World Climate:- Climate and seasons, distribution of rain fall and climatic regions

Climates and seasons

Different parts of the world have different climates. Some parts of the world are hot and rainy nearly every day. They have a tropical wet climate. Others are cold and snow-covered most of the year. They have a polar climate. Between the icy poles and the steamy tropics are many other climates that contribute to Earth’s Biodiversity-2/”>Biodiversity and geologic heritage.

Climate is determined by a region’s climate system. A climate system has five major components: the Atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere, the land surface, and the Biosphere.

In 1948, American climatologist Charles Thornthwaite developed a climate Classification system that scientists still use today. Thornthwaite’s system relies on a region’s water budget and potential evapotranspiration. Potential evapotranspiration describes the amount of water evaporated from a vegetated piece of land. Indices such as Precipitation/”>Humidity And Precipitation help determine a region’s moisture index. The lower its moisture index value, the more arid a region’s climate.

The major classifications in Thornthwaite’s climate classification are microthermal, mesothermal, and megathermal. Microthermal climates are characterized by cold winters and low potential evapotranspiration. Most geographers apply the term exclusively to the northern latitudes of North America, Europe, and Asia. A microthermal climate may include the temperate climate of Boston, Massachusetts; the coniferous forests of southern Scandinavia; and the boreal ecosystem of northern Siberia. Mesothermal regions have moderate climates. They are not cold enough to sustain a layer of winter snow, but are also not remain warm enough to support flowering Plants (and, thus, evapotranspiration) all year.

Mesothermal climates include the Mediterranean Basin, most of coastal Australia, and the Pampas region of South America. Megathermal climates are hot and humid. These regions have a high moisture index and support rich vegetation all year. Megathermal climates include the Amazon Basin; many islands in Southeast Asia, such as New Guinea and the Philippines; and the Congo Basin in Africa.

Köppen Classification System

Although many climatologists think the Thornthwaite system is an efficient, rigorous way of classifying climate, it is complex and mapping it is difficult. The system is rarely used outside scientific publishing.

The most popular system of classifying climates was proposed in 1900 by Russian-German scientist Wladimir Köppen. Köppen observed that the type of vegetation in a region depended largely on climate. Studying vegetation, temperature, and precipitation data, he and other scientists developed a system for naming climate regions.

According to the Köppen climate classification system, there are five climate groups: tropical, dry, mild, continental, and polar. These climate groups are further divided into climate types. The following list shows the climate groups and their types:

Tropical

Wet (rain forest)
Monsoon
Wet and dry (savanna)

Dry

Arid
Semiarid

Mild

Mediterranean
Humid subtropical
Marine

Continental

Warm summer
Cool summer

Subarctic (boreal)

Polar

Tundra
Ice cap

Tropical Climates

There are three climate types in the tropical group: tropical wet; tropical monsoon; and tropical wet and dry.

Tropical Wet: Rain Forests

Places with a tropical wet climate are also known as rain forests. These equatorial regions have the most predictable weather on Earth, with warm temperatures and regular rainfall. Annual rainfall exceeds 150 centimeters (59 inches), and the temperature varies more during a day than it does over a year. The coolest temperature, about 20° to 23° Celsius (68°-73° Fahrenheit), occurs just before dawn. Afternoon temperatures usually reach 30° to 33° Celsius (86°-91° Fahrenheit). Rain forests experience very little seasonal change, meaning Average monthly temperatures remain fairly constant throughout the year.

Tropical wet climates exist in a band extending about 10° of latitude on either side of the Equator. This part of the globe is always under the influence of the intertropical convergence zone. The ITCZ follows a pendulum-like path during the course of a year, moving back and forth across the Equator with the seasons. It moves north during summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and south during the northern winter.

Tropical Monsoon

Tropical monsoon climates are most found in southern Asia and West Africa. A monsoon is a wind system that reverses its direction every six months. Monsoons usually flow from sea to land in the summer, and from land to sea in the winter.

Summer monsoons bring large amounts of rainfall to tropical monsoon regions. People living in these regions depend on the seasonal rains to bring water to their crops. India and Bangladesh are famous for their monsoon climate patterns.

Tropical Wet and Dry: Savanna

Tropical wet and dry climates are sometimes called “savanna” climates after the Grassland ecosystem defined by wet and dry periods.

