Climate 

Climate

    The general condition of temperature and precipitation for an area for an extended period of time.

    The climate of any region of the world is determined by 2 factors: 1) temperature and 2) precipitation.

Factors that Affect Temperature

1) Latitude

    Areas close to the equator receive direct rays (warmer).

    In Polar Regions, sun’s rays are not as direct. (cooler temperatures).

Elevation

    As elevation increases, the temperature decreases.

• Air is less dense.

Canadian Rockies

3. Ocean Currents

    Some currents are warm.

    Surface temperature of water affects the temperature of the air above it.

    Land near warm currents has warmer temperatures. Ex: Ireland

Land near cold currents has cooler temperatures. Ex: California coast.

Major Ocean Currents:

Warm Current

Cold Current

Ireland

Maine

California surfer during the summer…wearing a wetsuit!!!

 

1) Prevailing winds

     They tend to blow from one direction

     Influences climate

     Moisture content may vary:

a)  Warm air holds more moisture than cold air.

b) Winds from rising warm air tend to bring precipitation

c)  Winds from rising cold air tend to bring little precipitation.

     Direction form which wind blows

a)  land breeze – dry Ex. Sahara desert in Africa

b) sea breeze – moisture Ex. England, Scotland, Ireland.

Factors that Affect Precipitation (2 factors)

2. Mountain Ranges

     Act as a barrier to winds and precipitation

a)  Windward side – side facing wind receives more precipitation (wet).

b) Leeward side – side facing awy from wind receives less precipitation (dryer).

Process:

1) Moist Air moves up windward side – cools, dropping precipitation.

Moves over mountaintop to leeward side bringing dryer air. There is little precipitation.

Example: Sierra Nevada mountain range: western side is moist, east side is dry.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT CLIMATE: 5 MIN

Climate Zones

 

Climates are divided by average temperature determined by:

1)  Location

2)  Latitude

3 Climate Zones:

1)  Polar (Alaska)

    Arctic regions

• 90 - 60 latitude

    coldest, temps are below freezing

Yanert Glacier, Alaska

Hubbard Glacier, Southeast Alaska

2) Temperate (USA)

    Middle latitude/60 - 30 latitude

    average precip of rain (year round) and snow (winter) is about the same

• Temps vary: 5 C - 20 C

3) Tropical (Hawaii, Caribbean)

    Low latitude/30 N and S to the equator

    Highest temperatures (does not fall below 18 C)

    High humidity

• No winter

CLIMATE REGIONS: 2 MIN

Changes in Climate

What causes the climate to change?

 3 natural factors:

1) slow drifting of continents

2) changes in the sun’s energy output

3) variations in the position of the Earth relative to the sun, collectively known as the “Milankovitch Cycles.”

 

 

1. Ice Ages

 

•Periodically, the Earth’s surface have been covered enormous sheets of ice.

•4 major ice ages (major glaciations) during the past 2 million years.

•Average temperature was about 6 C below today’s avg. temp.

•Lasts about 100,000 or more. The most recent began about 1.75 mya and ended 10,000 ago.

•Time period between major glaciations are called interglacials. (warm period - today)

What kind of life existed?

Based on true events? 2 min

2. Drifting Continents

 

     Approximately 200 mya, Pangaea started to drift.

• Plate tectonics.

     Temp and precip dropped.

     Moves only a few cm/yr. So, climate changes will happen over millions of years.

Where did our present continents originate from?

3. Extinction of Dinosaurs

 

Possible reasons:

1) Dinosaurs could not adapt to the slow change in climate.

2) Many plants became extinct.

3) Asteroid struck the Earth 65 mya. This resulted in enormous clouds and dust worldwide blocking the sun’s rays. Temperatures dropped.

Actually, the real reason why dinosaurs became extinct is because of…

4. Variations in Radiant Energy 

Some scientists believe the sun’s energy output changes over time, affecting the Earth’s temperature. But there is no evidence.

5. Global Warming 

     Human activity may have influenced the climate.

     Fossil fuels – coal, oil, and natural gas. These release a greenhouse gas - CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) which traps heat in the atmosphere.

     In the past 25 years, CO2 levels have increased by 8%. If this continues, an increase of 2 C can be drastic.

6. El Nino

 

    Normally, tradewinds off the coast of South America flow east-to-west and pile up warm water in the western Pacific.

    Every few years, the tradewinds change direction, allowing the pool of warm water to move east where it blocks the rising cold water.

    These changes help trigger the global weather changes associated with El Niño. EX. Increased rainfall in the southern half of the U.S. & droughts in Indonesia.

Every 100,000 years, the Earth’s eccentricity changes from a more elliptical (oval-shaped) to a less elliptical shape (circular).

TILT - Every 41,000 years, the angle or the Earth’s axis shifts from 21.4 degrees to 24.5 degrees.

Every 23,000 years, the Earth’s axis“wobbles” from one end to the other.

El Nino and La Nina: 1:44 min