Climate Vs Weather

What is the difference between climate and weather? So far we have been focused on weather. Weather is the events that happen in our atmosphere from day to day. The weather is not the same everywhere on earth. It may not even been the same one town over. We have discussed some factors that change the weather in different areas such as pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind.So what is climate? Climate is a long term weather pattern in an area. It does not change day to day like weather does. When we describe the climate of a place we are discussing averages (like temperature or precipitation) which include multiple months. Just because the average temperature of a climate is warm does not mean that they can't have a cool day.The image below provides an illustration to help you understand the difference between the two. Weather influences what you wear day to day. You change what you wear each day based on the weather outside. All the clothes in your closet are determined by the climate. If you live in a cool climate, you might have more sweaters and pants than someone who lives in a warm climate. Sort the following into climate or weather Climate average temperature average precipitation long term This area gets an average of 2 cm of rain per year Weather day to day short term Today the temperature is 82 degrees There will be a thunderstorm today Factors that Impact Climate Climate is influenced by different interacting factors. Some of these factors are:1. Elevation - Generally, as you increase altitude conditions become colder. This is why you see a change in vegetation as you go up a mountain. On the tops of mountains you can find a snow cap where as at the base of the mountain it could be warm.2. Latitude - Latitudes closer to the equator are generally warmer than those near the poles3. Near water - Due to the properties of water that we studied earlier, most coastal climates are more moderate than areas away from the water. This means that temperature fluctuations are not as extreme because the water can hold and release heat.4. Ocean currents - Currents have the ability to increase or decrease temperatures. This is determined by where the current comes from and what type of water it is made of. If you have cool water from the poles coming to your coast you would expect a decrease in temperature. Off of our coast, we have the gulf stream which bring warm water from the equator.5. Topography - The topography of an area is determined by the shape of the features on the Earth's surface. Topography can influence climate. An example would be mountain ranges which are natural barriers to air movement. In California, winds off the Pacific ocean carry moist air toward the coast. When the air hits a mountain range it can cause the air to rise, condense, and cause precipitation. On the other side of the mountain you would have dry conditions because the air was blocked. Match the factor with the correct example Ocean Current Cool water from the poles causes a decrease in temperature Topography due to the mountain blocking the coastal air, the climate is try Elevation The top of the mountain has a snow cap Near form water Inland areas have more extreme temperature changes Latitude Canada has cooler climate than Florida due to it's proximity to the poles How are climates classified? The Köppen Climate Classification System is used to classify the world's climates. Climates are classified based on averages of temperature and precipitation. The Köppen system recognizes five major climatic types; each type is designated by a capital letter.A - Tropical Moist Climates: all months have average temperatures above 18° Celsius.B- Dry Climates: with deficient precipitation during most of the year.C- Moist Mid-latitude Climates with Mild Winters.D- Moist Mid-Latitude Climates with Cold Winters.E - Polar Climates: with extremely cold winters and summers.Each of these 5 major climate types also can have subcatagories. Climate Classification Map Use the map above to match the type climate type to the location (the countries used may not be entirely in that climate, but most of it would be) A Brazil B Inland Australia C South east coast of US (North Carolina) D Russia E Greenland