Climates

1. World Climates
John Bacci
http://earthsky.org/ Tues/Thur 11:00

2. Terms to Start
• Climate: The general weather conditions in an
area over a long period of time. Focusing on
Air temperature and average precipitation.
• Weather: Is the state of the atmosphere at a
given time and place. The variables would
pertain to immediate temperature, wind
velocity, and moisture…..

3. • How are Climate and Weather Alike?
They both deal with measuring conditions in the atmosphere
Ex: rainfall, wind, temperature….
• How are Climate and Weather Different?
Weather deals with the immediate conditions of the atmosphere at a specific
point. Where Climate deals with the overall averages of conditions in an area.
http://www.kbears.com/climates/p
rintmild.html

4. Example of Climate vs. Weather
The average temperature In The Temperature is 70
the rainforest is between degrees F.
93-63 degrees F.
Weather or Climate Weather or Climate
Pic Credit

5. Earths Rotation & Tilt
Unequal Heating of Earths
•The earth is tilted on a 23.5o
Surface axis
•This causes the suns rays to
heat the earths surface
differently
•Towards the equator there is
less surface area that the sun
rays are heating; compared to
the northern or southern
hemispheres.
•In turn this leads to the
Pic Credit
unequal heating of the earth

6. Earths Rotation & Tilt
Cont. • As the earth Spins on its
axis it also rotates the Sun
Rotation and Tilt Cause
Seasons on Earth • During rotation around
the sun areas of the earth
experience different
intensities of sunrays
• This causes the 4 seasons
•The seasons deal highly
with weather but also
determine average
precipitation and
temperature rates for
Pic Credit climates.

7. Unequal Heating Creates Hadley Cells
Hadley Cells
•Smilar Cells
form every 30o
north and south
of the equator
Pic Credit

8. Hadley Cells
Definition:
1. Hadley Cells: a pattern of atmospheric circulation in which
warm air rises near the equator, cools as it travelspole-ward
at high altitude, sinks as cold air, and warms as it
travelsequator-ward
•These cells are formed every 30 degrees in both directions from
the equator
•The combination of Hadley cells,Trade winds and topography
make up the Earths Climates.
http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/hadley%20cell

9. Original Pic Credit
Some ascending Some ascending
air to the North Heavy air to the South
Rainfall
Desert Forms Warm Warm Desert Forms
due to dry air air rises air rises due to dry air
absorbing absorbing
moisture moisture
•Warm Moist air rises circulates N and S, then cools down.
•Desert regions form due to the dry air falling and absorbing moisture from
the ground
•Air then circulates back to the equator were cycle starts again.

10. Unequal Heating Creates Hadley Cells
Hadley Cells
•Smilar Cells
form every 30o
north and south
of the equator
Pic Credit

11. Rough Distributions of Deserts
Worldwide
30o N
Equator 0o
30o S
As you can see deserts tend to form where Hadley cells circulate
dry air in cycles
Original Pic Credit

12. All of These factors lead to the different
types of climates that we see on earth today
•The Koppen Climate Classification
System, gives descriptions of about 5
climates.
•These are:
Pic Credit •Desert
Pic Credit •Tropical Rain Forest
Pic Credit •Cold/Ice Zone
Pic Credit •Continental Climates
Pic Credit •In Humid Middle Latitude

13. Climates are varied uniformly around
the world
Pic Credit

14. Types of Climates
Desert: Generally very dry
- Temperatures are very high during the day and fall real low during the night
- Rainfall is very low
Tropical Rain Forest: Moist environments
- Temperature is very high
- Rainfall is also high
Cold/Ice Zone: Permanent ice year-round
-permafrost
Continental Climates: Moderate conditions
- temperatures very with the seasons
- rainfall is also generally not very high
In Humid Middle Latitude: Land/water play important roles on one another
- warm dry summers with cool wet winters.

15. Climates Lead to Different Biomes
Definition
•Biomes: A large naturally occurring community of floral
occupying a major Habitat
(Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Temperate
grasslands, Savanna Desert, and Tropical Rainforest. )
•Climates determine whether or not a species can live in that
area of the earth
In the end climates control
life around the world

16. Sources
• http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/climate.ht
m
• http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/hadley%20cell