Climate and Weather
Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a certain place and time.
Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold the air is, and it depends on how much energy the air receives from the sun.
Temperature is measured using a device called a thermometer, and is usually calculated in degrees celsius or Fahrenheit
Temperature is also related to humidity which is another factor.
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air.
It evaporates from lakes, rivers, oceans. even from trees. There are two types of humidity, Absolute Humidity and Relative Humidity.
Air actually has weight.
Absolute Humidity is a measure of how much water vapor the air is capable of holding.
Relative Humidity is how much moisture there actually is in the air.
Its expressed as a percentage of the Absolute Humidity
If the relative humidity is 100% it means the air is totally saturated with water. When the humidity rises the air feels heavy and sticky, and uncomfortable.
When condensation occurs near the ground it can create a mist or fog. Eventually the water in the clouds come back to Earth as rain, snow, or hail.
We measure air pressure with a device called a barometer.
In areas of high pressure, air slowly descends towards the the Earth's Surface.
In areas of low pressure, air rises upward into the atmosphere.
High pressure areas are associated with sunny days.
Low pressure areas bring high humidity clouds.
Weather is whats going on with the atmosphere at any particular time.
Climate is an areas pattern of weather over a long period of time.
Such as averages of precipitation, temperature, and air pressure.
Climatologist, the people who study climate define it by many factors.
They divide the earth into five major climate types.
Tropical climates are found close to the equator.
Tropical climates can consist of very wet areas such as rainforest or a savanna.
They receive more sunlight than any other area.
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The major climate types are divided into subtypes too.
A little bit further from the equator are dry or arid climates.
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These areas usually get less than 25 cm of rain per year. include deserts such as the sahara.
There are also cold deserts such as the Gobi in Asia where temperatures drop below 0.
The third group is made up of mild or temperate climates.
In these areas the summers can be hot but the winters are not very cold.
There are temperate climates along the Mediterranean Sea. In the South and West Coast.
Continental climates have a much wider temperature range with colder winters.
These are found in the northern hemisphere, below the artic circle.
You can find them in the interiors of continents and on their eastern coasts.
Humid continental climates with warm summers and cold winters are located through out North America.
Subartic Continental climates are found a little bit further north, in Canada and Northern Russia.
Finally the polar climates are known for their consistantly cold temperatures.
Every month of they year averages below 10 degrees celsius.
A lot of factors determine an areas climate. Places near the ocean tend to have more moderate climates than locked areas.
The temperature of the ocean doesn't flucuate as much as the temperature. Ocean currents also have a big impact on climate
Global Warming is about the average temperature across entire planet.
We've tracked the number of every year for more than a century.
Global warming is a change in the world's climate. and it is caused by the greenhouse gasses such as Carbon dioxide and Methane. Trees absorb Carbon dioxide and maintain the balance but if u cut them down as they die the carbon goes back into the atmosphere.
raising temperature by a couple of degrees can have a huge impact.
In many parts of the world ice is a major part of the water supply. Global warming can cause the ice cpas to melt completely and make sea levels rise.
Many scientist prefer Global climate change instead of Global warming.