Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 45 views

    Weather and Climate

    Uploaded by

    Kaelyn Mullin
    The document discusses several key factors that influence climate, including proximity to water bodies, prevailing wind patterns, ocean currents, elevation, latitude, and type of precipitation. Coastal areas have milder, more moderate climates due to the ocean's ability to retain heat. Prevailing winds in North America blow from west to east. Ocean currents also impact climate, with warm currents raising temperatures and cold currents lowering them. Higher elevations experience colder temperatures due to thinner air. Areas closer to the equator receive more direct sunlight and heat. Types of precipitation include convectional, frontal/cyclonic, and orographic.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Weather and Climate

    Uploaded by

    Kaelyn Mullin
    45 views5 pages
    The document discusses several key factors that influence climate, including proximity to water bodies, prevailing wind patterns, ocean currents, elevation, latitude, and type of precipitation. Coastal areas have milder, more moderate climates due to the ocean's ability to retain heat. Prevailing winds in North America blow from west to east. Ocean currents also impact climate, with warm currents raising temperatures and cold currents lowering them. Higher elevations experience colder temperatures due to thinner air. Areas closer to the equator receive more direct sunlight and heat. Types of precipitation include convectional, frontal/cyclonic, and orographic.

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The document discusses several key factors that influence climate, including proximity to water bodies, prevailing wind patterns, ocean currents, elevation, latitude, and type of precipitation. Coastal areas have milder, more moderate climates due to the ocean's ability to retain heat. Prevailing winds in North America blow from west to east. Ocean currents also impact climate, with warm currents raising temperatures and cold currents lowering them. Higher elevations experience colder temperatures due to thinner air. Areas closer to the equator receive more direct sunlight and heat. Types of precipitation include convectional, frontal/cyclonic, and orographic.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    45 views5 pages

    Weather and Climate

    Uploaded by

    Kaelyn Mullin
    The document discusses several key factors that influence climate, including proximity to water bodies, prevailing wind patterns, ocean currents, elevation, latitude, and type of precipitation. Coastal areas have milder, more moderate climates due to the ocean's ability to retain heat. Prevailing winds in North America blow from west to east. Ocean currents also impact climate, with warm currents raising temperatures and cold currents lowering them. Higher elevations experience colder temperatures due to thinner air. Areas closer to the equator receive more direct sunlight and heat. Types of precipitation include convectional, frontal/cyclonic, and orographic.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 5

    Weather and Climate

    •Weather describes the variations which occur in the atmosphere from


    day to day.
    •The climate of a place, however, is a generalization of the typical
    weather to be found there, based on observations from the past thirty
    years. Climate refers to the expected(average) weather conditions of an
    area.

    Factors Affecting Climate Proximity to Water


    • Coastal areas are wetter than those inland. The water keeps the climate
    milder, because water, while taking longer to heat up in summer than
    land, is able to retain its heat when warmed and cools down more slowly
    in winter. On the coast, temperatures are cooler in summer and warmer
    in winter, and there is a smaller annual temperature range than inland
    areas.
    * Moderating Effect , which means that it limits extreme weather, this is
    show when a places range in temperature is lower.
    * The effect is bigger near the ocean and it is extremely small

    Direction of Prevailing Winds


    •Dominant wind pattern in Canada are known as prevailing winds and
    blow from a west-east direction. (Also nicknamed the “westerlies”)
    •Weather systems follow this pattern
    • High in the atmosphere, in North America

    Ocean Currents
    •Certain currents are hot and others cold, and can increase or reduce
    temperatures. Winds blowing across cold currents are cooled and their
    water vapor condenses.
    When they reach land they
    are colder and are not as
    likely to bring precipitation
    as warmer wind currents
    which absorb more
    moisture. As winds pass
    over warm currents, sea water is evaporated and absorbed by the winds.

    < Major Ocean

    Relief
    •Mountains receive more rainfall than lower regions.
    •The higher a place is above sea level, the colder it will be. As altitude
    increases, air becomes thinner and is less able to absorb and retain heat.
    •The air mass is no longer able to retain moisture and precipitation
    occurs

    Proximity to the Equator (Latitude)


    •Because of the angle at which the sun's rays strike the earth, the Equator
    receives the maximum amount of heat and sunlight and is generally
    warmer than other locations. The sun at the Equator is higher in the sky
    and because its rays pass through less atmosphere, less radiation is lost
    than at the poles. At the poles the sun is lower in the sky and its heat has
    to spread over a wider area.
    Types of Precipitation
    1. Convectional precipitation

    • Convectional precipitation results


    from the heating of the earth's
    surface that causes air to rise
    rapidly. As the air rises, it cools
    and moisture condenses into
    clouds and precipitation. This type
    of  precipitation is common in the
    prairie provinces.

    2. Frontal precipitation/Cyclonic

    • Cyclonic - occurs when air masses with different characteristics of


    temperature and moisture collide.

    • These air masses can be enormous, covering much of a


    continent.

    • Storms associated with this type of precipitation are often


    violent and produce thunderstorms

    • Predominately occurs in S. Ontario and parts of Quebec


    3. Orographic Precipitation

    • Orographic Precipitation occurs


    when a moisture-rich air mass is
    forced upward by a landform
    barrier.

    • Landform usually responsible


    is a mountain.

    • Precipitation usually falls on


    the windward side or side of
    ascent.

    • Leeward side, or side of descent is usually moisture poor,


    these areas are called rain shadows.

    Vancouver is a classic example of an area that experiences great amounts


    of Orographic precipitation.

    • Precipitation tends to follow a general spatial pattern

    You might also like