Climate is often regarded as the weather in a place averaged out over a long period of time (3 months or so). The climate of an area or region depends on its position on the Earth’s surface. For example, land near the Equator has a hot climate because it gets sunshine from almost directly overhead. As you travel further away from the Equator, the climate is cooler until you reach the North and South Poles where the Sun is always low on the horizon and the temperatures are constantly low. There are, however, other factors that affect climate. For example, the oceans carry warmth around the world and affect the land climate, as do winds and the height of land above sea level. Climates are classified into eight main groups, within which there are also variations.
Characteristics | |
Polar Tundra Mountain Cool temperate Warm temperate Desert Monsoon Tropical | Very cold and dry strong winds Cold with low rainfall and short summers Climates depend on latitude and altitude Not very hot summers of very cold winters Mild wet winters, hot dry summers Very hot days and very cold nights, very little rain Sudden changes from dry to wet weather Very hot with heavy rainfall |
The climate of a region affects the plants and animals that live there. Different plants and animals are most suited, and have adapted well, to particular climates, and so thrive there. For example, bears are well suited to living in the cold polar regions because of the food they eat and the thickness and the type of their fur. On the other hand, an elephant would not survive in such conditions due to its diet of vegetation, the speed at which it moves and its unprotected skin. There are a number of climatic factors that affect living things and their environment, including temperature, light intensity, rainfall and wind speed. The most profound of these climatic factors is without doubt temperature. Generally living things prefer to live in an environment with warm temperatures and a supply of water and food. This is why, as you travel from temperate climates to ones that are more extreme, like the poles or deserts, there is a marked reduction in the number of species of living things to be found.