2. What is Climate?
Weather is the day-to-day changes in
atmospheric conditions
Climate is long-term weather conditions
Temperature and precipitation are the most
important expressions of climate
3. What aspects of the environment are
influenced by climate?
Vegetation
Animal life
Soils
Landforms
Water resources
4. Ecosystems
What is an ecosystem?
An area of interaction between plants,
animals,and their environment
Unique ecosystems evolve as a result of
differing climate conditions
Climatology studies the climate regions that
have evolved in response to different moisture
and temperature conditions
5. What is the Impact of Climate Upon
People’s Lives?
Regions of climatic handicap have few
people
deserts, rainforests, polar regions
Climate influences agriculture - the choice of
crops grown and animals raised
Tourism and recreation
Water resources
Climate and disease
6. Does Climate Affect Temperament?
Aristotle - the nations in cold places are full of
spirit but deficient in intelligence and skill
Jean Bodin - Northern peoples physically vigorous
but mentally slow
Hot South - lazy, but politically passive and satisfied
living under despots
Temperate zone - ideal mix of intelligence and
industry favoring monarchy
Buckle - Mild, moist British climate favors the
steady work and perseverance of the English
8. Can we make any generalizations?
Latitude
Single most important factor-Why?
Maritime versus continental locations
Windward coasts have cooler summers and warmer
winters
Precipitation related to pressure and
wind belts
High pressure – dry, Converging winds - rainy
Mountains have different climates
Mountains are cooler than lowlands
10. Maritime and Continental Climates
Continental climates are
under the influence of
winds from the
continental interior
Crescent City New York
Maritime climates are Chicago
under the influence of Continental
westerly winds climate
dominated by
continental
Cold California
temperatures
Current brings
cooler
temperatures to the
coast in summer
12. Herbertson’s Regions
v Isotherms reflect influence of land and
sea
v Polar climates cooler than 50 F in the
warmest month
v Tropical climates warmer than 65 F all
year - winterless
v Middle latitude climates are
changeable
13. Pressure and Wind Belts
What is the climate of each of these pressure and wind belts?
Polar High
Polar Easterlies
Polar Front
Westerlies
Subtropical
High
N E Trade
Winds
Intertropical
Convergence
Zone
SE Trades
14. What happens to all these pressure
and wind belts?
They shift north and south with the overhead
sun
Do they shift as far north and south as the
Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn?
No, about 5º N and 5º S
15. Where in the World is it Raining Today ?
The world’s rainy places coincide with
global pressure and wind belts
16. Three Major Rain Belts
The Northern Hemisphere Polar Front
Midlatitude Cyclonic Storms - low pressure
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
Trade winds converge along the equatorial low
Convectional lifting produces cumulus clouds
The Southern Hemisphere Polar Front
Midlatitude Cyclonic Storms - low pressure
21. Koppen’s Climate Classification
Most widely used map of climate regions
Empirical-quantitative approach that uses climate
statistics compiled over 30 years
Designed with plants in mind
Each climate is defined according to set values of
mean monthly precipitation and mean monthy
temperature
23. Koppen Classification
(A) Tropical rainy climates
Every month over 64.4 F
(B) Dry climates
Evaporation exceeds precipitation
24. Koppen Classification
(C) Mild, humid climates
Coldest month below 64.4 F but above 26.6 F
(D) Snowy-forest climates
Coldest month below 26.6 F but warmest month over
50F
(E) Polar climates
Warmest month below 50 F
25. Why is the Bay Area rainy in
winter and dry in summer?
The jet stream and the Polar Front move into
the Bay Area in winter
The Subtropical High dominates our weather
in Summer
26. Global Regions of Mediterranean and Marine
west-coast “C” climates.
Mediterranean Climate Zones: West coasts ~30-40° Latitude
27. Global Regions of Moist Subtropical Climate
East coasts ~25-35°
Latitude.
28. East vs. West Coast Climates
Mediterranean Climate in Moist subtropical climate in
Monterey, CA Charleston, South Carolina.
29. West Coast Precipitation
Dry summer wet
winter ~30-40°
Dry all year
~20-30°
Dry summer wet
winter ~30-40°
30. Reality Check
Most climates between the
tropics of Cancer and Does the U.S. have any A
Capricorn are: (tropical moist) climates?
Which major climate group is Does the U.S. have a BWh (hot
not in the Southern desert)?
hemisphere? What major climate group
Which major group forms the dominates Canada and
cold summer climates of the Russia?
Arctic? What climate makes up most of
Which climates are dry? Western Europe?
What climate dominates What climate is not classified
Australia? using Koppen?
31. Berkeley and San Jose Climographs
Annual rainfall – 22.3 inches Annual rainfall – 14.6 inches
32. Review Questions
1. What do clouds need in addition to saturation?
Cloud condensation nuclei
2. Consider the topographic profile diagrammed below.
C
Prevailing winds
A B
Ocean
This would induce what “type” of lifting?
What is the process that causes condensation?
How would the amount of precipitation at A, B, and C
compare?
33. C
Prevailing winds
A B
Ocean
rain shadow
Point B above is said to be in the ________________ of the
mountain shown.
What type of local wind is commonly experienced at B? Is it
a hot or cold wind?
Chinook wind. It’s a hot wind.
34. What is the cause of the seasons?
Tilt of earth’s axis as it orbits the sun
Revolution
Parallelism
Notes de l'éditeur
How many climate groups use temperature as a basis for classification? A, C, D, and E. B uses evaporation over precipitation. WHIch climate is not in the southern hemisphere?
How many climate groups use temperature as a basis for classification? A, C, D, and E. B uses evaporation over precipitation. WHIch climate is not in the southern hemisphere?