Tropical wet and dry climates sit just outside the ITCZ, near the Equator. They have three seasons. One season is cool and dry—when the warm, moist ITCZ is in the opposite hemisphere. Another season is hot and dry as the ITCZ approaches. The last season is hot and wet as the ITCZ arrives and the region experiences months as a tropical wet climate.

Dry Climates

Regions lying within the dry climate group occur where precipitation is low. There are two dry climate types: arid and semiarid. Most arid climates receive 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches) of rain each year, and semiarid climates receive enough to support extensive grasslands. Temperatures in both arid and semiarid climates show large daily and seasonal variations. The hottest spots in the world are in arid climates. The temperature in the arid Death Valley National Park, California, U.S.A. , reached 56.7° Celsius (134° Fahrenheit) on July 10, 1913—the highest weather temperature ever recorded.

Although rainfall is limited in all dry climates, there are a few parts of the world where it never rains. One of the driest places on Earth is the Atacama Desert of Chile, on the west coast of South America. Stretches of the Atacama may have never received rain in recorded history.

Semiarid regions, such as the Australian Outback, usually receive between 25 and 50 centimeters (10-20 inches) of rainfall every year. They are often located between arid and tropical climate regions.

Arid and semiarid climates can occur where the movement of warm, moist air is blocked by Mountains. Denver, Colorado, just east of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S., has this type of dry climate.

Mild Climates

Regions with mild and continental climates are also called temperate regions. Both climate types have distinct cold seasons. In these parts of the world, climate is influenced mostly by latitude and a region’s position on the continent.

Mediterranean

Mediterranean climates have warm summers and short, mild, rainy winters. Mediterranean climates are found on the west coasts of continents between 30° and 40° latitude, and along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Humid Subtropical

Humid subtropical climates are usually found on the eastern sides of continents. In cities such as Savannah, Georgia, in the U.S.; Shanghai, China; and Sydney, Australia, summers are hot and humid. Winter can be severely cold. Precipitation is spread evenly through the year and totals 76 to 165 centimeters (30-65 inches). Hurricanes and other violent storms are common in these regions.

Marine

The marine west coast climate, a type of mild climate typical of cities such as Seattle, Washington, in the U.S. and Wellington, New Zealand, has a longer, cooler winter than the Mediterranean Climate. Drizzle falls about two-thirds of winter days, and temperatures average about 5° Celsius (41° Fahrenheit).

Continental Climates

Areas with continental climates have colder winters, longer-lasting snow, and shorter growing seasons. They are the transition zones between mild and polar climates. Continental climates experience extreme seasonal changes.

The range of weather in continental climate regions makes them among the most spectacular sites for weather phenomena. In autumn, for instance, vast forests put on their annual show of brilliant color before shedding their leaves as winter approaches. Thunderstorms and tornadoes, among the most powerful forces in nature, form mostly in continental climates.

Warm Summer

Warm summer climate regions often have wet summer seasons, similar to monsoon climates. For this reason, this climate type is also called humid continental. Most of Eastern Europe, including Romania and Georgia, has warm summer climates. Cool Summer

Cool summer

climates have winters with low temperatures and snow. Cold Winds, sweeping in from the Arctic, dominate winter weather. People living in these climates have grown accustomed to the harsh weather, but those unprepared for such cold may suffer. Many of Napoleon Bonaparte’s soldiers, for example, were used to the mild Mediterranean climates of France. Thousands died in bitter cold as they retreated from Russia’s cool summer climate in the winter of 1812.

Subarctic

North of regions with cool summer climates are regions with subarctic climates. These regions, including northern Scandinavia and Siberia, experience very long, cold winters with little precipitation. Subarctic climates are also called boreal climates or taiga.

Polar Climates

The two polar climate types, tundra and ice cap, lie within the Arctic and Antarctic Circles near the North and South Poles.

Tundra

In tundra climates, summers are short, but plants and animals are plentiful. Temperatures can average as high as 10° Celsius (50° Fahrenheit) in July. Wildflowers dot the landscape, and flocks of migratory birds feed on insects and fish. Whales feed on microscopic creatures in the region’s cold, nutrient-rich waters. People have adapted to life on the tundra for thousands of years.

Ice Cap

Few organisms survive in the ice cap climates of the Arctic and Antarctic. Temperatures rarely rise above freezing, even in summer. The ever-present ice helps keep the weather cold by reflecting most of the Sun’s energy back into the atmosphere. Skies are mostly clear and precipitation is low. In fact, Antarctica, covered by an ice cap a mile thick, is one of the largest, driest deserts on Earth.

