ClimateLong term weather patterns

www.blueplanetbiomes.org

Factors Affecting ClimateAltitude

Latitude

Currents

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www.mrdowling.com

go-passport.grolier.com

AltitudeHow far above sea level you areThe farther up, the cooler the climate is.With climate change, people are moving farther up mountains to avoid mosquitoes.How does this impact other organisms?

news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/science/nature/5348692.stm

LatitudeHow far north or south of the equator you are.Equator receives direct sun rays. The farther from the equator the greater the angle of incidence of light, thus the cooler the climate

schools-wikipedia.org/wp/e/Effect_of_sun_angl...

CurrentsWind Currents

Ocean Currents

Wind CurrentsAir moving across the warm waters of the North Atlantic moderate the Climate of Northern America and Western Europe

Wind CurrentsThe Jet Stream moves south of us during the winter, pulling cold Artic air from the NW into Michigan.Fast moving systems from the Canadian Rockies are called Clippers.

www.accuweather.com

                                       

www.jeffsweather.com

Wind CurrentsDuring the summer, the Jet Stream moves to the north of Michigan. Air from the Gulf of Mexico travels from the SW to bring moisture and warmth to Michigan

www.fas.org/.../docs/rst/Sect14/Sect14_1c.html

Wind Currents

T ra d e W in ds N o r'e a s te r D o ld ru m s

D o yo u kn o w lo ca tion a nd e ffe cts o f

T e s t Y ou rse lf.

www.answers.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nor'easterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_wind http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/nino/global.html

Ocean CurrentsThe North Atlantic Current is the “Conveyer Belt” that moderates our climateWarm less dense water from the Equator travels on the surface to the northWinds moving across the N. Atlantic pick up the heat and transfer it to W. Europe and N. America

thedifferencemagazine.blogspot.com/2007/08/no...

Ocean CurrentsGlacial melt at the poles creates cold dense water that sinks and travels to the equator. This drives the warm less dense water to the surface and pushes it northward

nsidc.org/.../factors/land_sea_distribution.html

Ocean CurrentsWhat is the future of the N. Atlantic Current if there is no glacial melt?What becomes of the Climate in the Northern Hemisphere?

Earths Climatic HistoryEarth’s Climate is like a pendulum. It naturally swings between extreme heat and cold over long periods of time.

100 mya

200 mya

300 mya

65 mya

1.6 mya

Eocene

Earths Climatic History

img62.imageshack.us

Evidences of Climate ChangeIce Cores

Indicate varying levels of CO2 in

the atmosphere.

Sediment CoresDuring periods of

elevated CO2 in the atmosphere sediment cores indicate a warm

climate

www.nsf.gov

Effects of Climate Change on Temperature and Precipitation

www.adaptation.rncan.gc.ca

Effects of Climate Change on Biodiversity

Genetic Adaptations require long periods of time to evolve. Rapid climatic changes cause significant changes in food webs and mass extinctions

Cataclysmic Events causing

Climate ChangeSupervolcano Eruptions“Snowball Earth” effect causing mass extinctions ~95-99%Asteroid strikes caused a ~80% extinction.

http://atropos.as.arizona.edu/aiz/teaching/a204/images/snowball_earth.gif

www.solcomhouse.com/yellowstone.htm

www.theresilientearth.com/?q=content/meteor-s...

Effects of Global Warmingwww.pm.gov.au

                                     

www.treehugger.com/2008/02/24-week/

www.cosmosmagazine.com

                                           

flatplanet.wikispaces.com

www.greendiary.com

www.aboundlessworld.com

Effects of Global Warming

eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/eos_observ/9_10_95/p07.html

Climate change can involve abrupt flips. The most likely cause is a

disruption in the N. Atlantic current. These have been natural occurring

events over Earth’s history.

Greenhouse Earth Effect

CO2 is rising faster than at any period in recent history.Will man cause the next climate change before its time?If so what is the effect on Michigan?

www.webwombat.com.au