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Factors Influencing Climate

The document discusses several key factors that influence climate, including proximity to water bodies, prevailing wind patterns, ocean currents, elevation, latitude, and type of precipitation. Coastal areas have milder, more moderate climates due to the ocean's ability to retain heat. Prevailing winds in North America blow from west to east. Ocean currents also impact climate, with warm currents raising temperatures and cold currents lowering them. Higher elevations experience colder temperatures due to thinner air. Areas closer to the equator receive more direct sunlight and heat. Types of precipitation include convectional, frontal/cyclonic, and orographic.

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Kaelyn Mullin
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95 views5 pages

Factors Influencing Climate

The document discusses several key factors that influence climate, including proximity to water bodies, prevailing wind patterns, ocean currents, elevation, latitude, and type of precipitation. Coastal areas have milder, more moderate climates due to the ocean's ability to retain heat. Prevailing winds in North America blow from west to east. Ocean currents also impact climate, with warm currents raising temperatures and cold currents lowering them. Higher elevations experience colder temperatures due to thinner air. Areas closer to the equator receive more direct sunlight and heat. Types of precipitation include convectional, frontal/cyclonic, and orographic.

Uploaded by

Kaelyn Mullin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Weather and Climate

•Weather describes the variations which occur in the atmosphere from


day to day.
•The climate of a place, however, is a generalization of the typical
weather to be found there, based on observations from the past thirty
years. Climate refers to the expected(average) weather conditions of an
area.

Factors Affecting Climate Proximity to Water


• Coastal areas are wetter than those inland. The water keeps the climate
milder, because water, while taking longer to heat up in summer than
land, is able to retain its heat when warmed and cools down more slowly
in winter. On the coast, temperatures are cooler in summer and warmer
in winter, and there is a smaller annual temperature range than inland
areas.
* Moderating Effect , which means that it limits extreme weather, this is
show when a places range in temperature is lower.
* The effect is bigger near the ocean and it is extremely small

Direction of Prevailing Winds


•Dominant wind pattern in Canada are known as prevailing winds and
blow from a west-east direction. (Also nicknamed the “westerlies”)
•Weather systems follow this pattern
• High in the atmosphere, in North America

Ocean Currents
•Certain currents are hot and others cold, and can increase or reduce
temperatures. Winds blowing across cold currents are cooled and their
water vapor condenses.
When they reach land they
are colder and are not as
likely to bring precipitation
as warmer wind currents
which absorb more
moisture. As winds pass
over warm currents, sea water is evaporated and absorbed by the winds.

< Major Ocean

Relief
•Mountains receive more rainfall than lower regions.
•The higher a place is above sea level, the colder it will be. As altitude
increases, air becomes thinner and is less able to absorb and retain heat.
•The air mass is no longer able to retain moisture and precipitation
occurs

Proximity to the Equator (Latitude)


•Because of the angle at which the sun's rays strike the earth, the Equator
receives the maximum amount of heat and sunlight and is generally
warmer than other locations. The sun at the Equator is higher in the sky
and because its rays pass through less atmosphere, less radiation is lost
than at the poles. At the poles the sun is lower in the sky and its heat has
to spread over a wider area.
Types of Precipitation
1. Convectional precipitation

• Convectional precipitation results


from the heating of the earth's
surface that causes air to rise
rapidly. As the air rises, it cools
and moisture condenses into
clouds and precipitation. This type
of  precipitation is common in the
prairie provinces.

2. Frontal precipitation/Cyclonic

• Cyclonic - occurs when air masses with different characteristics of


temperature and moisture collide.

• These air masses can be enormous, covering much of a


continent.

• Storms associated with this type of precipitation are often


violent and produce thunderstorms

• Predominately occurs in S. Ontario and parts of Quebec


3. Orographic Precipitation

• Orographic Precipitation occurs


when a moisture-rich air mass is
forced upward by a landform
barrier.

• Landform usually responsible


is a mountain.

• Precipitation usually falls on


the windward side or side of
ascent.

• Leeward side, or side of descent is usually moisture poor,


these areas are called rain shadows.

Vancouver is a classic example of an area that experiences great amounts


of Orographic precipitation.

• Precipitation tends to follow a general spatial pattern

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