Guiding Questions: Climate Notes

Section 14.1 What is Climate?

1.Define climatology. The study of Earths
climate and the factors that affect past,
present, and future climate changes
2.What factors does climate include in
addition to average weather conditions?
Annual variations of temperature,
precipitation, wind, and other weather
variables.
3.Give two examples of how climatic data
can be used. Can indicate the warmest
and coldest temperatures ever recorded in
a certain location, and can be used by
companies to decide where to locate new
facilities.
4.Why must we exercise caution when using
normals to predict weather? Weather
conditions on any given day might differ
widely from normals.
5.What factors cause climate? Latitude,
Topographic Effects, and Air masses
6.Why are coastal areas cooler in the
summer than inland areas? Because water
heats slower than land.
7.Describe the relationship between
temperature and altitude. Temperatures in

the lower atmosphere decrease with

altitude.
8.Figure 14-3 depicts what effect of
orographic lifting that we discussed last
Friday? (HINT: return to those notes!)
mountain thunderstorms
Section 14.2 Climate Classification
1.Name the system used to classify climates.
What factors does it consider? Koeppen
classification system
2.List the six main climate types. Tropical,
Dry, Mild, Continental, Polar, and high
elevation
3.What climate type do we live in? List its
characteristics. Humid subtropical, warm,
muggy summers, and dry, cool winters.
4.What is a microclimate? Give an example.
A localized climate that differs from the
main regional climate, on top of a
mountain
5.What is the heat island effect and where
does it occur? The presence of many
concrete buildings and large expanses of
asphalt, large cities.
Guiding Questions: Climate Notes
Section 14.1 What is Climate?

1. Define climatology.
2. What factors does climate include in
addition to average weather conditions?
3. Give two examples of how climatic data
can be used.
4. Why must we exercise caution when
using normals to predict weather?
5. What factors cause climate?
6. Why are coastal areas cooler in the
summer than inland areas?
7. Describe the relationship between
temperature and altitude.
8. Figure 14-3 depicts what effect of
orographic lifting that we discussed last
Friday? (HINT: return to those notes!)
Section 14.2 Climate Classification
1. Name the system used to classify
climates. What factors does it consider?
2. List the six main climate types.
3. What climate type do we live in? List its
characteristics.
4. What is a microclimate? Give an
example.
5. What is the heat island effect and where
does it occur?