Weather vs. Climate
Is it weather or climate? It is raining outside right now.
Weather
What is precipitation? A. Rain B. Snow C. Hail D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Which climate zone is usually warm and dry, with very little rain? A. Tropical B. Desert C. Polar D. Continental
B. Desert
What is a weather front? A. The water cycle B. Where two air masses meet C. A type of cloud D. A weather tool
B. Where two air masses meet
How many climate regions are students learning about in this unit?
Five
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather describes conditions over a short period (day to day); climate describes typical weather patterns over a long period.
What weather tool measures temperature?
A thermometer
Which climate zone is generally very cold and can have long, icy winters?
Polar
Which front forms when cold air moves in and pushes warm air upward?
A cold front
Name one of the five U.S. regions: Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, West, or Midwest.
Any one of the five listed regions
A scientist studies the typical temperatures of a city over 30 years. Is the scientist studying weather or climate?
Climate
What tool measures the amount of rain that falls?
A rain guage
A place is warm and humid and receives lots of rain. Which climate zone is most likely?
Tropical
Which front forms when warm air moves in over colder air?
A warm front
Which of the five regions is Texas located in according to our class map?
Southwest
Today is unusually cold in a usually hot place. Does this one cold day change the climate? Why or why not?
No. Climate is based on patterns over many years.
What tool measures wind speed?
An anemometer
Seattle's climate data shows mild temperatures and frequent precipitation. What can you infer about its climate?
It generally has mild weather and receives frequent rain.
What type of front occurs when two air masses meet but neither moves the other out of the way?
A stationary front
What information should you use to label the five U.S. regions on a map?
The map's location clues and the region word bank: Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, West, Midwest.
A student records rain, wind, and temperature each day for one week. What is the student collecting, and is one week enough to fully describe the climate?
Weather data; no, climate requires long-term patterns.
A rain gauge collects 2 inches of rain on Monday and 0 inches on Tuesday. How much rain fell in total?
2 inches
A city has hot summers, cold winters, and large temperature changes between seasons. Which climate zone might it have: tropical, desert, polar, or continental?
Continental
What type of front forms when a cold front catches up to a warm front?
An occluded front
Two U.S. regions have different average temperatures and precipitation patterns. What can this tell you about their climates?
The regions have different climate patterns because their typical temperatures and precipitation differ.