FACTORS AFFECTING THE CLIMATE

FACTORS THAT AFFECT CLIMATE:

1. Latitude
2. Altitude
3. Topography
4. Distance from bodies of water
5. Ocean Currents
 LATITUDE
As the latitude increases, the smaller the angle of the sun’s rays
strike the surface.
Therefore, when the area is farther from the equator, the air
temperature is lower.
When the place is closer to the equator, the air temperature is
higher.
 ALTITUDE
The air temperature decreases as the altitude increases.
For every 1000 m, there is a drop of 6.50C.
At higher elevations, there is less air.
The airmolecules are farther apart, thus making the air less
dense.
Lighter air cannot absorb much heat, making air temperature
lower.
Ultimately, the decrease in air temperature is due to the decrease
 DISTANCE FROM BODIES OF WATER
Places that are near the oceans have moderate climate as the
body of water regulates the temperature.
Because soil heats up faster than water, air temperature above
the sea is lower than above ground during day time.
Warm air thus moves out from land to sea, slowing down the rise
of air temperature above land.
Thus, places without a body of water nearby tend to have higher
air temperature during day time.
Wind blowing from the sea towards land during the day
is called Sea Breeze

Wind blowing from the land towards sea during the night
is called Land Breeze
 TOPOGRAPHY
Mountainous areas greatly affect the amount of precipitation in a
certain region.
The area in which the wind blows is called the windward side.
The air moves down towards the opposite region called leeward
side.
The cold air mass starts to absorb heat and becomes warm and
dry.
As a result, the area near the leeward side becomes dry and has
less precipitation.
The dry region on the leeward side is called rain shadow.
OCEAN CURRENTS
In the northern hemisphere, the current flows in a clockwise direction.
On the other hand, in the southern hemisphere, the current flows in
counterclockwise direction.
These clockwise and counterclockwise of ocean currents are caused by the
Coriolis Effect.
Ocean currents that flow away from the equator carries warm water.
The air above the warm water has higher temperature.
When ocean currents that bring cold water move towards a coastal region, the
temperature of that area decreases as warmer air from the land flows to the
sea resulting in a cold climate.
When warm ocean currents that take along warm water go to a land mass, the
temperature of that place increases as warmer air above the water flows
inland, resulting in a warm climate.
Warm currents that move from the equator towards the poles
carry warm water.
On the other hand, cold currents that travel from the poles
towards the equator carry cold water.
When ocean current carries cold water, the air above it becomes
colder.
When this ocean current moves toward the coastal region, the
temperature of that area becomes lower.
On the other hand, the ocean current that carries warm water
makes the air warmer.
When this current goes toward a land mass, the temperature of
that place becomes higher.