RECAP CLIMATE ZONES!

What influences climatic zones• There are 5 factors which affect climate. These are summarized below: • Latitude • Temperature range increases with distance from the equator. Also, temperatures

decrease as you move away from the equator. This is because the suns rays are dispersed over a larger area of land as you move away from the equator. This is due to the curved surface of the earth. In addition polar regions are colder because the suns rays have further to travel compared to place on the equator.

• Altitude • Temperatures decrease with height. The air is less dense and cannot hold heat as easily. • Winds • If winds are warm - they have been blown from a hot area - they will raise temperatures.

If winds have been blown from cold areas they will lower temperatures. • Distance from the sea • Land heats and cools faster than the sea. Therefore coastal areas have a lower

temperature range than those areas inland. On the coast winters are mild and summers are cool. In inland areas temperatures are high in the summer and cold in the winter.

• Aspect • Slopes facing the sun are warmer than those that are not. Thus south facing slopes in

the northern hemisphere are usually warm whereas slopes facing north in the southern hemisphere are warmest.

Three main climate Zones1. Tropical2. Temperate3. Polar

Zones of Latitude

•Tropical Zones: Warm weather year round. Area between the Tropic of Cancer (23 ½ º

N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23 ½ º S).

•Temperate Zones: Warm summers and cold winters (four seasons). Areas between Tropic of Cancer (23 ½ º N) and Arctic Circle (66 ½ º N) and Tropic of Capricorn (23 ½ º S) and the Antarctic Circle (66 ½ º S).

•Polar Zones: Cold year round. Areas north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle.

Sub-categories of climate zones

• Tropical• Temperate

• Moist mid-latitudes• Polar

The Biomes

• Within the climate zones are many biomes Tropical Climate Zone

• Rainforest• Savanna• Desert

Temperate Climate Zone• Humid Subtropical• Mediterranean• Lots more

Polar Climate Zone• Tundra• Icecap• Highland

Tropical wet

Tropical wet and dry

Tropical dry (desert)

Grp I

mid latitude wet

Mid latitude summer or winter dry

mid latitude dry (desert)

Grp II

Polar wet Polar wet and dry

Polar dry (desert)

GrpIII

WetWet DryDry

WarmWarm

ColdCold

Air masses and climatic types