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    Climate

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    Prentice Hall EARTH SCIENCE Tarbuck  Lutgens Chapter 21 Climate 21.1 Factors That Affect Climate Factors That Affect Climate  Latitude • As latitude increases, the intensity of solar energy decreases. • The tropical zone is between 23.5o north (the tropic of Cancer) and 23.5o south (the tropic of Capricorn) of the equator. The sun’s rays are most intense and the temperatures are always warm. • The temperate zones are between 23.5o and 66.5o north and between 23.5o and 66.5o south of t

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    Climate

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    Prentice Hall EARTH SCIENCE Tarbuck  Lutgens Chapter 21 Climate 21.1 Factors That Affect Climate Factors That Affect Climate  Latitude • As latitude increases, the intensity of solar energy decreases. • The tropical zone is between 23.5o north (the tropic of Cancer) and 23.5o south (the tropic of Capricorn) of the equator. The sun’s rays are most intense and the temperatures are always warm. • The temperate zones are between 23.5o and 66.5o north and between 23.5o and 66.5o south of t

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    Prentice Hall EARTH SCIENCE Tarbuck  Lutgens Chapter 21 Climate 21.1 Factors That Affect Climate Factors That Affect Climate  Latitude • As latitude increases, the intensity of solar energy decreases. • The tropical zone is between 23.5o north (the tropic of Cancer) and 23.5o south (the tropic of Capricorn) of the equator. The sun’s rays are most intense and the temperatures are always warm. • The temperate zones are between 23.5o and 66.5o north and between 23.5o and 66.5o south of t

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    395 views31 pages

    Climate

    Uploaded by

    Sangita
    Prentice Hall EARTH SCIENCE Tarbuck  Lutgens Chapter 21 Climate 21.1 Factors That Affect Climate Factors That Affect Climate  Latitude • As latitude increases, the intensity of solar energy decreases. • The tropical zone is between 23.5o north (the tropic of Cancer) and 23.5o south (the tropic of Capricorn) of the equator. The sun’s rays are most intense and the temperatures are always warm. • The temperate zones are between 23.5o and 66.5o north and between 23.5o and 66.5o south of t

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    Prentice Hall

    EARTH SCIENCE

    Tarbuck  Lutgens
    Chapter

    Climate
    21
    21.1 Factors That Affect Climate

    Factors That Affect Climate


     Latitude
    • As latitude increases, the intensity of solar energy
    decreases.
    • The tropical zone is between 23.5o north (the
    tropic of Cancer) and 23.5o south (the tropic of
    Capricorn) of the equator. The sun’s rays are most
    intense and the temperatures are always warm.
    • The temperate zones are between 23.5o and 66.5o
    north and between 23.5o and 66.5o south of the
    equator. The sun’s rays strike Earth at a smaller
    angle than near the equator.
    Earth’s Major Climate Zones
    Climate Data for Two Cities
    21.1 Factors That Affect Climate

    Factors That Affect Climate


     Latitude
    • Polar zones are between 66.5o north and south
    latitudes and the poles. The sun’s rays strike Earth
    at a very small angle in the polar zones.
     Elevation
    • The higher the elevation is, the colder the climate.
     Topography
    • Topographic features such as mountains play an
    important role in the amount of precipitation that
    falls over an area.
    The Rain Shadow Effect
    21.1 Factors That Affect Climate

    Factors That Affect Climate


     Water Bodies
    • Large bodies of water such as lakes and oceans
    have an important effect on the temperature of an
    area because the temperature of the water body
    influences the temperature of the air above it.
     Atmospheric Circulation
    • Global winds are another factor that influences
    climate because they distribute heat and moisture
    around Earth.
    21.1 Factors That Affect Climate

    Factors That Affect Climate


     Vegetation
    • Vegetation can affect both temperature and the
    precipitation patterns in an area.
    21.2 World Climates

