Weather and Climate

Weather and Climate

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather

• Weather changes on a daily basis.

• Weather is what happens in the air each day, between temperature and weather types.

• Weather Types include: sunny and clear, cloudy, partially cloudy, overcast (very cloudy and rainy), rainy, drizzle, snowy, foggy, windy, thunderstorms (stormy)

• Severe Weather Types: hurricanes/cyclones/typhoons, tornadoes, snowstorms/blizzards, sandstorms, and earthquakes.

Climate

• The pattern of weather that occurs in a particular area over many years.

• Climate Types: tropical, temperate, and polar.

• Examples: Typically, rainfall in April is higher than August.

• Examples: The rainforest in Brazil tends to be wet and warm.

• Examples: The tundra in Alaska is usually cold, dry, and the ground is frozen.

Weather Forecast Parts

• Precipitation: All forms of water particles (liquid, solid) that full from the atmosphere, coming from clouds, and reaching the ground.

• Humidity: presence of water vapor in the atmosphere. The more water evaporates in an area, the more water vapor rises into the air, and the higher the humidity is. (Hot places = more humid because the sun heats the water.)

• Wind Speed: helps to plot atmospheric pressure, knowing wind speed/direction tells what direction wind is coming from & how fast.

• Temperature: degree of hotness or coldness

Weather Forecast Parts continued...

• Low Pressure: warm air rises in circular motion, forms clouds, and stormy conditions.

• High Pressure: air sinks down in circular motion, more sunshine.