World Climate Zones Geography

Vocabulary and key characteristics of world climate zones based on the lecture transcript.

Climate Zone

An area that has its own climate, along with its own type of vegetation and wildlife.

Polar Climate Zone

A climate with temperatures usually below freezing that can reach $-60^\circ\text{C}$ in winter.

Temperate Climate Zone

A climate that varies greatly at different times of year, characterized by four distinct seasons.

Mediterranean Climate Zone

A climate that features long, warm, dry summers and wet winters.

Arid Climate Zone

A climate that lacks natural water sources and has little rainfall, making it very dry and hot.

Tropical Climate Zone

A climate with high temperature, rainfall, and humidity all year, though some areas may have a wet and dry season.

Mountain Climate Zone

A climate that is colder at higher altitudes and generally much wetter than the surrounding land.

Altitude

The height of a location which causes temperatures on mountains to become colder as it increases.

$$-60^\circ\text{C}$$

The temperature that polar climates can reach during the winter.

Snow and ice

Substances that usually cover polar areas throughout the year.

Four distinct seasons

A key feature of the Temperate Climate Zone where conditions vary greatly throughout the year.

Natural water sources

Features that are lacking in an Arid Climate Zone.

Wet and dry season

Seasonal variations that may occur in some areas of the Tropical Climate Zone.

Vegetation and wildlife

Biological elements that, in addition to climate, characterize a specific climate zone.

Humidity

A condition of the air that, along with high temperature and rainfall, is present all year in Tropical Climate Zones.

Mediterranean summers

A seasonal period in the Mediterranean climate described as being long, warm, and dry.

Mountain temperature

A condition that becomes colder the higher the altitude gets in a mountain climate.

Precipitation ($\text{mm}$)

The unit of measurement used on climate graphs to record the amount of rainfall.

Temperature ($^\circ\text{C}$)

The unit of measurement used to quantify the heat levels in different climate zones on a climate graph.

Mediterranean winters

A seasonal period in the Mediterranean climate described as being wet.