What influences climate?

Latitude is the distance north or south, measured in degrees, from the equator. The temperature of an area depends on its latitude. The higher the latitude, the colder the climate tends to be. One of the coldest places on Earth, the North Pole, is 90 degrees north of the equator. However, the equator, at latitude 0 degrees, is usually hot.

Winds that blow mainly in one direction are prevailing winds. Prevailing winds affect the amount of precipitation that a region receives. If the prevailing winds form from warm air, they may carry moisture. If the prevailing winds form from the cold air, they will most likely be dry. The amount of moisture in prevailing winds is also affect by whether the winds blow across  a large body of water.. Winds that travel across large bodies of water absorb moisture. Winds that travel across land tend to be dry. Even if region borders the ocean, the area might be dry.

Mountains can influence an area’s climate by affect both temperature and precipitation. Temperatures on Kilimanjaro and in other mountainous area are affected by elevation. Elevation is the height of the surface landforms above sea level. As the elevation increases, the ability of air to transfer energy from the ground to the atmosphere decreases. Therefore, as elevation increases, temperature decreases.

The circulation of ocean surface current has a large effect on area’s climate. Surface currents are stream-like movements of water that occur at or near the edge of the ocean. As surface currents move, they carry warm or cool water to different locations. The surface temperature of the water affects the temperature of the air above it. Warm currents heat the surround air and cause warmer temperatures. Cool currents surrounding the air cause cooler temperatures. Cool surrounding the air causes cooler temperatures.

Large bodies of water can influence an area’s climate. Water absorbs and releases heat slower than land does. Due to this quality, water helps to moderate the temperatures of the land around it. So, sudden or extreme temperature changes rarely take place on land near large bodies of water. For example, the state of Michigan, which is surrounded by the Great Lakes, has more- moderate temperatures than other places at the same latitude. The lakes also increase the moisture content of the air, which leads to heavy snowfall in the winter. This “lake effect” can cause 350 inches of snow to drop in one year!