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
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