Mr. Burton3.1 Notes

Please Grab:1. Your folder.2. Writing Utensil.3. Answer the following question: What is the difference between weather and climate?

Climate is the temperature over a period of time

Weather The short-term changes in the air for a

given place and time Temperature and precipitation from

hour to hour or day to day Climate

A region’s average weather conditions over a long period

The expected weather for a place based on data and experience

How the sun affects climate

Tilt• The part of the Earth tilted toward the sun receives

more solar energy than the part tilted away from the sun.

Movement• As Earth revolves around the sun, the part of Earth that

is tilted toward the sun changes during the year, thus creating the seasons.

Shape Earth’s spherical shape means that the sun’s rays

directly strike the equator, but only somewhat strike the poles.

The farther from the equator, or the higher the latitude, the colder the climate.

Wind Air and water warmed by the sun are

constantly on the move, making different areas of Earth warmer or cooler.

Wind, or the sideways movement of air, blows in great streams around the planet.

Prevailing winds are winds that blow in the same direction over large areas of Earth.

Wind cont… Weight of air

Cold air is heavier than warm air. When air cools, it gets heavier and sinks. When air warms, it gets lighter and rises. As warm air rises, cooler air moves in to take its place, creating

wind.

The rising, sinking, and flowing of air creates Earth’s prevailing wind patterns.

At the equator, hot air rises and flows toward the poles. At the poles, cold air sinks and flows toward the equator. Earth’s rotation causes prevailing winds to curve east or west.

Prevailing winds can make a region warmer or colder and drier or wetter.

Water and Wind Ocean currents—large streams of surface seawater

driven by winds—move heat around Earth. Carry warm or cool water to different areas Water’s temperature affects air temperature near it.

Large bodies of water, such as an ocean or sea, also affect climate.

Water heats and cools more slowly than land does. Large bodies of water make the temperature of the land

nearby milder. The place where two air masses of different temperatures or

moisture content meet is a front. Can produce rain, snow, thunderstorms, and blizzards

Storms: Thunderstorms, Blizzards, Tornadoes, Hurricanes and Typhoons TH: Produce rain, lightning, and thunder Most common in spring and summer

BL: Produce strong winds and large amounts of snow Most common during winter

T: Small, rapidly twisting funnel of air that touches the ground

Can be destructive and deadly H and TY: Large, rotating storms that form over tropical

waters in the Atlantic Ocean (hurricanes) or Pacific Ocean (typhoons).

Produce drenching rains, strong winds, and storm surges Largest, most destructive storms

Mountains influence temperature

Mountains can influence an area’s climate by affecting both temperature and precipitation.

Temperature decreases with elevation, the height on Earth’s surface above sea level.

Mountains also create wet and dry areas. Air blowing against mountains is forced to rise. As the air rises, it cools and precipitation falls. This effect produces a rain shadow, a dry area on the

mountainside facing away from the direction of the wind.

Exit Slip: Post-It

Identify one thing which you learned today in class.