Climate around the world Flashcards
Weather
Weather is short-term, day-to-day changes in conditions such as rainfall, temperature and wind direction. Weather is different from climate.
Climate
Climate is the pattern of weather conditions we expect in an area over a long period of time (i.e. 30 years). For example, if we say that Johannesburg has hot, wet summers and cold, dry winters, we are talking about its climate.
Four elements of weather
Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation.
Temperature
The temperature of a place is a measure of how hot or cold the air is.
We measure the temperature of the air with a thermometer; degrees Celsius (C°)
Measured every day, recording highest & lowest
The daily readings are used to calculate the mean temp for the month, and the monthly mean temperature for the 12 months in a year are used to calculate the mean annual temp - or the average temp at a place for the whole year
Humidity
The humidity of the air is the amount of water vapour in the air.
The humidity can be high or low, depending on how much water vapour there is in the air.
Water vapour is water in the air in the form of a gas.
Water vapour enters the air when water evaporates.
Warm air can hold more water vapour than cold air, and so is usually more humid.
Why is humidity important for air?
It influences the amount of rain that is likely to fall in a place. Places with high humidity get more rain than places with low humidity.
It influences how people feel. On a hot day, if the humidity is high, people’s sweat does not evaporate much, and they feel hot and sticky.
Wind
Wind is moving air… (edit)
