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Understanding Climate vs. Weather: Key Influences and Classifications

Climate refers to the long-term average of weather patterns in a specific area, while weather denotes short-term atmospheric conditions. This chapter explores the classification of climates based on temperature and precipitation, highlighting seasonal differences such as rainy and dry seasons. Key climate factors include solar radiation, latitude, global wind patterns, ocean currents, and atmospheric composition. Understanding these influences, including the Milankovitch cycles, is essential for grasping how they impact global climates and ultimately, human activities.

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Understanding Climate vs. Weather: Key Influences and Classifications

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  1. Climate and Climatic Change Chapter 8 Intro 2 Lab 14

  2. Climate vs Weather • Climate: refers to the average weather patterns of an area over decades • Climate influences everything humans do?

  3. Classification of climates • We clasify Climates on their temperatures and precipitation • Seasonal Climatic differences “ rainy season, dry season” • We divide climate in 5 major Groups? • Page 231 Lab book.

  4. Climate Factors Factors can Astronomical and Geological • Solar Radiation • Latitude and seasons • Global Wind Patterns • Ocean Currents • Mountains • Surface Reflectivity • Atmospheric composition • Astronomical Factors “ Milankovitch Cycle”

  5. Solar Radiation • Sun gives constant amount of energy • Early on Earth’s history 20% to 30% less than today • Sunspots: Huge magnetic storms than are seen from Earth as dark spots • These cause variation in solar energy output • These occur in cycles showing maximum activity every 11 years.

  6. Sunspots When sunspots are shorter or longer than average global temperatures may be affected - Late 1600 and Early 1700 little ice age “ very little sunspot activity

  7. Latitude and Seasons • The amount of Solar radiation received at any point on Earth’s surface depends on latitude

  8. Global Wind Patterns • Wind is the horizontal movement of air from areas of high to low pressure • High-pressure regions are dominated by cold, descending air • Low pressure areas are associated with warm, rising air masses • Coriolus effect given by Earth’s rotation • Currents on Northern Hemisphere will be deflected clock wise, Southern hemisphere counter clock-wise

  9. Idealized surface wind patterns

  10. Ocean Currents • Over 70 % of Earth’s is covered by ocean water • At the Ocean-atmosphere boundary there is a constant exchange of heat, moisture and energy. • Oceans Absorved huge amounts of solar energy and transport this heat by way of oceans currents from the equator to the poles

  11. Surface ocean Currents • Coriolus Effect plays a role also in ocean currents. Gulf stream circulates clockwise. • Ocean Surface temperature • El Niño Effect

  12. Ocean Deep sea currents • Phytoplankton and Ocean currents • The Ocean Conveyor Belt

  13. Surface Reflectivity • Albedo Effect • Is the reflectivity at the surface

  14. Atmospheric Factors • Milankovitch Cycles

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