Climate Lab
Name: ______________________________
1. Briefly explain how latitude affects the climate (of a particular location).
2. Briefly explain how the proximity to a large body of water affects climate.
3. Briefly explain how elevation or proximity to mountains affects climate.
4. Briefly explain how ocean currents affect climate.
5.
What is the warmest month and associated temperature for each site? E.g. July/88
Fort Collins:
Miami:
__________
__________
Pittsburgh:
Juneau:
__________
__________
San Francisco: __________
6. What month receives the most precipitation, and note the amount at:
Fort Collins:
Miami:
__________
__________
Pittsburgh:
Juneau:
__________
__________
San Francisco: __________
7. What month receives the most snowfall, and note the amount at:
Fort Collins:
Miami:
__________
__________
Pittsburgh:
Juneau:
__________
__________
San Francisco: __________
8. What is the average annual temperature at each site?
Fort Collins:
Miami:
__________
__________
Pittsburgh:
Juneau:
__________
__________
San Francisco: __________
9. What is the coldest month and temperature for each site? E.g. July/88
Fort Collins:
Miami:
__________
__________
Pittsburgh:
Juneau:
__________
__________
San Francisco: __________
10. Describe the annual precipitation patterns. E.g. how does it change throughout the year?
Fort Collins:
________________________________________________________________
Pittsburgh:
San Francisco:
Miami:
Juneau:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
11. Describe the topographic exposure of each city (You’ll need to use a map here):
Fort Collins:
Pittsburgh:
San Francisco:
Miami:
Juneau:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
12. Explain the difference in monthly snowfall at Fort Collins and Pittsburgh (see graph).
13. Explain the difference in monthly snowfall at Fort Collins and Juneau (see graph).
14. San Francisco and Miami are generally too warm to get snow. Explain why using climate factors.
15. Explain why the warmest months in San Francisco are Sep. and Oct., not mid-summer.
16. What is diurnal variation of temperature mean? How is it computed?
17. Describe the annual diurnal variation of temperature in Fort Collins (see graph).
18. Using climate factors, explain why Fort Collins diurnal variation of temperatures is much
different than the other four locations.
19. Explain using climate factors why Miami is the warmest of these climates
20. Explain using climate factors why Juneau is the coldest of these climates
Fort Collins Climatalogical Data
Latitude: 40° 33'N
Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport
Longitude: 105° 04'W
Annual Mean Temperature
Elevation: 5013 ft
49.1
Parameter
Jan
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Average high in °F
42
47
54
61
70
80
85
83
75
64
50
43
62.8
Average low in °F
15
20
27
34
43
52
57
55
46
35
24
17
35.4
Precipitation (inches)
Snowfall (inches)
Diurnal T (Max-Min)
0.4
8.5
0.4
6.3
1.4
12.1
2.1
6.9
2.6
1.5
2.0
tr
1.9
0.0
1.4
0.0
1.4
1.4
1.0
3.7
0.8
9.9
0.5
8.3
15.9
58.6
27
27
27
27
27
28
28
28
29
29
26
26
Pittsbugh Climatalogical Data
Pittsburgh International Airport
Annual Mean Temperature
Latitude: 40° 26'N
Longitude: 80° 00'W
51.4
Elevation: 1148 ft
Parameter
Jan
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Average high in °F
36
40
50
62
71
79
83
82
75
63
52
40
60.9
23
2.4
10.3
30
2.9
7.4
40
3.1
1.5
49
3.9
0.0
58
4.3
0.0
63
3.8
0.0
62
3.5
0.0
54
3.1
0.0
43
2.3
0.4
35
3.2
2.0
25
2.8
8.3
41.9
38.1
42.0
16.7
19.5
21.9
21.8
21
20
20.2
20.6
20
16.8
14.4
Average low in °F 21
Precipitation (inches) 2.7
Snowfall (inches) 12.1
Diurnal T (Max-Min) 14.9
San Francisco Climatalogical Data
San Francisco International Airport
Latitude: 37° 47'N
Longitude: 122° 26'W
Annual Mean Temperature
Elevation: 10 ft
58.2
Parameter
Jan
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Average high in °F
58
61
63
64
66
68
68
69
71
70
64
58
65.1
48
4.5
0.0
49
3.3
0.0
50
1.5
0.0
52
0.7
0.0
53
0.2
0.0
55
0.0
0.0
56
0.1
0.0
56
0.2
0.0
54
1.1
0.0
51
3.2
0.0
47
4.6
0.0
51.3
23.6
0.0
13.1
13.8
14.4
14
14.6
13.6
13.8
15.6
16.1
13.5
11.6
Average low in °F 46
Precipitation (inches) 4.5
Snowfall (inches) 0.0
Diurnal T (Max-Min) 11.7
Miami Climatalogical Data
Miami International Airport
Annual Mean Temperature
Latitude: 25° 47'N
Longitude: 80° 13'W
76.9
Elevation: 6 ft
Parameter
Jan
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Average high in °F
76
78
80
83
87
89
91
91
89
86
82
78
84.0
Average low in °F
60
62
65
68
73
76
77
77
76
73
68
63
69.8
Precipitation (inches)
Snowfall (inches)
Diurnal T (Max-Min)
1.6
0.0
2.3
0.0
3.0
0.0
3.1
0.0
5.4
0.0
9.7
0.0
6.5
0.0
8.9
0.0
9.9
0.0
6.3
0.0
3.3
0.0
2.0
0.0
61.9
0.0
16.3
15.8
15.4
15
14.1
13.4
13.5
13.5
12.7
12.6
13.6
14.8
Juneau Climatalogical Data
Latitude: 58° 26'N
Juneau Airport
Annual Mean Temperature
Longitude: 134° 13'W
Elevation: 56 ft
41.5
Parameter
Jan
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Average high in °F
31
34
40
48
56
62
64
63
56
47
38
33
47.6
Average low in °F
21
24
28
33
40
46
49
48
44
38
29
24
35.3
4.0
16.2
3.5
10.1
3.0
1.0
3.5
0.0
3.4
0.0
4.1
0.0
5.4
0.0
7.5
0.0
8.3
1.1
5.4
11.7
5.4
18.6
58.3
84.1
10.8
11.7
14.8
15.6
15.5
15.2
14.9
12.3
9.2
8.7
8.6
Precipitation (inches) 4.8
Snowfall (inches) 25.4
Max-Min 9.9
Monthly Precipitation
12.0
Precipitation (in inches)
10.0
8.0
Fort Collins
Pittsburgh
6.0
San Francisco
Miami
Juneau
4.0
2.0
0.0
Jan
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Monthly Mean High Temperatures
95
Temperature (Deg F)
85
75
Fort Collins
Pittsburgh
65
San Francisco
Miami
55
Juneau
45
35
25
Jan
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Monthly Diurnal Variation of Temperatures
30
Temperature (Deg F)
25
Fort Collins
20
Pittsburgh
San Francisco
Miami
15
Juneau
10
5
Jan
Feb
March
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec