Climate and Seasons

@ SAG - Marek - '24 (P3)

As latitude increases

temperature decreases

The poles are cold because they receive

low angle, less direct sunlight (insolation)

Temperature is moderated by

water (makes the air cooler)

As elevation increases

the average annual temperature decreases

Warm currents

warm climate

Cold currents

cooler climate

Orographic Effect

position on a mountain

Windward

cool and moist due to expansion (low pressure)

Leeward

warm and dry due to compression (high pressure)

Southern Hemisphere has its warmest temperatures during

winter months

If a location has little variation in temperature, it is located

near the Equator

Factors that Affect Climate

1. Latitude

2. Closeness to LARGE BODIES of water

3. Orographic Effect

4. Elevation

5. Ocean Currents

Marine Climate has

cool summer and warm winter (smaller temp. range)

Continental Climate has

cold winter and hot summer (larger temp. range)

The ozone layer

filters or blocks harmful rays such as Ultraviolet Radiation

The Earth absorbs mostly

short wavelength light energy

The Earth re-radiates mostly

long wavelength heat energy

The greenhouse gasses are

carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor

Humans add greenhouse gasses to the air by

burning fossil fuels from cars and factories

Insolation means

Incoming Solar Radiation

The seasons are caused by

the tilt of the Earth’s axis and the revolution around the Sun

If the Earth was not tilted

there would be no seasons (more tilt = more extreme seasons)

Shadows change its length due to

changes in the angle of the Sun

In NYS Polaris is how many degrees North?

41 degrees North

Direct Ray of the Sun

1. Occurs when Sun is directly overhead (@ zenith)

2. Never occurs in NYS

What is meant by “within the tropics”?

Any location between 23.5° N and 23.5° S of the Equator

Solar noon

When the the Sun reaches the highest point in the sky

Revolution around the Sun

Earth’s orbit around the Sun

Earth’s tilt increases when

Earth revolves around the sun and the Northern Hemisphere is towards the Sun

As the angle of insolation increases

the temperature increases

The Sun is most intense at an angle of

90°

The Sun rises in the

East and sets in the West due to Earth’s rotation

In the US, at noon, to see over the Sun you have to face

South (shadow faces North)

When is the Sun directly overhead in NYS?

Never; NY is too far North (the Sun is only overhead between the tropics)

The equator always receives

12 hours of intense sunlight

Shadows are longest when the Sun is

low in the sky and shortest when the Sun is the highest in the sky (noon)

What is the primary function of the clear glass of the greenhouse?

The glass allows short wavelengths of radiation to enter, but reduces the amount of long wavelength radiation that escapes.

El Niño

A warming of the Pacific Ocean

La Niña

A cooling of the Pacific Ocean

Global Warming

1. Average global temperature are increasing

2. Glaciers are melting

3. Ocean levels are rising

4. Warming is natural

5. Humans speed up the process through increased levels of Carbon Dioxide

Duration of insolation is the

length of the day (most in summer; less in winter)

Summer Solstice

• June 21

• Sun rises North of East

• Sun sets North of West

• Sun's altitude is the highest of the year

• Vertical ray hits Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N)

• NY gets 16 hours of daylight

• North Pole gets 24 hours of daylight

Winter Solstice

• December 21

• Sun rises South of East

• Sun sets South of West

• Sun's altitude is the lowest of the year

• Vertical ray hits Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S)

• NY gets 8 hours of daylight

• North Pole gets 0 hours of daylight

Vernal and Autumnal Equinox

• March and September 21

• Sun rises due East

• Sun sets due West

• Vertical ray hits Equator (0°)

• Whole Earth gets 12 hours of daylight

Vernal translates to

Spring