By S. Wiernusz

The definition of climate is: the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, clouds

Climates are different all over the world, but in a sense are also the same. The equator has the same climate all the way around and as you move up or down away from the equator, climate changes, but is pretty much the same all the way around the world for that latitude.(probably the most complicated way of saying that)

Climates tend to validate what animals and plants live where

The best adapted ones will stay there year round. Other species will migrate to keep up with their food or to stay away from weather that’s too hot or too cold.

LatitudeOceans, or large bodies of waterLarge geological formations such as

mountains

Oceans do not freeze due to the salinity in the Oceans do not freeze due to the salinity in the waterwater

This makes it so the temperature never goes This makes it so the temperature never goes below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius Celsius

Land masses next to large bodies of water Land masses next to large bodies of water will see a less severe change in temperaturewill see a less severe change in temperature

TropicalDesertTemperate Polar

Closest to equatorWarmest zoneLots of rain and very humidHome to rainforests

Plants in the understory have large broad leaves

Not too hot, not too coldFew extremesWeather is always changing ex. Rain one day

sun the next

Seasons also play a big part in climateAt the poles and equator, it plays virtually no

role, but in between you will find deciduous forests with warm summers, cool winters, a beautiful fall foliage, and budding plants and babies in the spring

Near the north and south polesSo cold snow never melts, only accumulates

to form thick sheets of ice over yearsFor half the year the sun doesn’t rise over

horizonSo cold it is almost as dry as a desert

Rainfall very low, sometimes no rain for several years

Very hot or very coldVegetation finds it very hard to survive

Some things that affect climate are mountain ranges. For example, on the pacific side of the Rocky Mountains, there is a lot of rainfall, but as you move more toward the center of the U.S. it is much dryer with little rainfall throughout the year.