CLIMATE OF LATIN AMERICA

Adapted from Thomas Glenn

THE TROPICS

Much of Latin America is located in the Tropics

Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Capricorn

This area receives direct rays of the sun for much of the year

CLIMATE ZONES

Climate Zone Location

Tropical Rainforest Some Caribbean Islands and much of Central and South America

Tropical Grasslands Parts of Central America, most Caribbean Islands, and north central South America

Steppe Northern Mexico, coastal Peru and Chile, northeastern Brazil, and southeastern Argentina

Desert Pacific coast of Northern Chile (Atacama Desert)

Mediterranean Central Chile

Humid Subtropical Southeastern Brazil to the Pampas in Argentina and Uruguay

Marine West Coast Southern Chile and Southern Argentina

CLIMATE OF LATIN AMERICA

Andes: Below sub-zero temperatures

why are the Andes Mountains cold?

Amazon River Basin: Tropical heat (80°F) Receives over 80 inches of rain per year

Atacama Desert One of the driest places on Earth

what physical feature creates the desert?

THE ATACAMA DESERT

CLIMATE IN THE CARIBBEAN

Climate is usually sunny and warm Hurricane Season: June to November

The Caribbean

CLIMATE FACTORS

Elevation is the height of land above sea level The higher the elevation= the colder the

temperature

Location to the equator: countries that are located on or near the Equator are warmer. The farther you move away from the Equator

the more the temperatures drop

ALTITUDE CLIMATE ZONES

ALTITUDE CLIMATE ZONES

Altitude Zone Temperature Crops Grown

Tierra Helada 20°F - 55°F Little to no vegetation

Tierra Fria 55°F - 65°F Barley, wheat, potatoes, apples

Tierra Templada

65°F - 75°F Coffee, corn, citrus

Tierra Caliente

75°F - 80°F Bananas, rice, sugarcane, cacao

WHAT IS THE RING OF FIRE?

The ring of fire is located around the Pacific Ocean 75% of the world’s active volcanoes located here 90 % of earthquakes happen here

The Ring of Fire is a direct result and consequence of plate tectonics and the movement and collisions of crustal plates

THE RING OF FIRE

TSUNAMIS

Tsunami take place when a huge earthquake occurs causing the plates below the water to push up causing the water to create a huge wave.

The waves can reach 90 feet or higher.

HURRICANES

Storm system characterized by a low pressure system center and thunderstorms that produce strong wind and flooding rain.

Feeds off the heat released when moist air rises and the water vapor it contains condenses.

HURRICANES

Form almost exclusively in tropical regions. Referred to as: typhoon, tropical storm,

cyclonic storm, and tropical depression.

HURRICANE DISASTERS

HURRICANE DISASTERS