Physical Geography

Weather and Climate

Important Background Info

What is the ​difference between weather and climate?
A. Weather ​is the ​condition of the atmosphere1 ​at a particular place and time, tracked ​on a
day to day basis​.
B. Climate ​is the ​average condition of the atmosphere​ of a specific place over a long
period of time, ​usually over 30 years​.

Elements of Weather

1. Temperature
a. Definition​: Temperature is the ​degree of hotness or coldness of a place​.
b. How does the earth heat up / cool down​? Energy of the sun travels through
the earth’s atmosphere, and is absorbed by the earth’s surface. This causes the
earth’s surface to warm up, which in turn heats the atmosphere. ​High
temperatures are defined as anything above 20 deg celsius​, and ​low
temperatures as anything below 10 deg celsius​.
c. Measurement​: M ​ easuring maximum and minimum temperatures of a place
provides us with more accurate records​ because temperature varies throughout
the day. This is ​done using a maximum and minimum thermometer​. A small
temperature range would be anything within 10 deg celsius, while a large range
would be beyond 15 deg celsius.

Temperature calculations

Mean daily temperature (sum of hourly temperatures) / 24

Diurnal temperature range Maximum daily temperature -

minimum daily temperature

Mean monthly temperature (sum of ​mean daily temperatures

over a month) / number of days in a
month

Mean annual temperature (sum of ​mean monthly temperatures

in a year) / 12

Annual temperature range Maximum mean monthly temperature

- minimum mean monthly temperature

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The atmosphere is a layer of air surrounding the earth
Physical Geography Elective
Weather and Climate

d. Factors influencing the temperature of locations​:

i. Latitude​.
1. Background: ​Latitude is the ​MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR
affecting temperature​. ​Temperature differs between places at
lower altitudes and higher altitudes because the sun’s rays strike
various parts of the world at ​different angles​.
2. Definition​: Latitude is the distance of any point on the earth
measured north or south from the equator.

3. Measurement​: In degrees. Each degree is also made up of 60

minutes. Singapore is 1 degree and 22 minutes north of the
equator.
ii. Altitude​.
1. Definition​: Altitude is the height of a place in relation to the sea
level. Temperature decreases with increasing altitude, mainly
because the atmosphere is mostly heated by the earth’s surface.
Temperature generally decreases by 6.5 deg celcius with every
1,000 meters increase in altitude.
2. Why does temperature decrease with increasing altitude?
a. Solar energy enters the atmosphere and reaches the
earth’s surface in the form of shortwave radiation. ~45% of
shortwave radiation is absorbed by the surface, heating it
up.
b. The warm surface emits heat in the form of longwave
radiation. Longwave radiation emitted by the earth is
absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (such
as carbon dioxide). This means that solar energy is
trapped, warming the earth.
c. Air that is nearer the earth’s surface is denser than air at
higher altitudes. Dense air absorbs more heat from
longwave radiation earth’s surface, resulting in higher
temperatures.

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Physical Geography Elective
Weather and Climate

iii. Distance from the sea​.

1. Background. ​The sea heats up and cools down more slowly than
the land. This difference in the rate of heating and cooling of the
sea and land affects the temperature of coastal and inland areas.
2. Maritime effect​.
a. Definition​: The effect that large ocean bodies have on the
climate of coastal areas.
b. How it works​:
i. During summer, the air over the sea is cooler than
the air over the land. This is because land heats up
quickly while water heats up more slowly. The
cooler air over the sea helps to lower the
temperature of coastal areas. Coastal areas are
therefore cooler than places inland.
ii. During winter, the air over the sea is warmer than
the air over the land. This is because land loses
heat more quickly than water. The warmer air over
the sea helps to increase the temperature of
coastal areas. Coastal areas are therefore warmer
than places inland during winter.
iii. Coastal areas therefore experience cooler
summers and warmer winters, and a smaller
annual temperature range than inland areas.
3. Continental effect.
a. Definition​: The effect that continental surfaces have on
the climate of inland areas.
b. How it works​. Given that inland areas are further away
from the sea, the temperatures of those areas are not
affected by the sea. In this way, the continental effect
causes inland areas to experience warmer summers and
colder winters, and a larger annual temperature range than
coastal are

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