Model E Unit 2 Lesson 3 Exploration 3
Model E Unit 2 Lesson 3 Exploration 3
Model E Unit 2 Lesson 3 Exploration 3
Exp 3
Factors Create
Compare Similar
Determine
Essential Question
Compare today’s weather with your area’s
climate.
What do you think caused the weather today?
Might those factors be similar to factors that
determine the climate?
Factors That Influence Climate
Around the world, different climates exist, from hot to
cold and from dry to rainy.
Factors in the Earth system that influence climate
include prevailing winds, ocean currents, large bodies
of water, and landforms. Latitude and elevation also
affect climates
Latitude
The intensity of the sunlight is greater at the equator
than at the poles, so the temperature is higher at the
equator than at the poles.
They carry warm water away from the equator and cool water away
from the poles. Currents moderate coastal cities’ temperatures as cold
currents cool warmer air and warm currents warm cooler air.
For example, the waters of the Gulf Stream move warm water from the
Gulf of Mexico northeastward toward Great Britain
Elevation
Elevation also influences climate. Elevation is a place’s
distance above sea level.
As elevation increases, air temperature decreases. It is
usually cooler at higher elevations and warmer at
lower elevations.
So, the air feels colder as hikers climb higher up a
mountain. Imagine cities at the same latitude and far
from a large body of water.
These cities can have very different climates if they are
at different elevations
Large Bodies of
Water
Different surfaces release energy at different rates.
For example, water absorbs and releases energy more
slowly than land does.
As a result, oceans keep the temperature of nearby
land from changing as much as it would if there was no
water nearby.
Large Bodies of
Water
Therefore, the temperatures of coastal areas do not
tend to vary as greatly as areas that are farther
inland along similar latitudes.
Nearby bodies of water increase the amount of water
in the air.
Because of this, places near large bodies of water
often receive more precipitation than they would if the
body of water were not present.
Landforms such as tall mountains can create very
different climates on each side of the mountain.
Latitudes
Prevailing winds
Exit Ticket
Elevation
Latitude
Albedo Effect