Global Climate

Danny M. Vaughn, Ph.D., CMS

 Climate Controls (LAWMOPS: Land, Altitude, Wind,

Mountains, Ocean, Pressure system, Solar energy).

Intensity of sunshine.

Distribution of land and water (ice, land, rock, soil,

vegetative cover).

Ocean currents.

Prevailing winds.

Position of high and low pressure systems.

Mountain barriers.

Altitude.

Fig. 13-1

Fig. 13-4

Fig. 13-2

Fig. 13-3

Fig. 13-5a

Fig. 13-5

 D Climate - Moist mid-latitude w/ severe winters, warm

summers w/ cold winters. Avg. temp. of the warmest month
>50F, coldest monthly avg. temp., <27F.
E Climate - Polar Climate, extremely cold winters and
summers. Avg. temp. of the warmest month >50F, and no real
summer season.
H Climate - for varied mountainous terrain.

Fig. 13-7

Fig. 13-9

Fig. 13-12

Fig. 13-14

Factors include:

Cooler temps. Render less evaporation.

High intensity, often short duration rainfall.

Deserts associated w/ rain shadow, e.g. leeward side of the

Cascades and Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Deserts associated w/ subtropical anticyclones, e.g. SW U.S.
Vegetation is Xerophytic.

C Climate - Moist Subtropical Mid-Latitude Climates

Avg. temp. of the coldest month <64F, and >27 F.
Eastern & western regions of most continents (25-40
Latitude).

Fig. 13-15

Winter temps. rarely dip much below freezing.

Precipitation totals are from 31-65 inches per year.

Winter precipitation is associated w/ mid-latitude

storms.

Summer precipitation is often a result of convective

activity and storm systems.

Fig. 13-16

Fig. 13-17

D Climate - Moist Continental Climates

Avg temp. of the warmest month, >50F, coldest monthly avg.
<27 F.
Severe winters w/ snowstorms, strong winds, and bitter cold
temps.
D climates are controlled by large land masses in the Northern
Hemisphere (40-70 North Latitude, 60 in Europe).

Fig. 13-20

Fig. 13-20

Fig. 13-21

Precipitation occurs from weak cyclonic storms in the

summer.

Low evaporation rate (cooler temps.) support conifers

and beach trees (tiaga forest).

Often termed a boreal or tiaga climate.

Fig. 13-23

 Ef (figure 14.25) - Polar ice caps.

Avg. temp. below 32 F every month.

Interior ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica.

Precipitation is usually < 4 inches. Falls as snow.

Fig. 13-25

H Climates - Highland Climates

Temp. variation (environmental lapse rate) renders different
biomes.
From low to high elevations: grassland, chaparral, mixed
conifers, tiaga, tundra, and icecap (fig. 14.26).

Fig. 13-26