Weather and Weather and ClimateClimate

Similar…Similar…

……But Not The SameBut Not The Same

1. Weather:1. Weather: TemperatureTemperature and precipitation in and precipitation in

the lower layer of the Earth’s the lower layer of the Earth’s atmosphereatmosphere

a.a. Over a Over a short timeshort time

b.b. Day, Day, monthmonth, season, season

WeatherWeather::c. Atmosphere Layers of Layers of gassesgasses

around the Earth (around the Earth (Nitrogen, Nitrogen, oxygen, neon and carbon-dioxide)oxygen, neon and carbon-dioxide)

d.d. Weather is constantly Weather is constantly changingchanging Hot days, cool nightsHot days, cool nights Rain yesterday, dry todayRain yesterday, dry today

e.e. Uses descriptions likeUses descriptions like Today is Today is coolcool Last summer was Last summer was hothot

Climate:Climate:2.2. Climate: Temperature and Climate: Temperature and

precipitation in the lower layer of precipitation in the lower layer of the the Earth’sEarth’s atmosphere atmosphere

a.a. Over a Over a long timelong time

b.b. YearsYears, centuries, eons, centuries, eons

c.c. Depends on elevation, Depends on elevation, latitudelatitude, , nearby bodies of nearby bodies of waterwater and/or and/or mountainsmountains

Climate is what you Climate is what you expectexpect; weather ; weather is what you actually is what you actually getget..

Sun and the EarthSun and the Earth  

3.3. Sun Sun a. a. 9393 million miles away million miles away

b. Almost b. Almost ALLALL energy comes from energy comes from the sunthe sun

c. Most energy from the Sun isc. Most energy from the Sun is reflectedreflected away into outer-space away into outer-space

d. The d. The EarthEarth and its atmosphere and its atmosphere absorbabsorb the rest of the energy the rest of the energy from the from the SunSun

4. Greenhouse Effect4. Greenhouse Effecta. Method of describing how the a. Method of describing how the Earth Earth

“holds” heat“holds” heat from the Sun. from the Sun.

b. Atmosphere holds heat for ab. Atmosphere holds heat for a shortshort period of period of timetime..

c. Much c. Much shortershorter than one might think than one might think

d. This heating is “d. This heating is “spreadspread” around the ” around the EarthEarth even though only ½ of the even though only ½ of the earth is facing the sun at one time.earth is facing the sun at one time.

RotationRotation5.5. Earth’s Earth’s RotationRotation: Spinning of : Spinning of

the the EarthEarth on its axis (spins on its axis (spins like a top) causes like a top) causes day/nightday/night

6.6. Earth’s Earth’s RevolutionRevolution: One : One complete orbit around the complete orbit around the SunSun (365¼ days) (365¼ days)

a.a. Every four years Every four years one day is one day is addedadded to February to keep to February to keep our calendar correct.our calendar correct.

TILT & REVOLUTIONb.b. The Earth’s The Earth’s

revolutionsrevolutions cause cause our changes in our changes in seasonsseasons..

c.c. Due to the Due to the tilttilt of of the the EarthEarth on its on its axis.axis.

d.d. On approximately On approximately JuneJune 21, 21, NorthNorth America (U.S.) is tilted towards the America (U.S.) is tilted towards the Sun, and enters the Sun, and enters the summersummer season season (winter in the South America(winter in the South America

e.e. On approximately On approximately DecemberDecember 21, 21, SouthSouth America is tilted towards the America is tilted towards the Sun, and enters the Sun, and enters the summersummer season season (winter in the North America)(winter in the North America)

TILT & REVOLUTION

Distribution of the Sun’s HeatDistribution of the Sun’s Heat

1. Convection Heating: 1. Convection Heating: Transfer of Transfer of heatheat from one from one place place to anotherto another

2. Winds: Movements of 2. Winds: Movements of airair that distributes heat that distributes heat throughout throughout the worldthe world..

3. Currents: Movements of 3. Currents: Movements of waterwater that distributes heat that distributes heat throughout throughout the worldthe world..

a.a. WarmWarm air/water move from air/water move from the the equatorequator to the to the polespoles

b.b. ColdCold air/water move from air/water move from the the polespoles to the to the equatorequator

WarmWarm air air risesrises at the at the EquatorEquator and sinks at about and sinks at about 30o N/S latitudes30o N/S latitudes

CoolerCooler air air sinkssinks at the at the polespoles, and moves overland , and moves overland to about 60o N/S latitude to about 60o N/S latitude and rises.and rises.

The Sun is how far?The Sun is how far?1. The Earth revolves around the Sun (orbits).

2. The orbit is elliptical!

3. The orbit is also lopsided!

4. When is the Earth closest to the Sun?

PrecipitationPrecipitationAllAll forms of forms of waterwater that fall on that fall on

the Earth’s surfacethe Earth’s surface1.1. Convection PrecipitationConvection Precipitation::

a.a. common at the common at the EquatorEquator

b.b. Due to the intense Due to the intense heatingheating

c.c. Hot, Hot, moist air risesmoist air rises until it cools and until it cools and cannot hold the moisture.cannot hold the moisture.

d.d. It falls back to earth as It falls back to earth as rainrain//snowsnow..

