climate and climate change

weather

atmospheric conditions for a particular location at a certain period of time

climate

average long term weather pattern usually based over a 30 year period

climatology

study of climate

climatologist

person that studies climate

determine a climate by

average temperature and precipitation

humid tropical

warm and humid year round

moist mid latitude

mild winter hot and humid summers with mild winters

dry

areas with no precipitation

polar

has cold temperatures year round

most common classification system

koppen climate classification

coachella valley is classified as

BWh

latitude

as you move toward the poles it gets cooler

elevation

as you go up elevation its gets cooler

ocean currents

can be warmer or cooler

topography

can casue more or less precipitation

prevailing wind

may bring cooler or warmer temps

vegetation

brings coller and more humid conditions

rainforests

located near the equator 0-20 degrees north and south in these areas air rises and cools creating clouds and rain

deserts

located around 3o north and south in these areas air sinks and warms creating clear weather

rainfall

forms because of global air and ocean current circulation

high pressure

at 30 and the poles creats clear and dry weather

low pressure

at the equator and 60 creates areas of wet climate and rainfall

things that cause climate change

amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, volcanic eruptions,asteroid impact, earth’s orbit and tilt

greenhouse effect

process by which thermal radiation is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gasses and is recorded in all direction thus warming the planet

smog

a mixture of compounds including gasses and nitrogen that mixes with oxygen and reacts in sunlight to create a smoke like haze in our atmosphere

effect of climate change

earth’s average surface temperature has risen, oceans temperatures have risen, greenland and antarctic ice sheets have decreased in size, glaciers have retreated and there is less snow cover, sea level has risen