Weather vs. Climate Weather pertains to occurrences from

hour to hour, or day to day, in a specific location.

Climate pertains to average weather over an extended period of time, in a specific region or on a larger scale.

Climate can correspond to averages over a season, year, or century and over a county, state, country, or the globe.

Two Basic Climate Classifications Continental Climate

The climate on the continent’s interior.Typically has temperature extremes and low

precipitation.Ex. Kelowna

Maritime ClimateA coastal climate.Typically has mild temperatures and high

precipitation.Ex. Vancouver

What Influences Climate? Latitude Altitude Distance from a large water body

(ocean) Wind direction Ocean currents Precipitation

Latitude Latitude: the distance of any point

north or south of the equator, measured up to 90 degrees.

This determines the amount and intensity of sunlight it receives.The weather is warmer closer to the

equator because the sun hits the Earth a greater angle.

In the north the sun’s rays strike the Earth at a lower angle. ○ This causes greater seasonal variation

in the length of day and night.

Altitude Altitude: vertical elevation. The higher the altitude is the cooler it is

going to be. On average, for every 150 meter rise the

temperature drops by 1oC. Have you ever been camping in the

mountains? It’s much colder than if you were to camp in

Kelowna.

Distance from a large water body

The surface of land heats and cools more quickly than water (Water takes longer to heat up and longer to cool off).

Coastal areas tend to have more moderate variation in temperatures because they are moderated by the water.

Interior areas will have more dramatic temperature variations.

Can you think of an example of this in B.C.?Ex. Kelowna vs. Vancouver

Wind direction Wind can transport temperature. Winds coming from the ocean increase the

moderating effect of the water on temperature.The reverse is true for winds blowing off the land.

Prevailing winds are those winds that are blowing most regularly.Western Canada normally has westerly (from the

west) or northerly (from the north) winds.

Ocean Currents Ocean currents are

either warm or cold depending on their origin.

Ocean currents affect the temperature of the land by either warming or heating the air blowing above them.

Ocean Currents Warm air absorbs more water than cold

air. The West Coast enjoys a mild, wet

climate because the prevailing westerlies blow over the warm Alaska current, which comes from warm southern climates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuE1es1HO0k (Finding Nemo)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ug7CpVkBuU (Plastiki Expedition)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTurihxSTnI&feature=related (Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch)

Precipitation Precipitation is determined by distance

from large bodies of water and the prevailing winds.

There are three basic types that we will quickly look at.

○ Orographic, convectional, and frontal.

Water Resources of Canada Most of the rivers of western Canada begin in

the cordillera.Why do you think this is true?

The high level of precipitation and melting snow packs provide a constant flow of water.

The rivers flow east or west from the Rockies and the Coastal Mountains until they reach major body of water like the Pacific Ocean or Hudson Bay.Along the way they meet up with other

bodies of water, river, lakes, etc.

Water Resources of Canada The large amount of water in western

Canada has made many Canadians complacent.What does this mean?

Population and developments have created threats to water quality.How?ex. The Lower Fraser

River Basin has been a dump site for industrial and municipal sewage, and agricultural run-off.

Water Resources of Canada Sewage: municipal and industrial

waste. Run-off: pesticides, herbicides,

and other materials that drain from fields into rivers and lakes.

For many Canadians, water quality, and not water quantity, will be the issue in the future.

Activity Read page 106-107 of your textbook

and sketch the three types of precipitation.

Write a small blurb explaining how each type of precipitation occurs.