 Think of a place on Earth
where you would like to live or
visit someday.
 Write a description of the
climate at this location and
list the various factors that
might influence the climate
there.
Climatogram
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New York, NY
San Francisco, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Denver, CO
Richmond, VA
Anchorage, AK
Seattle, WA
Miami, FL
St. Louis, MO
Honolulu, HI
Hazleton, PA (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre)
www.worldclimate.com
www.climate-zone.com
The state of the
atmosphere at a particular
place at a particular
moment
The long-term prevailing
weather conditions at a
particular place based
upon records taken
What Factors Determine Climate?
 Latitude
 Atmospheric Circulation
 Oceanic Circulation
 Topography
 Other Influences
 Seasonal Changes in Climate
What Factors Determine Climate?
 #1-4 TABLE 1: Latitude
 #5-9 TABLE 2: Atmospheric Circulation
 #10-13 TABLE 3: Oceanic Circulation
 #14-18 TABLE 4: Topography
 #19-23 TABLE 5: Other Influences
 #24-27 TABLE 6: Seasonal Changes in Climate
What Factors Determine Climate?
 #1-5 TABLE 1: Latitude
 #6-10 TABLE 2: Atmospheric Circulation
 #11-15 TABLE 3: Oceanic Circulation
 #16-20 TABLE 4: Topography
 #21-24 TABLE 5: Other Influences
 #25-29 TABLE 6: Seasonal Changes in Climate
Latitude
 Distance from the equator
 measured in degrees north or south of the
equator
 most important factor in determining
climate
 influences climate because the amount of solar
energy an area receives depends on its latitude
 more solar energy falls on areas near the equator
than those near the poles
Latitude
Atmospheric Circulation
 3 important properties:
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Cold air sinks because it is denser than warm
air. As it sinks, it compresses & warms.
Warm air rises. It expands & cools as it rises.
Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold
air can. As it cools, the water vapor may
condense to form rain, snow or fog.
Atmospheric Circulation
 The movement of air within the atmosphere 
wind
 Because the Earth rotates, and because different
latitudes receive different amounts of solar
energy, a patter of global atmospheric
circulation results.
 This circulation pattern determines Earth’s
precipitation patterns.
Atmospheric Circulation
Oceanic Circulation Patterns
 Ocean currents have a great effect on climate
because water holds large amounts of heat.
 Movement caused by winds & the rotation of the
Earth
 Redistribute warm & cool masses of water
around the world & affect the climate
Topography
 Temperatures fall by about 6oC (about 11oF) for
every 1,000m increase in elevation
 Mountains and mountain ranges also influence
the distribution of precipitation
 Rain shadow:
 warm air hits mountains, rises, cools, and
causes rain on the western side of the
mountain
 By the time the air reaches the eastern side of
the mountain, it is dry
Topography
Other Influences on Earth’s Climate
 Sun
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation warms the stratosphere,
then the lower atmosphere & even the surface of
the Earth
 Volcanoes
 Sulfur dioxide gas can reach the upper atmosphere
 Reacts with water vapor & dust.
 Forms a bright layer of haze that reflects enough
sunlight to cause the global temperature to
decrease
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Seasonal Changes in Climate
 Seasons result from the tilt of the Earth’s axis