Climate Flashcards
How is climate calculated?
People average weather records over 30 - 50 years.
What are the factors that influence global climates?
Latitude
Distance from the sea
Prevailing winds and air masses
What is latitude?
The distance of a place north or south of the equator.
How is latitude measured?
As an angle in degrees
Why does the distance from the sea influence global climates?
The sea takes longer to heat up and cool than land.
What does the distance from the sea have to do with summer and winter?
During the summer, seawater is cooler than land. During the winter, seawater is warmer than land because it loses its heat more slowly. Meaning that areas close to the sea have cooler summers and milder winters than areas that are far away from the sea.
How are south-westerly winds in the winter and summer?
They’re mild in the winter because of the sea is warmer than the land. They’re are cooler in summer because the temperature of the sea is cooler than the land.
What do south-westerly winds often bring?
Precipitation because these winds absorb moisture as they pass over the ocean
What do the northerly/ polar winds make winter like?
Snowy
Why would southerly winds bring rainfall?
The air cools the winds as it travels away from the equator so it loses its ability to hold moisture.
What are easterly winds also called?
Continental winds
What do easterly winds do to summer and winter?
In summer, when temperatures are higher, they are warm. In winter, when the temperatures are lower, they’re cold.
What are easterly winds like?
Dry because they travel over land.
What are the factors that influence local climates?
Aspect and altitude
