What causes climate?
In which area do temperatures range from warm or hot summers to cool or cold winters?
temperate zone
What do we call a climate region that is semiarid with short grasses and low bushes?
steppe
This refers to the average, year after year conditions of temperature, precipitation, wind, and clouds in an area.
climate
This climate is the coldest climate region and includes the tundra and ice cap climates.
polar
Look at the graph on p. 339. During which period does this location get the most precipitation?
July-September
The long-term weather in an area is its climate, which includes...
average temperature, precipitation, and wind.
Rain forests are common in tropical wet regions because...
there are high temperatures and heavy rainfall year-round.
This is the area near the equator, between about 23.5 degrees north and south latitude.
tropical zone
Between the tropical zones and the polar zones lies what zones?
temperate
Which climate is warm, wet, and located on the edges of the tropics?
Look at the map on p. 337. Which zone has the highest average temperatures all year?
Zone C
Why are highland regions considered a climate region?
Temperature falls as altitude increases, so highland regions are colder than the regions that surround them.
These climates have relatively mid winters and cool summers because of the nearness of the ocean.
marine climates
This type of wind usually blows in one direction in a region.
prevailing winds
What kind of climate would you expect to find in an area with these features: interior of a large continent, east side of a major mountain range, and winds usually from west to east?
dry
Explain how distance from large bodies of water can affect the temperature of nearby land areas.
Water heats and cools more slowly than land, slowing the heating and cooling of nearby land areas.
Place these climates in order from coldest to warmest: tundra, subartic, humid continental, and ice cap.
Ice cap, tundra, subartic, humid continental
Instead of rain forests, these climates have tropical grasslands, called what?
Savannas
What are the three main things scientists look at when classifying a climate?
precipitation, temperature, and vegetation
The rain forests of South America are in which type of climate region?
tropical wet-and-dry
How are summer monsoons different from winter monsoons?
Summer winds blow moister onto land. Winter winds blow dry air off land.
Suppose a city receives an average of 35 cm of precipitation in November. If an average of 140 cm of precipitation falls there in a year, what percentage falls in November?
(35/140) *100%= 25%
This is a dry place that gets enough rainfall for short grasses and low bushes to grow.
Steppe
Name the six main climate regions.
tropical rainy, dry, temperate marine, temperate continental, polar, and highlands
What two major factors are usually used to classify climate?
precipitation and temperature