INTRODUCTION

Take a moment and think about the weather today where you are. Is it normal or

typical? Is it what you expect? If it’s been cool the past few days but the temperature is

increasing today, is that weather or climate? Are weather and climate the same thing?

Though they are closely related, weather and climate aren’t the same thing. The

difference between climate and weather is usefully summarized by the popular phrase

“Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get.” Weather and climate are

meteorological terms that are related but not interchangeable. Don’t confuse climate

and weather as the same phenomena, because they are not.

Learning Outcomes:

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

1. describe how and why weather is being studied;

2. describe weather and climate;

3. compare and contrast weather and climate;

4. identify in what ways do the weather and climate influence our daily lives?