World distribution of precipitation

The yearly precipitation averaged over the whole Earth is about 100 cm, but this is distributed very unevenly. The regions of highest rainfall are found in the equatorial zone and the monsoon area of Southeast Asia. Middle latitudes receive moderate amounts of precipitation, but little falls in the desert regions of the subtropics and around the poles.

If Earth’s surface were perfectly uniform, the long-term average rainfall would be distributed in distinct latitudinal bands, but the situation is complicated by the pattern of the global winds, the distribution of land and sea, and the presence of mountains. Because rainfall results from the ascent and cooling of moist air, the areas of heavy rain indicate regions of rising air, whereas the deserts occur in regions in which the air is warmed and dried during descent. In the subtropics, the trade winds bring plentiful rain to the east coasts of the continents, but the west coasts tend to be dry. On the other hand, in high latitudes the west coasts are generally wetter than the east coasts. Rain tends to be abundant on the windward slopes of mountain ranges but sparse on the lee sides.

In the equatorial belt, the trade winds from both hemispheres converge and give rise to a general upward motion of air, which becomes intensified locally in tropical storms that produce very heavy rains in the Caribbean, the Indian and southwest Pacific Oceans, and the China Sea and in thunderstorms that are especially frequent and active over the land areas. During the annual cycle, the doldrums move toward the summer hemisphere, so outside a central region near the Equator, which has abundant rain at all seasons, there is a zone that receives much rain in summer but a good deal less in winter.

The dry areas of the subtropics—such as the desert regions of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Africa, Australia, and central South America—are due to the presence of semipermanent subtropical Anticyclones in which the air subsides and becomes warm and dry. These high-pressure belts tend to migrate with the seasons and cause summer dryness on the poleward side and winter dryness on the equatorward side of their mean positions. The easterly trade winds, having made a long passage over the warm oceans, bring plentiful rains to the east coasts of the subtropical landmasses, but the west coasts and the interiors of the continents, which are often sheltered by mountain ranges, are very dry.

In middle latitudes, weather and rainfall are dominated by traveling depressions and fronts that yield a good deal of rain in all seasons and in most places except the far interiors of the Asian and North American continents. Generally, rainfall is more abundant in summer, except on the western coasts of North America, Europe, and North Africa, where it is higher during the winter.

At high latitudes and especially in the polar regions, the low precipitation is caused partly by subsidence of air in the high-pressure belts and partly by the low temperatures. Snow or rain occur at times, but Evaporation from the cold sea and land surfaces is slow, and the cold air has little capacity for moisture.

The influence of Oceans And Continents on rainfall is particularly striking in the case of the Indian monsoon. During the Northern Hemisphere winter, cool dry air from the interior of the continent flows southward and produces little rain over the land areas. After the air has traveled some distance over the warm tropical ocean, however, it releases heavy shower rains over the East Indies. During the northern summer, when the monsoon blows from the southwest, rainfall is heavy over India and Southeast Asia. These rains are intensified where the air is forced to ascend over the windward slopes of the Western Ghats and the Himalayas.

The combined effects of land, sea, mountains, and prevailing winds show up in South America. There the desert in southern Argentina is sheltered by the Andes from the westerly winds blowing from the Pacific Ocean, and the west-coast desert not only is situated under the South Pacific subtropical anticyclone but is also protected by the Andes against rain-bearing winds from the Atlantic.

The long-term average amounts of precipitation for a season or a year give little information on the regularity with which rain may be expected, particularly for regions where the average amounts are small. For example, at Iquique, a city in northern Chile, four years once passed without rain, whereas the fifth year gave 15 mm; the five-year average was therefore 3 mm.

The variability of the annual rainfall is closely related to the average amounts. For example, over the British Isles, which have a very dependable rainfall, the annual amount varies by less than 10 percent above the long-term average value. A variability of less than 15 percent is typical of the mid-latitude cyclonic belts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and of much of the wet equatorial regions. In the interiors of the desert areas of Africa, Arabia, and Central Asia, however, the rainfall in a particular year may deviate from the normal long-term average by more than 40 percent. The variability for individual seasons or months may differ considerably from that for the year as a whole, but again the variability tends to be higher where the average amounts are low.

