as these areas receive direct sunlight for a large part of the years.

•The mean annual temperature varies between 10ºC and 20ºC

• The rain falls throughout the year, but more in summer. This is because the regularly high temperatures evaporate water causing humidity and precipitation.

• Precipitation is over 1000 mm annually.

• 2 seasons, summer and winter. However winter is not a cold winter.

• Summer season lasts longer.

Mediterranean ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

• Between 30º and 45º latitudes (N-S). On the western sides of continents. It gets its name from the climate found around the Mediterranean Sea.

• Warm to hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters.

•The mean annual temperature varies between 12º to 18º. Temperatures during the summer can reach 30º.

• Precipitation is irregular. Most precipitation falls in spring and autumn. Summers have little or no precipitation.

• Precipitation is irregular and varies between 300mm to 800 mm anually.

• Mild climate. It has 4 seasons but only 2 of them are really clear: summer and winter.

• Summers are longer than winters, and winters are usually mild.

Maritime/Oceanic ClimateLocation Temperatur

ePrecipitatio

nSeasons

• Along the west coast of mid-latitude continents. Midway between the tropics and the Artic/Antartic circles. •It is stopped by the presence of mountains so this climate covers more land in Europe than in North America where mountains block the humid air from moving farther inland.

• Mild climate with few extremes in temperature.•The ocean’s influence keeps the air over the land cool in summer and warm in winter.

•Temperatures vary between 10º to 20º.

• Precipitation is regular and abundant.

• Precipitation between 1000 and 1500 mm annually.

• Temperatures do not vary much during the year so we only distinguish 2 seasons clearly: summer and winter.

Continental ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

• In the interior of continents between 30º and 60º latitude (N-S), but usually above the 40º line. •Mainly in the Northen Hemisphere since there are no major landmasses in the Southern Hemisphere.

• A wide range of temperatures because of latitude (less direct sunlight and warmth).

•Temperatures are high in summer(20ºC) and low in winter (less than 5ºC)

• Marked contrast between warm, rainy summers and dry cold winters.

• Precipitation is between 300 and 1000 mm annually.•Almost all the regions of this climate experience snow.

• 4 seasons: warm and humid summer; cool and dry autumn; cold and harsh winter; and warm and wet spring.

Polar ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

• Located near the poles. •It covers a 20% of the Earth. •It is the most extreme climate of the Earth.

• It is the coldest climate on Earth because of its latitude.•It receives indirect sunligh during part of the year while in “winter” the area is in total darkness.•Temperatures are never higher than 5ºC, and may fall to -50ºC.

• Scarce precipitation , less than 300 mm because its too cold to evaporate the water, so the humidity in the air is too low to create precipitation.

•Precipitation falls as snow.

• There is not traditional summer but we can distinguish 2 seasons determined by the amount of light. •“Summer”:nearly 24 hours of light (the pole is pointed towards the sun) •“Winter”: nearly 24hrs of total darkness (the pole is facing away from the sun)

Tundra ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

• Between 60-75º latitude, along the coast of the Artic Ocean.

•Because of the high latitude, indirect sunlight delivers light but little heat. •Winters are very harsh while summers are cool.•Although snow melts in summer, the deeper parts of the soil stay frozen, is a layer called permafrost.

• Low levels of precipitation as temperatures are too low to cause evaporation.•It can be considered a “desert”

•Winters are very harsh and summers are cool.

Alpine ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

•In high mountain areas. •In sinle mountains such as Mount Kilimanjaro and also in large areas such as the Plateau of Tibet.

•This climate changes as you move up to the mountain. Temperature depends on the elevation.

•As you move up it will get colder and snow may appear. •Temperature drops about 6,5º degrees every 1000 m in elevation as you move up a mountain.

• Precipitation depends also on elevation. • Sometimes the base of the mountain may be dry while there is snow in the top of the mountain. This happens because high mountains force warm air to rise, so precipitation falls at the top.

•No seasons

Arid Hot Desert ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

• Arid means dry. Most deserts are found along the 30º latitude or in the center of the continents or in the rain shadow of large mountain ranges.

•The temperatures will depend on the latitude of the desert. The farther from the Equator the colder they will be.•There are warm and cold arid climates.•Warm deserts have an average annual temperature above 18ºC with significant oscillations between day and night that can exceed 20ºC or more.

• Precipitation is infrequent and irregular. •Less than 150 mm per year.

•They don’t have regular seasons.

Semiarid ClimateLocation Temperature Precipitation Seasons

•On the edge of Arid climate areas.

•The temperatures will depend on the latitude of the area.

• Precipitation is infrequent and irregular. But they receive more precipitation than arid areas.•Precipitation may occur in «winter».

•They don’t have regular seasons. Some difference between summer and winter.

Developed by María Jesús CamposChusteacherWikiteacher

Thanks to «Climate Types for Kids»