Vocabulary Flashcards
Tropical zone
The area near the equator between about 23.5° north latitude and 23.5° south latitude.
Climate
The average annual conditions of temperature, precipitation, winds, and clouds in an area.
Polar zone
The areas near both poles from about 66.5° to 90° north and 66.5° to 90° south latitudes.
Temperate zones
The areas between the tropical and the polar zones.
Marine climates
The climate of some coastal regions, with relatively warm winters and cool summers.
Continental climates
The climate of the centers of continents, with cold winters and warm or hot summers.
Windward
The side of a mountain range that faces the oncoming wind.
Leeward
The side of a mountain range that faces away from the oncoming wind.
Monsoon
Sea or land breeze over a large region that changes direction with the seasons.
Rain forests
A forest that receives at least 2 meters of rain per year, mostly occurring in the tropical wet climate zone.
Savanna
A grassland located close to the equator that may include shrubs and small trees and receives as much as 120 centimeters of rain per year.
Steppe
A prairie or grassland found in semiarid regions.
Desert
A dry region that on average receives less than 25 centimeters of precipitation per year.
Humid subtropical
A wet and warm climate found on the edges of the tropics.
Subarctic
A climate zone that lies north of the humid continental climates.
