Factors affecting climate:
Climate. Factors affecting climate. 2 of 5
Transcription
FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE. 2 of 5
Ok, so we know the difference between weather and climate but, what makes a climate the way it is?
What are the factors affecting climate?
1. LATITUDE. It’s the most important one. It is the distance of a place from the Equator.
The Equator is the place where the sun shines directly, so it receives maximum heat energy
But he further we go away from the Equator, the less heat we get.
You see? North and South of the Equator the solar energy has to go through more of the Earth’s atmosphere, this makes it weaker.
That’s why it’s hot nearly all the time in countries near Equator, and why it gets so cold in countries further away from the Equator, like Britain.
So, latitude isn’t the only thing that makes climate what it is.
But there are four more factors.
The next one is:
2. DISTANCE FROM THE SEA.
The sea absorbs and stores heat much more than the land does.
In summer the sea warms up and stores the heat, which is slowly released during the winter.
Remember how we’ve said that Britain has a maritime climate, in other words it’s affected by the sea.
The sea has the effect of evening the climate out.
In summer, the sea takes the heat away, in winter it gives it back.
That’s why a maritime climate is usually a mild climate. You don’t get big differences in temperature.
Not as much as a country that’s a long way from the sea.
For example, although Kiev is the same latitude as London, the temperatures are a lot more extreme, because it’s a long away from the sea.
Let’s go through the third factor affecting climate.
3. PREVAILING WINDS.
Wherever you are, the wind mainly comes from one direction, that’s what we mean by prevailing winds, but what causes them?
Basically winds occur by differences in air pressure.
“But what’s the relation between winds and climate?”
Well, if the prevailing wind are blowing from the land, in other words the wind mainly blow from the land, it will be warm in summer and cold in winter.
That’s because of the more extreme temperatures you get over land, hot in summer, cold in winter.
If, as in Britain, the prevailing wind comes from the sea, it will lower temperatures in summer but it will raise them in winter.
So, that’s another reason why the climate in Britain is evened out.
4. ALTITUDE.
Altitude is the height of the land.
Have you ever been on top of high mountain and noticed it to be a bit chillier up there?
Yes, height can have a big effect on the temperatures of a place.
Temperatures can fall by six to five degrees centigrade every thousand meters in height.
This is what happens. As you go higher, the air becomes less dense and it absorbs less heat.
That’s why you often get snow on the top of mountains even in hot countries.
And there’s one more factor affecting climate, number five: ocean currents.
5. OCEAN CURRENTS
The sea has currents going through it, some warm, some cold.
“How do they affect climate?
Warm currents, leaving from the Equator towards the Poles, warm coastal areas, particularly in winter.
As example of this is the Gulf Stream which affects the British climate.
Whereas currents moving from Polar areas carry cold water South, thus causing sea fog, particularly in summer.
In this part, we learned that there are five main factors affecting climate:
1. Latitude
2. Distance from the sea
3. Prevailing winds
4. Altitude
5. Ocean currents.
- latitude
- distance from the sea
- prevailing winds
- altitude and
- ocean currents.
Climate. Factors affecting climate. 2 of 5
Transcription
FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE. 2 of 5
Ok, so we know the difference between weather and climate but, what makes a climate the way it is?
What are the factors affecting climate?
1. LATITUDE. It’s the most important one. It is the distance of a place from the Equator.
The Equator is the place where the sun shines directly, so it receives maximum heat energy
But he further we go away from the Equator, the less heat we get.
You see? North and South of the Equator the solar energy has to go through more of the Earth’s atmosphere, this makes it weaker.
That’s why it’s hot nearly all the time in countries near Equator, and why it gets so cold in countries further away from the Equator, like Britain.
So, latitude isn’t the only thing that makes climate what it is.
But there are four more factors.
The next one is:
2. DISTANCE FROM THE SEA.
The sea absorbs and stores heat much more than the land does.
In summer the sea warms up and stores the heat, which is slowly released during the winter.
Remember how we’ve said that Britain has a maritime climate, in other words it’s affected by the sea.
The sea has the effect of evening the climate out.
In summer, the sea takes the heat away, in winter it gives it back.
That’s why a maritime climate is usually a mild climate. You don’t get big differences in temperature.
Not as much as a country that’s a long way from the sea.
For example, although Kiev is the same latitude as London, the temperatures are a lot more extreme, because it’s a long away from the sea.
Let’s go through the third factor affecting climate.
3. PREVAILING WINDS.
Wherever you are, the wind mainly comes from one direction, that’s what we mean by prevailing winds, but what causes them?
Basically winds occur by differences in air pressure.
“But what’s the relation between winds and climate?”
Well, if the prevailing wind are blowing from the land, in other words the wind mainly blow from the land, it will be warm in summer and cold in winter.
That’s because of the more extreme temperatures you get over land, hot in summer, cold in winter.
If, as in Britain, the prevailing wind comes from the sea, it will lower temperatures in summer but it will raise them in winter.
So, that’s another reason why the climate in Britain is evened out.
4. ALTITUDE.
Altitude is the height of the land.
Have you ever been on top of high mountain and noticed it to be a bit chillier up there?
Yes, height can have a big effect on the temperatures of a place.
Temperatures can fall by six to five degrees centigrade every thousand meters in height.
This is what happens. As you go higher, the air becomes less dense and it absorbs less heat.
That’s why you often get snow on the top of mountains even in hot countries.
And there’s one more factor affecting climate, number five: ocean currents.
5. OCEAN CURRENTS
The sea has currents going through it, some warm, some cold.
“How do they affect climate?
Warm currents, leaving from the Equator towards the Poles, warm coastal areas, particularly in winter.
As example of this is the Gulf Stream which affects the British climate.
Whereas currents moving from Polar areas carry cold water South, thus causing sea fog, particularly in summer.
In this part, we learned that there are five main factors affecting climate:
1. Latitude
2. Distance from the sea
3. Prevailing winds
4. Altitude
5. Ocean currents.
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