Orographic PrecipitationOrographic Precipitation

2.2. When warm, When warm, moist air is forced moist air is forced upwardupward while while passing over passing over mountainsmountainsa.a. The The air coolsair cools b.b. Forms Forms rainrain/snow/snow

c.c. Windward Side: As the wind Windward Side: As the wind blows up the mountain, the air blows up the mountain, the air cools, forms clouds and cools, forms clouds and causes causes rain or snowrain or snow..

d. Leeward Side: as the wind goes d. Leeward Side: as the wind goes over the mountainover the mountain, it sinks and , it sinks and warms up.warms up.e. This e. This dry airdry air causes causes desertsdeserts on the on the leeward side of the mountain.leeward side of the mountain.

3.3. Frontal PrecipitationFrontal Precipitationa.a. Most commonMost common cause of cause of

precipitationprecipitation

b.b. Front: when two air masses of Front: when two air masses of different temperatures different temperatures meetmeet..

Other InfluencesOther Influences1.1. Water’s Influences on Water’s Influences on

ClimateClimatea.a. Wind blowing over warm water Wind blowing over warm water warms warms

the airthe air and nearby and nearby landland England is at the same latitude as England is at the same latitude as

Alaska, yet it rarely snows.Alaska, yet it rarely snows.b.b. Wind blowing over warm water also Wind blowing over warm water also

picks up moisturepicks up moisture causing more causing more precipitation on nearby land areas.precipitation on nearby land areas.

2.2. Continental Climate: Most Continental Climate: Most have cold, have cold, snowy winterssnowy winters and hot, humid and hot, humid summerssummers..

3.3. Elevation: Temperature Elevation: Temperature drops drops 3.53.5oo F for every F for every 1000’1000’ of heightof height

4.4. Increase in COIncrease in CO22 (carbon- (carbon-

dioxide)dioxide)a.a. COCO22 AbsorbsAbsorbs heat from the heat from the

sunsun

b.b. This heating This heating MAYMAY cause cause warmingwarming of the world of the world

World Climate RegionsWorld Climate Regions1.1. DryDry

a.a. SemiaridSemiarid

b.b. AridArid

2.2. ModerateModeratea.a. MediterraneanMediterranean

b.b. Humid Humid SubtropicalSubtropical

c.c. Marine West Marine West CoastCoast

3.3. TropicalTropicala.a. Tropical wetTropical wet

b.b.Tropical wet/dryTropical wet/dry

World Climate RegionsWorld Climate Regions4. ContinentalContinental

a.a.Humid ContinentalHumid Continental

b.b.Sub-arcticSub-arctic

5.5. PolarPolara.a.TundraTundra

b.b.Ice CapIce Cap

EcosystemsEcosystems1. Ecosystems: All of the animals and plant

life interacting in an environment2. Biome: Major types of environments

found within a region Forest regions Grasslands Deserts Tundra

ECOSYSTEMSECOSYSTEMS1. Forest Regions1. Forest Regions

a.a. Mid-Latitude Forests: Covered in Mid-Latitude Forests: Covered in deciduous trees.deciduous trees.

Deciduous ForestsDeciduous Forests: Trees that shed their : Trees that shed their

leaves during one leaves during one season (fall)season (fall).. Coniferous ForestsConiferous Forests: found in colder : found in colder

climates, these trees have cones that carry climates, these trees have cones that carry their their seedsseeds..

b.b. Tropical Jungles: Areas near the Tropical Jungles: Areas near the equatorequator with great amounts of rain with great amounts of rain fall, thick tropical jungles grow.fall, thick tropical jungles grow.

2. Grasslands2. Grasslands Temperate Grasslands: Called prairies in Temperate Grasslands: Called prairies in

the U.S., and the U.S., and steppesteppe in most of the in most of the rest of the world.rest of the world.

a.a. Herbivores: Herbivores: PlantPlant eaters eatersb.b. Carnivores: Carnivores: MeatMeat eaters eaters

3. Desert Vegetation3. Desert Vegetationa.a. Inhabited by cactus or plants that Inhabited by cactus or plants that

grow when only some grow when only some rainrain falls. falls.

4. Tundra4. Tundraa. a. Region where temperatures are Region where temperatures are

always always cool or coldcool or cold

b.b. Permafrost: soil just below the surface Permafrost: soil just below the surface that is permanently that is permanently frozenfrozen..

5.5. Polar Ice CapPolar Ice Cap a. Areas of the world that are a. Areas of the world that are

covered with icecovered with ice (sometimes (sometimes glaciers) that does not melt.glaciers) that does not melt.

b. A b. A fewfew insects and animals, but insects and animals, but almost almost no plant-growthno plant-growth..

Reach For A Star ProductionJohn P. LukeJohn P. Lukewww.mrluke.netwww.mrluke.net