1. Factors of Climate
What is climate?
What factors determine climate?

2. What is Climate?
Weather - state of the
atmosphere at any
given time or place.
(what’s it like right now)
Climate - the weather
conditions of an area
over a long period of
time.
(average weather over
time)

3. #1 The Sun
Source of all light and warmth
The more direct
sunlight =
warmer
temperatures
The Earth’s
axis, tilt, &
rotation
determine
how much
light we get
and when.

4. #2 Latitude Lines
Arctic
Circle =
Polar
Region
Tropics
from
23.5N
to 23.5
S
Mark regions
where sun hits
Mid-Latitudes =
Temperate
Region

7. Simple summary of climatic zones:
●
●
●
●
●
●
Polar - very cold and dry all year
Temperate - cold winters and mild summers
Arid - dry, hot all year
Tropical - hot and wet all year
Mediterranean - mild winters, dry hot
summers
Mountains (tundra) very cold all year
Write these on the back of your organizer!

8. #3 Ocean/Wind Currents
Can bring
warming
or cooling
effect on
the
climate.
Tropics =
Warm
Polar =
Cool

9. #4 Elevation
The higher
you go, the
cooler it
gets.
Reason: The air is less dense and cannot hold heat as easily.

11. #5 Precipitation
The amount affects how
arid or wet the climate is.

12. Distance from the sea
(continentality)
Land heats and cools faster than the sea.
Therefore coastal areas have a lower
temperature range than those areas inland.
On the coast winters are mild and summers
are cool. In inland areas temperatures are
high in the summer and cold in the winter.

13. Aspect
Slopes facing the
sun are warmer
than those that are
not. Thus south
facing slopes in the
northern
hemisphere are
usually warm.
However, slopes
facing north in the
southern
hemisphere are
warmest.