Climate

Climate

Why do we have different climates in different places?

Multiple Choice

Review: What is climate?

• The daily weather

• The average weather over a long time

• The amount of rain a place gets

• The temperature for a location

Factors that affect climate

• Latitude

• Altitude

• Oceans

• Winds

Latitude

• Close to the north and south poles temperatures are cooler

• Close to the equator temperatures are hotter

• In between temperatures change with the seasons

Altitude

• As you move up the temperatures decrease

• High altitudes can mean a colder climate than you would expect

• Altitude or Elevation is a measure of the height above the level of the sea or sea level

• Sea level = 0 altitude

Altitude and Latitude affect climate in similar ways

Higher altitude = colder temperatures

Higher latitude = colder temperatures

Multiple Choice

Where would you expect the coldest temperatures?

• At the top of a tall mountain on equator

• At the top of a tall mountain at the north pole

• At sea level near the equator

• At sea level at the north pole

Multiple Choice

Where is the altitude zero?

• When you are standing on the ground and not on a mountain or hill

• When you are at the same level as the ocean or sea

• When you are at the same level as any water

Interested in how scientists figure out where sea level is when you are not near the sea?

Watch the next slide, it is optional

Altitude and Latitude can explain all of climate

Some places at the same latitude and altitude can still have very different climates

Ocean currents

• Currents in the ocean move warm and cold water around the world

• Places near large bodies of water usually have milder temperatures than you would expect

Air Currents

• Complex air currents move warm and cold air around the world

• The currents affect temperature and weather around the world

Multiple Choice

Near the ocean what would you expect?

• Extreme temperatures

• Milder temperatures

Open Ended

Why is climate important? Brainstorm as many different ways as you can think of that climate effects our lives and the lives of humans and animals around the globe?