    The Köppen Climate Classification System


     The Köppen climate classification
    system uses mean monthly and annual
    values of temperature and precipitation to
    classify climates.
    21.2 World Climates

    Humid Tropical Climates


     Humid tropical climates are without winters.
    Every month in such a climate has a mean
    temperature above 18oC. The amount of
    precipitation can exceed 200 cm per year.
     Wet Tropical
    • Wet tropical climates have high temperatures
    and much annual precipitation.
    Rain Forest in Malaysia
    21.2 World Climates

    Humid Tropical Climates


     Tropical Wet and Dry
    • Tropical wet and dry climates are climates that
    transition between the wet tropics and the
    subtropical steppes.
    African Savanna
    21.2 World Climates

    Humid Mid-Latitude Climates


     Climates with mild winters have an average
    temperature in the coldest month that is
    below 18oC but above -3oC. Climates with
    severe winters have an average
    temperature in the coldest month that is
    below -3oC.
    21.2 World Climates

    Humid Mid-Latitude Climates


     Humid Mid-Latitude with Mild Winters
    • A humid subtropical climate is generally
    located on the eastern side of a continent and is
    characterized by hot, sultry summers and cool
    winters.
    • A marine west coast climate is found on
    o o
    windward coasts from latitudes 40 to 65 and is
    dominated by maritime air masses. Winters are
    mild, and summers are cool.
    21.2 World Climates

    Humid Mid-Latitude Climates


     Humid Mid-Latitude With Mild Winters
    • A dry-summer subtropical climate is a climate
    located on the west sides of continents between
    30o and 45o latitude. It is the only humid climate
    with a strong winter precipitation maximum.
    Mid-Latitude Climates
    21.2 World Climates

    Humid Mid-Latitude Climates


     Humid Mid-Latitude With Severe Winters
    • A subarctic climate is found north of the humid
    continental climate and south of the polar
    climate; it is characterized by bitterly cold winters
    and short, cool summers. Places within this
    climate realm experience the highest annual
    temperature ranges on Earth.
    Mid-Latitude Climates
    21.2 World Climates

    Dry Climates
     A dry climate is one in which the yearly
    precipitation is not as great as the potential
    loss of water by evaporation.
    21.2 World Climates

    Polar Climates
     Polar climates are those in which the mean
    temperature of the warmest month is below
    10oC.
    An Ice Cap Climate Is a Polar Climate
    21.2 World Climates

    Highland Climates
     In general, highland climates are cooler
    and wetter than nearby areas at lower
    elevations.
    21.3 Climate Changes

    Natural Processes That Change Climates


     Volcanic Eruptions
    • The presence of volcanic aerosols (ash, dust,
    and sulfur-based aerosols) in the air increases
    the amount of solar radiation that is reflected
    back into space. This causes Earth’s lower
    atmosphere to cool.
     Ocean Circulation
    • Changes in ocean circulation also can result in
    short-term climate fluctuations.
    Eruption of Mount Pinatubo
    Effect of El Niño
    21.3 Climate Changes

    Natural Processes That Change Climates


     Solar Activity
    • When the sun is most active, it contains dark
    blemishes called sunspots. The formation of
    sunspots appears to correspond with warm
    periods in Europe and North America.
     Earth Motions
    • Geographic changes in Earth’s land and water
    bodies cause changes in climate.
    • Changes in the shape of Earth’s orbit and the
    tilt of Earth on its axis are other Earth motions
    that affect global climates.
    21.3 Climate Changes

    Human Impact on Climate Changes


     The Greenhouse Effect
    • The greenhouse effect is a natural warming of
    both Earth’s lower atmosphere and Earth’s surface
    from solar radiation being absorbed and emitted
    by the atmosphere.
     Global Warming
    • As a result of increased levels of carbon
    dioxide and other greenhouse gases, global
    temperatures have increased. This increase is
    called global warming.
    Carbon Dioxide Concentrations
    and Emissions
    Increases in Greenhouse Gases
    and Changes in Temperature

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