CLIMATE

Week 3 and 4
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 Weather VS Climate
Weather
It is the prevailing condition of
the atmosphere at a particular
time and place. It is what
conditions of the atmosphere are
over a short period.
Climate
It is the average weather of a
region or the combined effect of all
its weather systems. It is how the
atmosphere "behaves" over
relatively long periods.
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 Distance from the Equator
Distance from the Sea Factors
Ocean Currents
Earth’s Rotation Affecting
Climate
Direction of Prevailing Winds
Earth’s Surface Feature

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Distance from the Equator

At the poles, energy from

the sun reaches the
Earth's surface at lower
angles and passes
through a thicker layer of
atmosphere than at the
equator. This means the
climate is cooler further
from the Equator.

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 Distance from the Equator
The poles also experience
the greatest difference
between summer and winter
day lengths: in the summer
there is a period when the
sun does not set at the
poles; conversely, the poles
also experience a period of
total darkness during winter.
In contrast, day length varies
little at the equator.

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Distance from the Sea

The sea affects the climate of

a place. Coastal areas have a
lower temperature range and
are thus cooler and wetter
compared to inland areas. On
the coast, winters are mild and
summers are cool. In inland
areas, winters are cold and
summers are hot.

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 Ocean Currents
The ocean is an
important factor in the
global climate. It
redistributes large
amounts of heat all over
Earth. This is through
global ocean currents
which can increase or
reduce temperatures.
The diagram shows the
ocean currents of the
world.

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 Ocean Currents
Ocean currents fall into two main categories: surface currents and deep ocean currents.

Surface currents control the motion of

the top 10% of the ocean’s water.

Deep ocean currents mobilize the

other 90%.

Though they have different causes, surface and deep currents influence each
other in an intricate dance that keeps the entire ocean moving.

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 Ocean Currents
Cold ocean currents are
masses of cold water
moving from high latitude
towards the equator
absorbing the heat received
in the tropics thus cooling
the air above. Cold currents
are formed when the air
circulating the eastern side
of the subtropical high is
blown over cold water mass
and is then dragged toward
the equator.
Warm ocean currents are
masses of warm water
with higher
temperatures moving
away from the equator.
Warm currents are
formed when the cold
saline water becomes
dense and sinks allowing
the light warm water to
flow in the opposite
direction, usually far
from the equator.
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 Earth’s Rotation
Unequal heating of the Earth’s surface
also forms large global wind patterns.
Global winds do not move directly from
north to south or south to north because
the Earth rotates. All winds in the
Northern Hemisphere appear to curve to
the right as they move. In the southern
hemisphere, winds appear to curve to the
left. This is known as the Coriolis Effect,
which is the apparent shift in the path of
any fluid or object moving about the
surface of the Earth due to the rotation of
the Earth.

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Ocean Currents + Earth’s Rotation

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 Direction of Prevailing Winds

The climate of a region is affected by

prevailing winds. The prevailing wind is the
dominant wind system. It is the most
frequently experienced wind in a region. For
example, in the Philippines, the prevailing
wind from November to April is amihan or
the northeast monsoon. It brings cool and
dry weather in the Philippines. From May to
October, the prevailing wind is the habagat
or the southwest monsoon.

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 Earth’s Surface Feature
Earth’s topography is not flat. There are high and low parts. The hills, mountains, valleys, and
flat surfaces of Earth affect the climate of a region.
. The resulting clouds cannot hold all of the condensed water vapor
and precipitation results. Precipitation, which may be in the form of
snow or rain, is dropped over the mountains.

When air passes over a

As dry air descends, it is
mountain range, it loses
warmed. So, on the other
its moisture and cools as
side of the mountain,
it rises. When air is
deserts are formed and
cooled, the water vapor in
are said to lie in a rain
it condenses, forming
shadow.
clouds.

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Earth’s Surface Feature
Broad flats surfaces, such as the Central Plains of Luzon, do not stop wind flow very well. Winds can come
from different directions and merge on the plains. As these winds mix during certain seasons, thunderstorms
and even tornadoes are produced.

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 Our climate is affected by some
phenomena – Global Warming and El
Niño/La Niña Phenomena, which has
Global
led to many observed changes,
including warmer sea temperatures,
Climate
Phenomena
warmer air temperatures, and changes
in the hydrological cycle.

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 Global Warming

Global warming is the unusually rapid

increase in Earth’s average surface
temperature over the past century primarily
due to the greenhouse gases released by
people burning fossil fuels. As the human
population has increased, so as the volume of
fossil fuels burned. Fossil fuels include coal,
oil, and natural gas, and burning them causes
what is known as the “greenhouse effect” in
Earth’s atmosphere.

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 Global Warming

The greenhouse effect is when the Sun’s rays

penetrate the atmosphere, but when that heat
is reflected off the surface cannot escape back
into space.

The Earth’s atmosphere acts like the glass in a

greenhouse and is needed to keep the planet
warm enough for life to exist.

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Global Warming

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Global Warming

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Global Warming

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Global Warming

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Global Warming

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 Global Warming
Greenhouse gasses are gasses
that prevent heat from leaving the
atmosphere that causes the
Greenhouse effect.
These greenhouse gasses are
carbon dioxide,
chlorofluorocarbons, water vapor,
methane, and nitrous oxide.
Having some greenhouse gases is
a good thing. If it wasn’t for these
gases, Earth would be too cold to
live on!
However, too much of a good
thing can be bad.

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Global Warming

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Global Warming
The excess heat in the atmosphere has caused the average global
temperature to rise over time, otherwise known as global warming.
The global warming results to CLIMATE CHANGE!

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Global Warming

Greenhouse Greenhouse Global CLIMATE

Gasses Effect Warming CHANGE

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 El Nino/La Nina Phenomena
El Niño and La Niña events are a natural part of the global climate system. They occur when
the Pacific Ocean and the atmosphere above it change from their neutral or normal state for
several seasons.
El Niño events are associated with a warming of the
central and eastern tropical Pacific.
El Niño means The Little Boy or Christ Child in Spanish.
The name was chosen based on the time of year
(around December) during which these warm-water
events tended to occur.

La Niña events are associated with a cooling of the

central and eastern tropical Pacific.
La Niña means The Little Girl in Spanish. La Niña is also
sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Niño, or simply "a cold
event."

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END OF PRESENTATION

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