Meaning of Climate
Climate is the average weather condition of a place over a long period of time of about. Climate varies from place to place. It is the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years. Climate is the average weather in a place over many years, climate takes hundreds, thousands, even millions of years to change.
Factors affecting Climate
Climate is influenced by the following factors:
Latitude, Planetary Winds and Pressure, Belts, Distance from sea, Altitude and Relief, Ocean Current
- Latitude: The sun’s elevation is high at the equator. Regions here, called the tropics, are hotter than those within the temperature latitudes. Thus, changes in latitude brings about seasonal temperature changes
- Planetary Wind and Pressure Belts: The planetary wind system ensures the movement of winds from the high pressure around the N&S poles of equator to the low pressure belts around the equator.Planetary wind movement determines precipitation, humidity and changes in temperature.
- Distance from the Sea: Land surface warmed up cools down more quickly than the sea. In temperate region the sea warms land close to it (costal areas) in winter and cools such land in summer
- Altitude and Relief: Mountains and highlands have cold climate. Also, high relief determines relief rainfall
- Ocean Current: Ocean current change the effect of winds blowing over them. A cold current causes the wind to be cool and dry. While a warm current causes the wind to be warm and laden with moisture
Importance of Climate
- The knowledge of climate helps farmers to plan their planting operations and other activities
- Transportation use the knowledge of climate to plan movement
- Knowledge of climate informs dress code
- Knowledge about the climate prepares human for their daily activities
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