Factors that Affect Climate

Factors that Affect Climate

that are out of our control…

LatitudeThe distance from the equator is a key factor that

determines whether a region has a hot climate or a cold one

Latitude affects how much sun there is in a certain spot which determines temperature

Wind systems

In Canada, the prevailing winds blow from west to east

Wind speeds in Canada

Mountain barriers

When moisture-bearing winds meet mountains, they move up the windward sides of these

barriers.

As air rises, it cools, and condensation produces rain – this is why BC gets so much rain!

Himalayan mountains (seen from space)

Air masses

Huge volumes of air moving because of unequal heating of the Earth by the sun

Hurricanes and tornadoes can be a result

Ocean currents

Currents in the water are caused by strong winds (prevailing winds)

Ocean currents around Canada

Altitude

The higher you are, the colder it is – less air pressure means the air

expands and loses its heat

Bodies of waterLarge bodies of water (lakes/oceans) take a long

time to heat up & cool down, so areas around large bodies of water experience less extreme

temperatures and more precipitation (air mass picks up moisture)

The region around Lake Ontario stays warmer in the fall because it is influenced by the high temp. of the

lake from the summer months.

What is precipitation?

Precipitation is any form of moisture which falls to the Earth – this

includes: rain, snow, hail, and sleet

Silent reading pages 145-half of 150

What are the 3 types of precipitation?

(In each case, something happens to a mass of moist air)

1) Frontal (cyclonic) precipitation

2) Relief (orographic) precipitation

3) Convectional precipitation

Precipitation