The heaviest annual rainfall in the world was recorded at the village of Cherrapunji, India, where 26,470 mm fell between August 1860 and July 1861. The heaviest rainfall in a period of 24 hours was 1,870 mm, recorded at the village of Cilaos, Réunion, in the Indian Ocean on March 15–16, 1952. The lowest recorded rainfall in the world occurred at Arica, a port city in northern Chile. An annual average, taken over a 43-year period, was only 0.5 mm.

Although past records give some guide, it is not possible to estimate very precisely the maximum possible precipitation that may fall in a given locality during a specified interval of time. Much will depend on a favourable combination of several factors, including the properties of the storm and the effects of local topography. Thus, it is possible only to make estimates that are based on analyses of past storms or on theoretical calculations that attempt to maximize statistically the various factors or the most effective combination of factors that are known to control the duration and intensity of the precipitation. For many important planning and design problems, however, estimates of the greatest precipitation to be expected at a given location within a specified number of years are required.

Climate and seasons

Climate is the average weather conditions in a place over a long period of time. It is determined by the latitude, altitude, and proximity to water bodies. The seasons are the four periods of the year that are characterized by different weather patterns.

The Earth’s climate is constantly changing, but the current climate is warmer than it has been in the past 100,000 years. This warming is caused by human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat, which causes the Earth’s temperature to rise.

The seasons are caused by the Earth’s tilt on its axis. The Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane. This tilt causes the Sun’s rays to hit the Earth’s surface at different angles throughout the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun’s rays hit the Earth at a more direct angle in the summer, which causes the days to be longer and the temperatures to be warmer. In the winter, the Sun’s rays hit the Earth at a more indirect angle, which causes the days to be shorter and the temperatures to be colder.

The distribution of rainfall is the way in which rainfall is distributed over a region. Rainfall is caused by the water cycle, which is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth’s surface. The water cycle is driven by the Sun’s energy, which causes water to evaporate from the Earth’s surface. This water vapor rises into the atmosphere, where it cools and condenses into clouds. The clouds release the water back to the Earth as precipitation, which can be in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

The distribution of rainfall is affected by a number of factors, including latitude, altitude, and proximity to water bodies. Latitude is the distance north or south of the equator. The tropics, which are located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, receive more rainfall than the temperate zones, which are located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle and between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle. This is because the Sun’s rays hit the Earth at a more direct angle in the tropics, which causes more water to evaporate.

Altitude is the height above sea level. Higher altitudes receive less rainfall than lower altitudes. This is because the air is thinner at higher altitudes, which means that there is less water vapor in the air.

Proximity to water bodies also affects the distribution of rainfall. Areas that are close to water bodies, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers, receive more rainfall than areas that are far from water bodies. This is because water bodies release water vapor into the atmosphere, which can then condense into clouds and release precipitation.

Climatic regions

Climatic regions are areas of the Earth that have similar climates. The Earth’s climate is determined by a number of factors, including latitude, altitude, and proximity to water bodies. These factors create different climatic regions around the world.

The major climatic regions are tropical, temperate, and polar. Tropical climates are found near the equator. These climates are characterized by warm temperatures and high rainfall. Temperate climates are found between the tropics and the poles. These climates are characterized by moderate temperatures and moderate rainfall. Polar climates are found at the poles. These climates are characterized by cold temperatures and low rainfall.

Within each of these major climatic regions, there are a number of sub-regions. For example, the tropical climate can be divided into the tropical rainforest climate, the tropical savanna climate, and the tropical monsoon climate. The temperate climate can be divided into the Mediterranean climate, the continental climate, and the oceanic climate. The polar climate can be divided into the Arctic climate and the Antarctic climate.

The Earth’s climate is constantly changing. These changes can be caused by natural factors, such as changes in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun, or by human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels. Human activities are causing the Earth’s climate to change at a faster rate than ever before. This change is causing a number of problems, such as rising sea levels, more extreme weather events, and changes in plant and animal life.

Climate and seasons

What is climate?
Climate is the average weather conditions in a place over a long period of time. It is determined by factors such as latitude, altitude, and proximity to water.
What are the seasons?
The seasons are the four periods of the year: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. They are caused by the Earth’s tilt on its axis and its orbit around the sun.
How do the seasons affect the weather?
The seasons affect the weather in a number of ways. For example, in the summer, the days are longer and the sun is higher in the sky, which means that it is warmer. In the winter, the days are shorter and the sun is lower in the sky, which means that it is colder.

