Weather and Climate Notes
What is the source of all weather and
climate?
• The sun!
• The sun is the source of
all heat and energy.
The sun heats air, which
causes it to rise and
change temperature.
• Remember… the tilt of
the Earth in relation to
the sun causes the
season.
What causes the seasons?
1. The tilt of the Earth in
relation to the sun
2. The tilt causes
direct/indirect
sunlight.
How was this
demonstrated in class last
time?
What is weather?
• Weather is the
atmospheric conditions
present in an area.
• The day-to-day
conditions of the air in a
particular place.
Why is weather important?
• IT IMPACTS LIFE!!!
• Weather impacts how
people dress, the
homes we live in, how
we make a living,
activities that we do,
and much more.
What is temperature?
• It is the measurement
of how hot or cold it is
outside.
How is temperature measure?
It is measured with a thermometer in either
Fahrenheit or Celsius. In the US, temperatures
are often in Fahrenheit, which is where water
freezes at 32 degrees. In Celsius, water freezes
at 0 degrees.
What is precipitation?
• It is the amount of
water, in any form, that
falls from the sky.
• Rain, sleet, snow, hail,
fog, drizzle, etc. are all
forms of precipitation.
How is precipitation measure?
It is measured with a rain gauge in inches or
centimeters.
What makes up weather?
The components of weather include:
temperature, precipitation, wind, sunshine,
visibility, air pressure, clouds, and location of the
area.
What is climate?
• Climate is the pattern of weather in an area
over a period of many years.
Difference between weather and
climate
• Weather
– A short period of time
– Short term changes in the
atmosphere
• Colorado Weather: Today
it is sunny with a chance
of rain. The temperature
is 62 degrees.
• Climate
– Long period of time
– Long term weather pattern
of a particular area
– A PATTERN of weather
• Colorado (Fort Collins)
Climate: dry winters with
some snow, windy
springs, low humidity
winters, pleasant falls.
Semi-arid. Highly
changeable weather.