Climate and Its Causes© Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 94-4565Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources.Causes of ClimateClimate is the average weather of a region over an extended period of timemany different climates. Temperature and precipitation are the most important factors that impact climate. Temperature is latitude, altitudewater, and ocean currents. Precipitationwinds and mountains. Latitude Affects TemperatureThe latitude of a region affects temperature. The Sun’s radiation is most concentrated at the equator, resulting in warm temperatures. In polar regions, temperatures are much colderamount of energy is spread across a larger amount of land.Altitude Affects TemperatureRegions that are located at higher altitudes experience cooler temperatures. The air on top of a mountain is much cooler than the air at Oceans & Lakes Affect TemperatureOceans and large lakesWater heats and cools more -40-40-30-20-1001020304050-2002040608010012060708090100140160180200-40-40-30-20-1001020304050-2002040608010012060708090100140160180200coolertemperaturesPrevailing Winds Affect MoisturePrevailing windsone direction and moisture in a region. Winds that travel across water are humidwater vapor. Winds that dry.Mountains Affect PrecipitationMountains play a role in the climate. Moisture-laden clouds that run into mountains are pushed upward. As the clouds cool, rain or snow occurs. When the clouds move down the other side of the mountains, the dry air creates a desert climate. This effect is called a rain shadow.AsiaEuropeAfricaSouthAmericaNorthAmericaAustraliaAntarcticaSouthPacific OceanNorthPacific OceanNorth AtlanticOceanArctic OceanIndianOceanSouthAtlanticOceanEquatorIcelandGulf StreamOcean Currents Affect TemperatureThe ocean has surface currents that help distribute temperatures around Polar currents carry cool water toward the equator, tropical currents carry warm water away from the equator. For example, the Gulf Stream creates warm air temperatures around southern Iceland and climate of this region.cold polar currentswarm tropical currentsSouth pole0º30ºN60ºN60ºS30ºSNorth poleEquatorlines oflatitudeSun’s radiationClimate is the average weather of a region over an extended period of timemany different climates. Temperature and precipitation are the most important factors that impact climate. Temperature is latitude, altitudewater, and rocean currents. Precipitationwinds and mountains. The latitude of a region affects temperature. The Sun’s radiation issssssssssssss most concentrated at the equator, resulting in warm temperatureeeeeessssssssssssss. rIn polar regions, temperatures are much colderamount of energy is spread across a larger amount of land.Regions that aaaaaarrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeee llllllllllloocattttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddddddd aaaaaaaaaaaaatttt hhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrr altitudes expppppppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrriiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnccccccccccccceeeeeeeeeeeeee cooler temperatures.. 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This effect is called a rain shadow.AsiaEuropeAfAfAfAAAfAfAfAfAfAfAfAAfririririririririccccacccccSouthAmericaNorthhhhhhAmericaAustraliaAntarctitititittittiticacacacacacacacaccccSouthPaPPaacciciiciiciccccc ficficficficfificfifificc OceanNorthPacific OceanNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNN rtrtrtrrrtrtrttrtthAtlantnttntntnnntiiciciiicicccOcceaeaeaaaeaeaeaeeeannnnnnnnnnArctticiciciciciciciic OOOOOOOOOOOOOcececeeeeeeccc aaanaaaaaaaIndianOceanSouthAtlanticOceanEquatorrrqIcelandIcedGulf StreamTTTTTTTTTTTTTThhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhee occcccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnn has surface currents thhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttt hhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllppp distribute temperatures around Pollaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrr ccurrents carry cool water toward the equator, tropical ccccccccuuuuuurrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeennnnnnnttttttttsssssssssssss cccccccccccccccarry warm water away from the equator. FFFFFFFooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrr eeeeeeeeeeexxxxxxaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmple, the Gulf Stream creates warm aaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ttttttttttttteemperatures around southern Iceland and climate of this region.cold polar currentswarm tropical currentsSouthhhhhh ppppppppppooooooooooolllllleeeeeeeeee0º030ºN30ºN60ºN660ºSºSSSSSSSSSS30ºSºSºSºSSSºSSºSSSSS30NNNNNNNNoooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrtttttttttthhhhhhhhhhh ppppppooooooleeeeeeeeeeeppppppppppppppEquatorllllllllllliiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnneeeeees ooooooooooooffffffffffffflllllllaaaaaaaatttttttituddddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeSSSSSSSSSSSSSuuuuuuuuun’SSSSSSSSSs radiationoa
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