Distribution of rainfall

What is rainfall?
Rainfall is the amount of water that falls to the ground as rain or snow. It is an important part of the water cycle and is essential for life on Earth.
What are the factors that affect rainfall?
The factors that affect rainfall include latitude, altitude, proximity to water, and ocean currents.
How does rainfall affect the climate?
Rainfall affects the climate in a number of ways. For example, it can cause flooding, droughts, and changes in temperature.

Climatic regions

What is a climatic region?
A climatic region is an area of the Earth that has a similar climate. Climate is determined by factors such as latitude, altitude, and proximity to water.
What are the different types of climatic regions?
There are many different types of climatic regions, including tropical, temperate, and polar regions.
What are the characteristics of each type of climatic region?
The characteristics of each type of climatic region vary depending on the factors that affect climate. For example, tropical regions are hot and humid, while polar regions are cold and dry.

Which of the following is not a type of climate?
(A) Tropical
(B) Temperate
(C) Polar
(D) Desert
The Earth’s climate is affected by which of the following?
(A) The Sun’s energy
(B) The Earth’s rotation
(C) The Earth’s tilt
(D) All of the above
The Earth’s climate has changed throughout history. Which of the following is not a cause of Climate Change?
(A) Volcanic eruptions
(B) Human activity
(C) Changes in the Earth’s orbit
(D) Changes in the Earth’s Magnetic Field
The Earth’s climate is currently changing at an unprecedented rate. Which of the following is not a consequence of climate change?
(A) Rising sea levels
(B) More extreme weather events
(C) Melting Glaciers and ice sheets
(D) Decreased rainfall in some areas
What is the main cause of climate change?
(A) Human activity
(B) Volcanic eruptions
(C) Changes in the Earth’s orbit
(D) Changes in the Earth’s magnetic field
What is the most important thing we can do to reduce climate change?
(A) Reduce our reliance on fossil fuels
(B) Plant trees
(C) Recycle
(D) All of the above
What is the Kyoto Protocol?
(A) An international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
(B) A treaty to ban nuclear weapons
(C) A treaty to protect the ozone layer
(D) A treaty to reduce POVERTY
What is the Paris Agreement?
(A) An international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
(B) A treaty to ban nuclear weapons
(C) A treaty to protect the ozone layer
(D) A treaty to reduce poverty
What is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)?
(A) A scientific organization that assesses the risks of climate change
(B) A political organization that negotiates international agreements on climate change
(C) A non-governmental organization that works to raise awareness about climate change
(D) A business organization that invests in RENEWABLE ENERGY
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
(A) The process by which the Earth’s atmosphere traps heat from the Sun
(B) The process by which the Earth’s atmosphere cools the planet
(C) The process by which the Earth’s atmosphere protects the planet from harmful radiation
(D) The process by which the Earth’s atmosphere causes the planet to warm
What are greenhouse gases?
(A) Gases that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere
(B) Gases that cool the Earth’s atmosphere
(C) Gases that protect the Earth from harmful radiation
(D) Gases that cause the Earth to warm
What are the main greenhouse gases?
(A) Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone
(B) Oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and carbon monoxide
(C) Helium, neon, argon, and krypton
(D) Hydrogen, helium, lithium, and beryllium
What is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions?
(A) Human activity
(B) Natural processes
(C) Volcanic eruptions
(D) Changes in the Earth’s orbit
What are the main consequences of climate change?
(A) Rising sea levels, more extreme weather events, melting glaciers and ice sheets, and decreased rainfall in some areas
(B) Decreased sea levels, less extreme weather events, growing glaciers and ice sheets, and increased rainfall in some areas
(C) Increased sea levels, less extreme weather events, melting glaciers and ice sheets, and increased rainfall in some areas
(D) Decreased sea levels, more extreme weather events, growing glaciers and ice sheets, and decreased rainfall in some areas
What can we do to reduce climate change?
(A) Reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, plant trees, recycle, and use energy-efficient appliances
(B) Increase our reliance on fossil fuels, cut down trees, pollute the Environment, and use energy-inefficient appliances
(C) Maintain our current reliance on fossil fuels, plant trees, recycle, and use energy-efficient appliances
(D) Increase our reliance on renewable energy, plant trees, recycle, and use energy-efficient appliances