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Climate & Climate Change

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Question
Answer
What are the main factors that affect how much precipitation an area receives?   Prevailing winds and the presence of mountains  
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climate   refers to the average, year-after-year conditions of temperature, precipitation, winds & clouds in an area  
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weather   refers to the condition of the atmosphere refers to day-to-day events; might be cloudy & rainy one day and clear & sunny the next  
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What two main factors determine the climate of a region?   precipitation & temperature  
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Climate region   a large area with similar climate conditions  
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prevailing winds   directional winds that usually blow in a region; they move huge air masses from place to place  
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What can carry more water vapor, warm air or cold air?   warm air  
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What happens when warm air with a lot of water vapor rises and cools?   Water comes out of the air as precipitation  
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The amount of water vapor in prevailing winds depends on what two things?   (1) Whether the winds are warm or cold air, and (2) where the winds come from.  
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Winds that blow inland from oceans carry ___________ water vapor than winds that blow from over land.   more  
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The Sahara Desert is near both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, but it is dry. Why?   Because most of the prevailing winds blow in from land and not from the ocean. [The prevailing winds are the dry northeast trade winds bringing cool, sinking air from southwest Asia.]  
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Where there are mountains, precipitation falls on the ___________ side.   windward (the side the oncoming wind hits)  
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The air on the ___________ side of a mountain is cool and dry.   leeward (the downwind side)  
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The 4 main factors that influence temperature   (1) latitude, (2) altitude, (3) distance from large bodies of water, and (4) ocean currents  
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How latitude affects temperature   Usually climates of places farther away from the equator are cooler than areas close to the equator  
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What is latitude?   The distance a place is from the equator  
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What are the 3 temperature zones of Earth's surface, based on latitude?   (1) the tropical zone, (2) polar zones, (3) temperate zones  
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Where is the tropical zone?   The area near the equator, from 23 degrees north of the equator to 23 degrees south. The climates there are warm because that zone receive direct sunlight all year round.  
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Where are the polar zones?   The zone near the poles, from 66.5 degrees north to north pole and from 66.5 deg. south to the south pole. Cold climates because the sun's rays hit at a lower angle.  
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Where are the temperate zones?   Between the topical and the polar zones, both north and south of the equator. sun's rays direct in summer, indirect in winter; climates warm to hot in summer; cool to cold in winter.  
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How can altitude affect climate?   In the case of high mountains, altitude affects climate more than latitude. Ex: Mt. Kilimanjaro is near the equator, but because it is so high, it is covered in snow all year round.  
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How do large bodies of water affect climate?   Oceans or large lakes often greatly moderate, or make less extreme, the temperatures of nearby land; marine climates  
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What areas have marine climates?   Much of the west coasts of North America, South America, and Euroope have relatively warm winters and cool summers because prevailing winds come from a body of water.  
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What are continental climates?   Climates with more extreme temperatures--cold winters, and warm or hot summers; too far inland to be warmed or cooled by the oceans. Ex: Most of Canada & Russia, and the central U.S.  
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ocean currents   streams of water within the oceans that move in regular patterns  
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Where do warm ocean currents run?   Usually carry warm water from the tropics to the poles  
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Where do cold ocean currents run?   Bring cold water from the polar zones toward the equator  
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What is the best-known warm-water current and where does it run?   The Gulf Stream [see map on p. 518]. It gives Ireland & southern England a mild, wet climate despite their relatively high latitude  
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El Nino   a warm water current that occurs every 2 to 7 years in the Pacific Ocean.  
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How does El Nino affect climate?   It causes shifts in weather patterns around the world, bringing unusual and often severe conditions to different areas.  
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Microclimate   A small area with specific climate conditions different from surrounding areas; example: grove of trees is more humid than a nearby open field  
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What can result in a microclimate?   Inland mountains, lakes, forest, and other natural features can influence climate nearby.  
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What causes the seasons?   The tilt of Earth's axis as Earth travels around the sun [see diagram on text p. 521]  
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