Weather and Climate Notes

What is the source of all weather and climate?

• The sun!• The sun is the source of

all heat and energy. The sun heats air, which causes it to rise and change temperature.

• Remember… the tilt of the Earth in relation to the sun causes the season.

What causes the seasons?

1. The tilt of the Earth in relation to the sun

2. The tilt causes direct/indirect sunlight.

How was this demonstrated in class last time?

What is weather?

• Weather is the atmospheric conditions present in an area.

• The day-to-day conditions of the air in a particular place.

Why is weather important?

• IT IMPACTS LIFE!!!• Weather impacts how

people dress, the homes we live in, how we make a living, activities that we do, and much more.

What is temperature?

• It is the measurement of how hot or cold it is outside.

How is temperature measure?

It is measured with a thermometer in either Fahrenheit or Celsius. In the US, temperatures are often in Fahrenheit, which is where water

freezes at 32 degrees. In Celsius, water freezes at 0 degrees.

What is precipitation?

• It is the amount of water, in any form, that falls from the sky.

• Rain, sleet, snow, hail, fog, drizzle, etc. are all forms of precipitation.

How is precipitation measure?

It is measured with a rain gauge in inches or centimeters.

What makes up weather?

The components of weather include: temperature, precipitation, wind, sunshine,

visibility, air pressure, clouds, and location of the area.

What is climate?

• Climate is the pattern of weather in an area over a period of many years.

Difference between weather and climate

• Weather– A short period of time– Short term changes in

the atmosphere

• Colorado Weather: Today it is sunny with a chance of rain. The temperature is 62 degrees.

• Climate– Long period of time– Long term weather pattern

of a particular area– A PATTERN of weather

• Colorado (Fort Collins) Climate: dry winters with some snow, windy springs, low humidity winters, pleasant falls. Semi-arid. Highly changeable weather.