Transcript Physical Geography WG.2a-c Climate charateristics • Three common charateristics that define climate –Temperature –Precipitation –Seasons (hot/cold, wet/dry)

Physical Geography
WG.2a-c
Climate charateristics
• Three common charateristics
that define climate
–Temperature
–Precipitation
–Seasons (hot/cold, wet/dry)
• Temperature is the degree of
heat or cold in the atmosphere
• Precipitation is the amount of
moisture falling at any given
moment. It can be in the form
of rain, sleet, snow, or ice.
Climate charateristics cont.
• Elements that influence
regional climate patterns
–latitude--higher the latitude
the colder the climates
–wind
–elevation--higher and colder
–proximity (closeness) to water
• There are 3 latitude climate region
• Low latitude climates--from 0-30
degrees N and S latitude (tropical)
• Mid latitude climates--from 30-60
degrees N and S latitude (mild)
• High latitude climates—from 60-90
degrees N and S latitude (polar)
• Elevation is the height an area
is above sea level
• Water influences temperature
because it is slow to heat up or
cool down. It can also
influence precipitation.
• Elements that influence regional
climate patterns
• Wind currents--wind and ocean
currents help transfer heat from one
part of the earth to another. The
process is known as convection.
Wind also blows in curved lines
because the earth rotates Coriolis
Effect
Climate charateristics cont.
• World Climate Regions
–Low latitudes-tropical wet tropical
wet and dry, arid, semiarid, and
highland
–Middle Latitudes-semi-arid, arid,
Mediterranean, humid continental,
marine west coast, humid
subtropical, highland
Climate charateristics cont.
• World Climate Regions
–High latitudes-subarctic,
tundra, icecap
Climate charateristics cont.
• Vegetation Regions
–Rain forest
-Savanna
–Desert
-Steppe
–Middle Latitude forests
–Taiga
-Tundra
Climate charateristics cont.
• Weather phenomena
–Monsoons--South and
Southeast Asia (rainstorms)
–Typhoons--Pacific Ocean—
Similar to a hurricane
–Hurricanes--Atlantic Ocean
–Tornadoes--United States
Climate charateristics cont.
• Effects of climate
–crops--what grows where
–clothing--what needs to be
worn
–housing--type of building
–natural hazards--dangers
Physical and ecological
processes
• There are four processes which have
shaped the earth, Earthquakes,
Floods, Volcanoes, and Erosion
• These four processes have created
mountains, lakes, islands and have
caused tremendous amounts of
damage
Human’s impact on the environment
• Aral Sea--diverting water has
caused the lake to shrink and
become useless
• Colorado River--placing dams
on the river has provided
hydroelectric power to millions
but destroyed the natural
landscape
Human’s impact on the environment
• Aswan High Dam--has helped control
the yearly flooding on the Nile River
but has destroyed agriculture
• Canals—man made waterway
• Reservoirs—areas of stored water
• Irrigation—water used for farming
How has the land changed due to
man
• Agricultural terracing has cut farms
into the sides of hills and mountains in
China and Southeast Asia
• The use of Polders has allowed the
Netherlands to reclaim millions of
acres of farmland from the sea
• Polder– land that has been taken
back from the sea by building a dam
and pumping the water out
• Deforestation—removal of all trees
from an area
• Desertification—the increase of
deserts by drought and over-farming
or over-grazing
How has the land changed due to
man
• Deforestation has removed most of the
forests in Nepal, Brazil, and Malaysia.
This has caused a different set of
problems in these areas
• Desertification has become a major
problem in areas of Africa and Asia.
Major deserts are growing.
How has man changed the
environment
• Acid rain caused by pollution from
factories and cars has destroyed
monuments, cars, and major forests in
Germany, Scandinavia, China and
Eastern North America
• Pollution destroys wildlife, agriculture
and the land and sea. Examples are
Mexico City, Chernobyl, and oil spills
Influence of technology
• Agriculture--mechanization,
fertilizers
• Energy usage--fossil fuels,
nuclear
• Transportation--road building,
railways
Influence of technology cont.
• Airplanes--airport expansion,
noise
• Automobiles--parking lots,
suburbs
How does the environment impact on
humans
• Settlement patterns
• housing materials
• agricultural activity
• types of recreation
• transportation patterns