Climate Notes

Weather is the condition (situation) of the atmosphere (air) outside at a specific moment

The two main factors that weather describes are temperature and precipitation

Weather can change daily or even hourly

Climate is a description of the type of weather that keeps repeating in one area

The Earth has different climate zones (also called biomes).

These are large areas where the precipitation and temperature is the same as well as the type of plants and animals

¡ The SIX climate zones (biomes)
¡ Tundra
¡ Taiga
¡ Temperate Deciduous Forest
¡ Grassland
¡ Desert
¡ Tropical Rainforest


¡ The Tundra
¡ Has no trees
¡ Ground is permanently frozen
¡ Coldest environment
¡ Receives less than 10 inches of precipitation a year

¡ The Taiga
¡ Receives between 10-30 inches of precipitation a year
¡ Main trees are those that are evergreen and that create cones
¡ Cold environment

¡ Temperate Deciduous Forest
¡ Receives plenty of rain spread throughout the year
¡ This is where we live
¡ Has four seasons
¡ Cold winters and warm summers

¡ Grassland
¡ The most common plant is grass
¡ Gets between 20-40 inches of rain per year

¡ Desert
¡ Less than 10 inches of rain per year
¡ Soil is rocky and poor
¡ Temperature is very hot during the day and cool at night

¡ Tropical Rainforest
¡ Gets 100-160 inches of rain per year
¡ No seasons, always warm (around 80 degrees)
¡ Trees are the dominant plant

WHY ARE THERE DIFFERENT CLIMATE ZONES?
All places on Earth do not get an equal amount of sunlight. Places that get direct sunlight (at the Equator) are hotter than places that do not get direct sunlight.