Physical Geography
Climate
Characteristics
Elements
A. Temperature
A. Latitude
B. Precipitation
B. Winds – Distributes
heat
C. Seasons (hot/cold,
wet/dry)
C. Elevation
D. Water – Moderate
temperature
E. Ocean Currents
Latitude
Climate Regions
Low Latitudes
A. Tropical Wet – Rains
a lot and is hot
(Rainforest)
B. Tropical Wet and Dry
– Rains half the year
and is hot (Savanna)
Climate Regions
Middle Latitudes
A. Mediterranean
B. Humid Continental
C. Humid Subtropical
D. Marine West Coast
Climate Regions
High Latitudes
A. Subarctic (boreal
forests such as
Taiga)
B. Tundra (cold
grassland)
C. Icecap
Climate Regions
Other
A. Arid (desert)
B. Semiarid (dry
grasslands such as
steppe)
C. Highland (located
in mountains)
Vegetation
A. Rainforest – Forest
with broadleaf trees
located in low
latitudes (jungle)
D. Middle Latitude
Forest – Mixed forest
with coniferous and
deciduous trees
B. Savanna – Tropical
grassland in Africa
E. Taiga – Coniferous
forest located in
Russia (boreal forest)
C. Steppe – Dry
grassland near deserts
(Sahara, Gobi)
F. Tundra – Cold
grassland with
permafrost
Rainforest
Savanna
Steppe
Mixed Forest
Taiga
Tundra
Weather
A. Monsoons – Seasonal wind
patterns in South and
Southeast Asia that bring rain
B. Typhoons – Tropical storms
in Pacific Ocean
C. Hurricanes – Tropical storms
in Atlantic Ocean
D. Tornadoes – Twisting funnel
shaped storms in U.S.
Monsoons
A. Positive – Brings rain
so people can grow
crops
B. Negative – Rain
causes flooding near
rivers and areas with
low elevation
Monsoons
Tornadoes
Climate
Climate has an effect on:
A. Crops
B. Clothing
C. Housing
D. Natural Hazards
Crops
Clothing
Housing