The Factors the
Affect Climate:
L.A.C.E.M.O.P.S.
Terms to Know
• Rotation/1 day takes the earth 24 hours (1 day) to make one
complete rotation on it’s AXIS.
• Revolution/1 year Takes the earth 365 ¼ days (1 year) to
make one complete revolution around the SUN
• Weather – The DAILY condition of the atmosphere.
• Climate – Weather conditions over TIME.
• Precipitation – Moisture that falls from the sky: rain, snow,
sleet, & hail.
L is for Latitude
• Distance from the
equator is one of the
most important factors
in determining climate.
A is for Air Masses
• Northern hemisphere
-
cold air from the polar regions comes from the north.
-
hot air from the tropics comes from the south.
• Southern hemisphere
-
cold air from the polar region comes from the south.
-
hot air from the tropics comes from the north.
C is for Continentality
The effect of a location on a continent on the climate of a
place. Inland locations typically have larger temperature
ranges and (possibly) drier conditions than maritime locations.
• Close to large body of water = smaller difference in
temperature
• Farther away from water = greater difference in temperature.
E is for Elevation
The higher you go, the colder it gets.
As you go up in elevation, the air gets
thinner and does not trap heat.
Remember: elevation affects climate
and climate affects the type of
vegetation.
M is for Mountain Barriers
Also known as the Orographic Effect or
the Rain Shadow Effect
• Winds blow across the ocean & push
moisture inland.
• Moisture cloud reaches the mountains,
gets “popped” by the mountain top &
rains on the coastal side
• By the time this cloud reaches the other
side of the mountains, the air is dry.
O is for Ocean Currents
• Cold currents create dry conditions
on the coast.
• Warm currents create wet conditions
on the coast.
P is for Pressure and
Prevailing Winds
• High Pressure = H
-
Heavy, cool air brings clear skies and no rain.
• Low Pressure = L
-
Light, warm air, usually brings precipitation
• Wind and the Coriolis Effect
Earth’s winds would blow in straight lines, but since the earth
rotates, they are turned at an angle. In the northern
hemisphere, they turn to the right. In the southern hemisphere
they turn to the left. This bending of the wind is called the
Coriolis Effect
• Cyclonic storms (hurricanes & typhoons)
-
Northern Hemisphere spin counter-clockwise.
-
Southern Hemisphere cyclones spin clockwise.
S is for Storms
• • Storms occur where…
-
polar winds meet westerlies
-
when hot & cold air masses collide