Text Book page # 482 - 491 - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Text Book page # 482 - 491

Climate Regions of the World Slide2

What factors are used to classify climates?

What are the six main climate regions?

The big ideaSlide3

Scientists classify climates according to two major factors:

Temperature

Precipitation

Climate regionsSlide4

There are six main climate regions:

Tropical rainy

DryTemperate marine

Temperate continentalPolarHighlands

Climate regionsSlide5

World ClimatesSlide6

The tropics have two types of rainy climates:

Tropical wet

Tropical wet-and-dry

Tropical rainy climatesSlide7

Are found in low-lying lands near the equatorMany days are rainy, often with afternoon thunderstorms

Thunderstorms triggered by mid-day heating

In many areas with a tropical-wet climate the trade winds bring moisture from the oceans

Tropical wet climatesSlide8

With year round heat and heavy rainfall, vegetation grows lush and greenDense rain forests grow in these climates

In the United States, only the windward sides of Hawaiian islands have a tropical wet climate

Tropical wet climatesSlide9

Areas that have tropical wet-and-dry climates receive slightly less rain than tropical climatesHave distinct dry and rainy seasons

Instead of rainforests, tropical grasslands called savannas grow

In the United States only the southern tip of Florida has a tropical wet-and-dry climate

Tropical wet-and-dry climatesSlide10

A climate is dry if the amount of precipitation that falls is less than the amount of water that could potentially evaporate

It does NOT mean that it doesn’t ever rain…

Dry climatesSlide11

Dry climates include

arid

and semiarid

climates

Dry climatesSlide12

Dry regions often lie inlandFar from the oceans that are the source of humid air masses

Dry climatesSlide13

Also known as desertsOn average, arid regions receive less than 25 cm of rain per year

Only specializes plants and animals can survive

Much of California’s southeast, including Death Valley and the Mojave Desert, has an arid climate

Arid climatesSlide14

Semiarid regions are usually located on the edges of desertsThese semiarid area are called steppes

May also be called a prairie or a grassland

The Great Plains are the major steppe region of the United States

Portions of southeastern California are considered semiarid

Semiarid climatesSlide15

There are three types of temperate marine climates:

Marine west coast

Mediterranean

Humid subtropical

Temperate marine climatesSlide16

Because of the moderating influence of oceans, all three temperate marine climates are humid and have mild winters

Temperate marine climatesSlide17

The coolest temperate marine climates are found on the west coasts of continents north of 40 degrees north latitude and south of 40 degrees south latitudeHumid ocean air brings mild, rainy winters

Summer precipitation can greatly vary

Marine west coastSlide18

In North America, the marine west coast climate extends from northern California to southern Alaska

Because of heavy precipitation, think forests of tall trees grow in this region

One of the major industries of this region is harvesting and processing wood for lumber, paper, and furniture

Marine west coastSlide19

A coastal climate that is drier and warmer than west coast marine is known as MediterraneanMost areas with this climate are found around the Mediterranean Sea

In the United States, much of coastal California has a Mediterranean climate

Mild, with two seasons

Winter – marine air masses bring cool, rainy weatherSummer – somewhat warmer, with little rain

MediterraneanSlide20

Mediterranean climates have two main vegetation types:Chaparral (dense shrubs and small tress)

Grasses with a few large trees

Mediterranean climatesSlide21

The warmest temperate marine climates are along the edges of the tropicsHumid subtropical climates are wet and warm

Not as constantly hot as the tropics

The southeastern United States has a humid subtropical climate

Summers are hot, with more rainfall than wintersWinters are cool to mild, with more rain than snow

Humid subtropicalSlide22

Are not influences very much by oceansHave extremes of temperature

Temperate continental climatesSlide23

Temperate continental climates are only found on continents in the Northern Hemisphere

Include:

Continental

Subartic

Temperate continental climatesSlide24

Shifting tropical and polar air masses bring constantly changing weather to humid continental climatesWinter – continental polar air masses move south, bringing bitterly cold weather

Summer – tropical air masses move north, bringing heat and humidity

The northeastern region of the United States, as well as the Midwest, have humid continental climates

Humid continentalSlide25

Subarctic climates lie north of the humid continental climatesSummers in the subarctic are short and cool

Winters are long and bitterly cold

Subarctic climateSlide26

The polar climate is the coldest climate region, and includes the

ice cap

and

tundra climates.

Polar climatesSlide27

Ice cap and tundra climates are found only in the far north and south, near the North and South polesMost polar climates are relatively dry

Cold air holds little moisture

Polar climatesSlide28

Found mainly on Greenland and AntarcticaAverage temperatures always at or below freezing

The land in this region is always covered with ice and snow

Intense cold makes the air dry

Lichens and a few low plants may grow on the rocks

Ice cap climateSlide29

Stretches across northern Alaska, Canada, and RussiaShort, cool summers

Bitter, cold winters

Some layers of the tundra are always frozen

Permanently frozen soil is called permafrostWater cannot drain away, so the soil is wet and boggy in summer

Tundra climateSlide30

It is too cold in the tundra for trees to growDuring the short summers the tundra is filled with life

Mosquitos and other insects

Mosses, grasses, lichensCaribou

birds

Tundra climateSlide31

Temperature falls as altitude increases, so highland regions are colder than the regions that surround them

highlandsSlide32

Increasing altitude produces climate changes you would expect with increasing latitude

Precipitation also increase as air masses carrying moisture pass over highland area

Climate on the lower slopes of a mountain range is like that of the surrounding countryside

highlandsSlide33

As you go higher up the mountains, temperature becomes lower and precipitation increasesClimate higher on the mountain is like that of the

subarctic

Above a certain elevation, called the tree line, temperatures are too low for trees to grow

Climate above the tree line is like that of the tundraOnly low plants, mosses, and lichens can grow there

highlands