Earth's Climate Patterns: A Comprehensive Guide

1. World Geography and Cultures Ch. 3: Climates of the Earth Yorkville High School 2014

2. Ch. 3 Section Break-Down • Section 1: Earth-Sun Relationships • Section 2: Factors Affecting Climate • Section 3: World Climate Patterns

3. Think About It… • Where is it nighttime right now? • What time is it in California, Hawaii, Japan, Afghanistan?

4. Essential Question: Explain how the Earth’s position (in space) in relation to the Sun affect life on Earth? 3.1 Earth-Sun Relationships

5. Climate and Weather Weather v. Climate Weather = short term – Think: I should bring my umbrella, it might rain today. Climate = long term – Think consistently rainy in Seattle, I always need my umbrella. …cold snowy winters in Chicago

7. Earth’s Tilt and Rotation • Axis – determines how much direct sunlight the Earth receives at a given point • Temperature • Fahrenheit v. Celsius • Rotation – 1 every 24 hours

8. Earth’s Revolution • Revolution – One trip around the sun • 365 ¼ days • Seasons - reversed north and south of the Equator • Spring Equinox – March 21 • Summer Solstice – June 21 • Fall Equinox – September 23 • Winter Solstice – December 22 • The Poles • North – Midnight sun • Rotation – one 24 hour period (day)

9. 24 hour sunlight in Alaska

10. The Greenhouse Effect • Earth’s atmosphere traps the sun’s heat and energy and keeps it from escaping back into space. • w/o = too cold to live for most • 50% of Sun’s radiation • Global Warming • Rise in temps • Cause- burning of coal, oil, natural gas • Releases CO2 • Potential problems???

12. Greenhouse effect with Global Warming

13. 3.2 Factors Affecting Climate • Essential Question: What factors can affect how climates are distributed on Earth’s surface? • Think about… • Why are Chicago Winters usually so cold and snowy but summers extremely hot? • Antarctica…would you go there? He’s there…→

14. Latitude, Elevation and Climate • Low Latitudes • Between 30°South and 30°North • Tropic of Capricorn, Equator, Tropic of Cancer are in this zone …sun all year = Warm to hot • High Latitudes • Between 60°North and 90°North and between 60°South and 90°South • Arctic/Antarctic circle- direct sunlight 180 days

15. Latitudes, Elevation and Climate • Midlatitudes • Between 30° North and 60° North and 30° South and 60° South • Varying weather • Temperate Climate – dramatic seasonal changes

16. Latitudes, Elevation and Climate • Elevation • Influence Temp regardless of latitude • Thinner air retains less heat SEE chart on page 55

18. Winds and Ocean Currents • Wind Patterns • Happen because of Temp differences • Tropical winds towards poles and vice versa • Prevailing winds • Coriolis Effect • Trade winds • Westerlies • Polar Easterlies

19. Winds and Ocean Currents • Horse Latitudes • At the Equator – little wind • Doldrums • Ocean Currents • Warm and cold streams of water • Causes – rotation, air pressure, water temps

20. Distributing the Sun’s Heat

21. Winds and Oceans Currents • Weather and the water cycle • How does the water cycle cool or change the weather (think back to chapter 2) • El Nino • Periodic change in ocean currents, water temps and weather in mid-pacific region • Appears infrequently • So what happens?

22. Landforms and Climate • How do physical features affect climate? • Water • Coasts • Mountains • Windward • Leeward • Rain Shadow

24. World Climate Patterns • Essential Question: How do Geographers classify Earth’s climate and vegetation?

25. Climate Regions • Tropical • Dry • Midlatitudes • High latitude • Highland • Soils and Vegetation

27. Climate Regions • Tropical Climates • Low Latitudes – Tropical Areas • Tropical wet • Hot and Wet throughout the year (80 Degrees) • Daily Rain (80 in) • Ex. Amazon River Basin • Tropical dry • Dry winters, wet summers (Hot) • Fewer trees (Not lush) • Ex. Parts of Africa, central and south America, Australia

28. Amazon River Basin

29. Savannah in Austraila

30. Climate Regions • Dry Climates • Desert • Dry areas • Sparse plant life • Less than 10 in of rain • Scrub, cactus, plants…oasis? • Ex. Sahara • Steppe • Border deserts • Largely treeless grasslands • 10-20in rain per year • Ex. Eastern Europe and western and central Asia

31. Sahara Desert

33. Climate Regions • Midlatitude Climates • 4 regions • Marine West Coast • Mediterranean • Humid subtropical • Humid Continental

34. Climate Regions - Midlatitude • Marine West Coast • Cool summers • Cool damp winters • Lots of rain • Coniferous - evergreens • Deciduous – broad leaves, change colors, lose leaves in winter • Ex. Pacific coast of North America

35. Climate Regions - Midlat • Mediterranean • Mild rainy winters • Hot sunny summers • Woody bushes, short trees

36. Climate Regions – Mid lat • Humid Subtropical • Short mild winters • Year round rain • High humidity • Prairies, inland grasslands, evergreens and deciduous trees • EX. Southeastern US

37. Climate Regions – Mid Lat • Humid Continental • Inland location (Ocean…little impact) • North = long and severe snowy winters, shorter cooler summers • More evergreens • Ex. Much of the Very north, Northern Hemisphere.

38. Climate Regions • High Latitude Climates • Freezing Temperatures • Lack of direct sunlight • Vegetation limited • Subarctic • North of arctic circle – bitter winters, short cool summers • Permafrost • Tundra – near the poles • Indirect sun, vegetation limited, snow and ice • Highland Climates • High elevation, mixed forests…

40. Climate Changes • Ice ages – over 2 million years • HEI – • Fuels, acid rain, deforestation, smog, changes in water flows

41. Up Next: • The Human World • World Population • Global Cultures • Political and Economic Systems • Resources, trade and the environment