Unit 6: What is our climate like?

Question 1

What are weather and climate

Answer 1

weather -> condition of the lowest part of the atmosphere over a short period of time
climate -> is the average weather conditions over many years

Question 2

climatic zones

Answer 2

1. equatorial climate
2. tropical wet + dry climate
3. arid climate
4. semi-arid climate
5. mediterranean climate
6. temperate climate
7. cold climate
8. polar climate
9. mountain climate

Question 3

equatorial climatic characteristic

Answer 3

air temperature
1. high temperatures all year round
2. small annual range of temperature

precipitation
3. high rainfall throughout the year
4. annual precipitation is often above 2000mm

Question 4

tropical wet and dry climatic characteristic

Answer 4

air temperature
1. high temperatures
2. large annual range of temperature -> 3C to 10C

precipitation
3. distinct wet + dry seasons

Question 5

arid climatic characteristics

Answer 5

air temperature
1. large diurnal and annual range of temperatures
precipitation
2. low annual precipitation ( less than 250mm )

Question 6

semi-arid climatic characteristics

Answer 6

air temperature
1. large annual range of temperature
precipitation
2. annual precipitation is between 250-500mm

Question 7

mediterranean climatic characteristics

Answer 7

air temperature
1. moderate annual mean + annual range of temperature
precipitation
2. dry summer + wet winter
3. annual precipitation between 400mm-800mm

Question 8

temperate climatic characteristics

Answer 8

air temperature
1. warm to cool summer
2. mild winter
3. lowest monthly temperature > 0C
precipitation
4. moderate annual precipitation evenly disturbed through year
5. annual precipitation reaches 700mm

Question 9

cold climatic characteristics

Answer 9

air temperature
1. short + mild summer
2. long + severe winter
3. large annual range of temperature -> can be as large as 50C
precipitation
4. low precipitation (mainly in form of snow)

Question 10

polar climatic characteristics

Answer 10

air temperature
1. no true summers
2. warmest month below 10C
precipitation
3. annual precipitation is below 250mm

Question 11

mountain climatic characteristics

Answer 11

air temperature
1. lower annual mean temperature than lowland areas
2. large diurnal range of temperature (>35C)
precipitation
3. windward slope has much precipitation (usually in form of snow)

Question 12

climatic zones in China

Answer 12

1. temperate continental climate
2. temperate monsoon climate
3. highland climate
4. tropical monsoon climate
5. tropical continental climate

Question 13

temperate continental climate characteristics

Answer 13

1. hot summer + cold winter
2. large diurnal + annual range of temperature
3. low precipitation

Question 14

temperate monsoon climate characteristics

Answer 14

1. hot summer + cold winter
2. moderate precipitation
3. most rain falls in summer

Question 15

highland climate characteristics

Answer 15

1. cool summer + cold winter
2. large diurnal + annual range of temperature
3. IF
   windward slope: higher precipitation
   leeward slope: lower precipitation

Question 16

tropical monsoon climate characteristics

Answer 16

1. long + hot summer
2. short + mild winter
3. high precipitation
4. most rain falls in summer

Question 17

temperate monsoon climate characteristics

Answer 17

1. hot summer + mild winter
2. moderate to high precision
3. most rain falls in summer

Question 18

major climatic characteristics of Hong kong

Answer 18

1. Spring: (Mar-Apr) warm + humid with fog
2. Summer: (May-Sept) hot + wet + irregularly hit by tropical cyclones
3. Autumn: (Oct-Nov) warm + dry
4. Winter (Dec-Feb) cool + dry
5. annual range of temperature large
6. great seasonal variations in rainfall