10.3 Earth's climate
Climate is a term that signifies the yearly temperature and precipitation (rainfall) experienced in a certain region. For example, the climate of Lapland in Northern Scandinavia can be described in the following words: "The climate is cold throughout the year, with winter experiencing freezing temperatures. During the summer, water falls down as rain. During the winter, water falls down as snow".
The climate of a certain region is primarily influenced by the following three factors:
The climate of a certain region is primarily influenced by the following three factors:
- its distance from the equator.
- its distance from seas or oceans.
- its elevation in relation to the sea level.
The video below describes Earth's climate by using satellite imagery (timestamp 0:12–0:44 in the video).
The color signifies the precipitation rate of an area: a red color suggests heavy rain, whereas a green color signifies a low amount of rainfall.
© NASA
The color signifies the precipitation rate of an area: a red color suggests heavy rain, whereas a green color signifies a low amount of rainfall.
- The equator receives the largest amount of rainfall. (1:10–1:30).
- The regions with the least rainfall are located along the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn: these areas include the Saharan desert, the Arabian peninsula, and some parts of Australia. (1:30–1:45).
- Strong, regional storms occur almost everywhere on the planet. (1:50–2:05).
- Air temperature has an effect on the amount of rainfall. In turn, temperature and rainfall determine the kind of vegetation a certain area has. If the climate changes, the amount of rainfall in different areas will change, causing a change in the vegetation of these areas. (2:10–).
- Stop the video at 2:36. You can see how Earth's temperature is divided into regions.
© NASA