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2-3
Climate Regions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| weather | changes in temperature, wind speed and direction, and air moisture that take place over a short period of time |
| climate | pattern of weather that takes place in an area over many years |
| prevailing wind | wind patterns that are similar over time |
| current | steadily flowing stream of water in the ocean |
| El Nino | weather phenomenon marked by very heavy rains in western South America, often causing flooding; reduced rainfall in Southern Asia, Australia, and Africa, and severe storms in North America |
| La Nina | weather phenomenon marked by unusually cool waters in the eastern Pacific and low amounts of rainfall there and heavier rains - and a greater chance of typhoons - in the western Pacific |
| local wind | wind pattern typical of a small area |
| rain shadow | effect of mountains that blocks rain from reaching interior regions |
| climate zone | areas that have similar patterns of temperature and rainfall, and may have similar vegetation |
| biome | area that includes particular kinds of plants and animals adapted to conditions there |
| urban climate | weather patterns in cities, including higher temperatures and distinct wind patterns, as compared to nearby rural areas |
| distribute | to spread out |
| alter | to change |