LAME
Factors Affecting
Climate
COWS
L = Latitude
 The
closer you get to the equator, the
hotter it gets
Gee it's hot
in Brazil! The
tropics always
get my direct
rays!
=
Low Latitude = high Temp
Middle Latitudes= seasonal temperature
Higher latitudes= lower temperature
Tilt of the earth
creates the Seasons
June 21, Summer Solstice
A = Air Mass
Polar air moves towards tropics,
tropics move to poles
 When two air masses meet= wind,
storms, fronts

M = Mountain
Barrier
the Orographic Effect
• Blocks air & moisture
windward
leeward
Let’s draw this!
Leeward Side
Rain Shadow
Windward side of the Cascades
Leeward side of the Cascades
Rain Shadow
E = Elevation


The higher you go, the colder and drier it
gets
Temperature drops 3.5 degrees per 1,000
feet increase!
3.5° (from formula
75 °at bottom
x 8 (mt. highth)
-28°
28°
47° temp at top
C = Continental LocationContinentatlity
Location : Center of
continent. Not
influenced by
proximity to water.
Water and land heat
and cool at different
rates which affects
temperature and
precipitation.

When a place is completely
surrounded by
land. (landlocked) and away
from water!
St. Louis is hotter than Houston
in the Summer
Experiment: Bucket of sand vs.
a bucket of water. Which one
will heat up quicker and will
have a higher temperature?
O
=
Ocean
Currents
• Warm water moves away from the equator
Cold water moves away from the poles
North Atlantic Drift
Gulf
Stream
W = Winds –
pressure and
prevailing winds
High pressure is heavy, cold air
 Low pressure is light, warm air.
 Heat rises- cool falls convection!!
 Prevailing winds- consistent pressures and
winds

S = Storms



When air masses hit they create storms.
The type of storm depends on the type of
air mass.
Tornadoes - Fujita-Pearson scale
F0= 40-70mph F5= around 300mph
S- Storms. Seasonal storms will greatly
influence the climate of a place.
Hurricanes- Atlantic O, Gulf of Mexico
Typhoons- Pacific O.
Cyclones- Indian O.
Monsoons- the seasonal shift in winds that
affect South Asia.
Using your textbook
what factors
contribute to the
cities below?





Fargo, North Dakota
Paris, France
Calcutta, India
Santiago, Chile
Canberra, Australia