several factors influence climate: wind currents, ocean currents, elevation, topography, &...
TRANSCRIPT
Climate Regions
Latitude, Latitude, Latitude
Several factors influence climate: WIND CURRENTS, OCEAN CURRENTS, ELEVATION, TOPOGRAPHY, & ……
LATITUDE!!Latitude is the most influential factor
that affects climate type.
Changes in Climate
El Nino: a weather phenomenon that warms the waters off the west coast of South America. Usually happens every 2 to 7 years and affects the Americas, Asia, & Australia (floods, mudslides, drought).
La Nina: the opposite weather phenomenon; blows warm air to the lands on the Western Pacific Rim. Causes heavy rain in India & dryness along the Pacific coast of the Americas.
Changes in Climate
Global Warming: the gradual warming of the Earth since the 1800’s. Air temperature has increased by 1° but experts say the increase could be as high as 3.5° in the future.
Reasons could be: Earth’s natural processes, increased industrialization, overpopulation, and the GREENHOUSE EFFECT (layer of gases from coal & petroleum traps solar energy).
Latitude Zones
There are three latitude zones:› Low Latitude- between 23 ½° N and 23
½ ° S (TROPICAL)› Mid Latitude- between 23 ½ °N and 66 °
N & 23 ½ ° S and 66 ° S(TEMPERATE)› High Latitude- above 66 ° N & below 66 °
S
(POLAR).
Important Lines of Latitude
66° N
23 1/2 ° N
0 °
23 1/2 ° S
66° S
Arctic Circle
Tropic of Cancer
Equator
Tropic of Capricorn
Antarctic Circle
Mid Latitudes/Sub Tropics
Mid Latitudes/Sub Tropics
Low Latitudes/Tropics
Low Latitudes/Tropics
High Latitudes/Polar
High Latitudes/Polar
Low Latitude (Tropical)
Located near the equator. Little temperature change from year to
year. Tropical Rainforests: warm and wet
most of the year. (Amazon Rainforest)
Tropical Savanna: warm and dry part of the year, warm and wet the other part. (African Savanna)
Low Latitude (Dry)
Little or no rainfall, less than 10 inches per year.
Temperature very hot during the day, very cold at night.
Extremely cold winters. The Sahara Desert (Africa)is a dry
climate.
Mid Latitude
Variety of climates due to mixing warm and cold air masses.
Variety of weather patterns Most people live in a mid latitude
climate zone. Europe and North America are mid
latitude climate zones.
High Latitude
Polar regions, very cold. Arctic (North) Antarctic (South) Often have high mountains that remain
cold at the peak year round.
©CSCOPE 2009
Low Latitude ClimatesLatitude
RangeWorld Location Vegetation Seasons
Tropicalrainforest
10° S to 25 ° N
Amazon basin, equatorial Africa, East Indies, from Sumatra to New Guinea
A canopy of tall trees with layers of shorter trees and plants underneath
Heavy rainfall in all months, no difference in seasons
Savanna15° to 25° N
and SIndia, SE Asia, West
Africa, southern Africa, South America, north coast of Australia
Grasses, short trees
Warm year round, wet and dry seasons
Desert18° to 28°N &S,
centered on Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
Western North America (SW U.S., SW South America (Chili) north central Mexico, north Africa, SW Africa, central Australia, north Asia (China, Mongolia)
Scattered vegetation; short grasses and shrubs, cacti
Warm or Cold, little to noPrecipitation
yearround
©CSCOPE 2009
Mid-Latitude ClimatesLatitudeRange
World Location Vegetation Seasons/Rainfall
SteppeCentral
areas ofcontinentsbetween 35°
& 50° N
Western North America (Great Plains); Central South America, Central Africa (Sahel) (Patagonia) Eurasian interior (Kazakhstan)
Grassland, few trees
Low precipitation year round, hot summers, cold winters
HumidSubtropical
SE coast ofContinentsbetween 20° and 40°
N and S
SE North America, SE Asia,
SE Australia
Coniferous/Deciduous
(Mixed) Forests and grassland
Warm, humid summer, and mild winters precipitation year round
Mediterranean30° - 50° N
and SThe Mediterranean basin,
west coasts of California, central Chile, South Africa, western/southern Australia
Shrubs, grasses, and mixed trees (Chaparral)
Long, hot, dry summers, and mild, rainy winters
©CSCOPE 2009
Mid-Latitude Climates
LatitudeRange
World Location Vegetation Seasons/Rainfall
HumidContinental
30 to 55 N and
S, to 60 N inEurope
North central North America; north central Asia (China); Korea; Japan; central and eastern Europe
Mixed coniferous and deciduous forest
Warm summer cold winters, moderate rainfall throughout the year
Marine-West
Coast
30 to 60 N and S
West coast of N. America, west coast of southern Chile, and NW Europe
Mixed coniferous and deciduous forests
Cool summers, mild winters, high rainfall year round
©CSCOPE 2009
High Latitude Climates
Latitude Range World Location Vegetation Seasons/Rainfall
Sub Arctic50° to 60° N Northern North
America and Eurasia
Coniferous forests - taiga
Extremely cold winter, short, cool summer
Arctic60° to 70° N Northern North
America and Eurasia
Short grasses, mosses, lichens, tundra
Extremely cold and dry all year
©CSCOPE 2009
Other Climates
LatitudeRange
World Location Vegetation Seasons/Rainfall
Highland
Found all over the world
Mountain Ranges: Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alps, etc.
Varies with elevation and location on mountain. Leeward side is drier with less vegetation.
Windward side receives the most rainfall while leeward side remains dry.