SED 111 Activity 3.

1 WEATHER AND CLIMATE

Activity on weather and Climate

1. Discuss at least two(2) factors that affect climate.

Latitude or distance from the equator

Because of the earth's curvature, temperatures decline as one moves further

from the equator. Sunlight has a bigger area to travel through in regions closer to the
poles, and the sun is at a lower angle in the sky. As a result, more energy is lost, and
cools down.

As latitude increases, the sun shines more obliquely and provides less
warming energy. The equator always faces the sun directly, so the climate is warm
year-round, with the average day and night temperature hovering between 12.5 and
14.3 degrees Celsius (54.5 and 57.7 degrees Fahrenheit). At the poles, however,
winter and summer temperatures show a wider variation. The average temperature in
the Arctic varies from zero C (32 F) in summer to -40 C (-40 F) in winter, while in the
Antarctic, the temperature varies from -28.2 C (-18 F) in summer to -60 C (-76 F) in
winter. The Antarctic is colder for two reasons: it's a landmass, and it's at a higher
elevation than the Arctic.

Topography

The topography of a terrain refers to its steepness, shape, and slope aspect
(the direction a slope faces). Variations in topography can cause temperature,
moisture, and sun and wind exposure to vary even within a relatively small area.
These distinctions result in settings that sustain various ecological groups.

Topography produces climate changes over short distances. Microclimates

are changes in temperature, moisture, and wind and sun exposure that are major
indicators of where different ecological communities might be found.

A windy mountaintop with high evaporation and transpiration, for example, will
have a drier microclimate than a sheltered ravine adjacent. As a result, plants that
can withstand wind and dry conditions can be found on the ridge. Plants that require
less windy and more moist conditions can be found in the ravine.

South-facing hills are usually sunnier and dryer than their north-facing
counterparts. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the sun is constantly in the
southern sky. The sun's beams are more direct on a south-facing slope than on a
north-facing one. This explains why snow on south-facing slopes melts faster than
snow on north-facing slopes. It also explains why plants adapted to bright, drier
circumstances and warmer temperatures grow on south-facing slopes, whereas
plants adapted to greater shade, moisture, and cooler temperatures grow on
adjoining north-facing slopes.

2. We cannot deny the fact that the world is experiencing a lot of disasters such as
flood, avalanche, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, storm surge and etc. every year.
Is this due to climatic factors? Discuss your answer and support it with evidences.
(You can include sources and references. )

Yes. Climate hazards are natural occurrences that occur during weather
cycles. Many natural disasters are linked to normal weather patterns and seasonal
changes. Hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, flooding, and high winds have always been
a part of our lives. However, we are currently experiencing an alarming and terrible
level of damage and devastation. Nature has pushed these functions to an extreme
level nowadays, to the point where they pose a threat to the environment and human
populations. In certain circumstances, these extremes are the norm in particular
places of the world, where they have existed for millennia, and the ecology has been
evolved to cope with them. Minor versions of these terrible situations can be tolerated
in areas where these conditions are out of the ordinary, as long as they are only
temporary and do not reach the deadly levels. Simply defined, global climate change
exacerbates climate hazards and increases the chance of catastrophic weather
events. Droughts will likely become more common and storms will become more
intense as global surface temperatures rise. As more water vapor evaporates into the
sky, it provides fuel for stronger storms to form. Greater wind speeds in tropical
storms can be caused by increased atmospheric heat and warmer ocean surface
temperatures. Rising sea levels reveal higher areas that aren't normally exposed to
the sea's power or the erosive pressures of waves and currents. Rising sea levels,
supercharged storms and higher wind speeds, more intense and protracted droughts
and wildfire seasons, heavier precipitation, and flooding are all consequences of
rising air and water temperatures. The data is unequivocal, and the consequences
are devastating:

• The number of climate-related disasters has tripled in the last 30

years;

• The rate of global sea-level rise was 2.5 times quicker between 2006
and 2016 than it was for practically the entire twentieth century.

• Climate change drives more than 20 million people out of their homes
each year.

Climate change is the primary force behind these extreme weather events
and natural calamities. The most tragic aspect of this dilemma is that humans—more
specifically, human-caused greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—are the primary
cause of today's rapidly changing climate. Greenhouse gases are vital in keeping the
world warm enough for humans to live on. However, by burning fossil fuels, tearing
down forests, and raising livestock, the amount of these gases in our atmosphere has
increased dramatically in recent decades. This adds massive amounts of greenhouse
gases to those already present in the atmosphere, causing the greenhouse effect
and global warming, as well as climate change.
 Extreme weather is uncommon, according to the US Environmental
Protection Agency. However, climate change is increasing the likelihood of more
extreme weather events. Over the previous several decades, there have been
changes in several types of extreme weather occurrences in the United States, such
as more intense and frequent heat waves, less frequent and strong cold waves, and
regional shifts in floods, droughts, and wildfires. This increase in extreme weather
events is consistent with a warming globe. Climate change, according to scientists,
will make some of these extreme weather events more likely to occur and/or be
severe.

References:

Denchak, M., & Turrentine, J. (2021, September 1). Global climate change: What you
need to know. NRDC; NRDC. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-climate-
changewhat-you-need-know

Natural hazards and disaster risk reduction. (2015, December 1). World
Meteorological Organization.
https://public.wmo.int/en/our-mandate/focus-areas/natural-hazardsand-disaster-risk-
reduction

Oxfam International. (2019, August 23). 5 natural disasters that beg for climate action
| Oxfam International. Oxfam International. https://www.oxfam.org/en/5-
naturaldisasters-beg-climate-action

US EPA,OAR,OAP,CCD. (2011). Understanding the Link Between Climate Change

and Extreme Weather | Climate Change Science | US EPA. Epa.gov.
https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climate-change-science/understanding-
linkbetween-climate-change-and-extreme-weather_.html