factors that affect climate
DESCRIPTION
Factors that Affect Climate. that are out of our control…. Latitude. The distance from the equator is a key factor that determines whether a region has a hot climate or a cold one Latitude affects how much sun there is in a certain spot which determines temperature . Wind systems. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Factors that Affect Climate
that are out of our control…
LatitudeThe distance from the equator is a key factor that
determines whether a region has a hot climate or a cold one
Latitude affects how much sun there is in a certain spot which determines temperature
Wind systems
In Canada, the prevailing winds blow from west to east
Wind speeds in Canada
Mountain barriers
When moisture-bearing winds meet mountains, they move up the windward sides of these
barriers.
As air rises, it cools, and condensation produces rain – this is why BC gets so much rain!
Himalayan mountains (seen from space)
Air masses
Huge volumes of air moving because of unequal heating of the Earth by the sun
Hurricanes and tornadoes can be a result
Ocean currents
Currents in the water are caused by strong winds (prevailing winds)
Ocean currents around Canada
Altitude
The higher you are, the colder it is – less air pressure means the air
expands and loses its heat
Bodies of waterLarge bodies of water (lakes/oceans) take a long
time to heat up & cool down, so areas around large bodies of water experience less extreme
temperatures and more precipitation (air mass picks up moisture)
The region around Lake Ontario stays warmer in the fall because it is influenced by the high temp. of the
lake from the summer months.
What is precipitation?
Precipitation is any form of moisture which falls to the Earth – this
includes: rain, snow, hail, and sleet
Silent reading pages 145-half of 150
What are the 3 types of precipitation?
(In each case, something happens to a mass of moist air)
1) Frontal (cyclonic) precipitation
2) Relief (orographic) precipitation
3) Convectional precipitation
Precipitation