(WC) Factors Affecting Climate Lesson

Factors Affecting Climate

There are many different factors that affect climate around the world. It is the varying influence of these factors that lead to different parts of the Earth experiencing differing climates. The most important natural factors are:

  • distance from the sea
  • ocean currents
  • direction of prevailing winds
  • shape of the land (known as 'relief' or 'topography')
  • distance from the equator
  • the El Niño phenomenon.

Distance from the Sea

The sea affects the climate of a place. Coastal areas are cooler and wetter than inland areas. Clouds form when warm air from inland areas meets cool air from the sea.  The centre of continents are subject to a large range of temperatures.  In the summer, temperatures can be very hot and dry as moisture from the sea evaporates before it reaches the centre of the land mass.

Ocean Currents

Oceans, holding a large amount of heat have a major role in the creation of a climate. The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the Earth's surface. The ocean plays a major role in regulating the weather and climate of the planet.

The circulation of the ocean's water affects regional weather. Ocean water has high heat capacity that results in slow temperature changes of the ocean in comparison to the low heat capacity of air that results in rapid changes in air temperatures.

The circulation of the ocean and the ocean's high heat capacity explain why the air temperatures in coastal locations are often cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than inland locations.

Currents Diagram

Direction of Prevailing Winds

Winds that blow from the sea often bring rain to the coast and dry weather to inland areas.  Winds that blow to Britain from warm inland areas such as Africa will be warm and dry.  Winds that blow to Britain from inland areas such as central Europe will be cold and dry in winter. Britain's prevailing (i.e. most frequently experienced) winds come from a south westerly direction over the Atlantic.  These winds are cool in the summer, mild in the winter and tend to bring wet weather.

The Shape of the Land

Climate can be affected by mountains. Mountains receive more rainfall than low lying areas because as air is forced over the higher ground it cools, causing moist air to condense and fall out as rainfall.

The higher the place is above sea level the colder it will be.  This happens because as altitude increases, air becomes thinner and is less able to absorb and retain heat. That is why you may see snow on the top of mountains all year round.

Distance from the Equator

The distance from the equator affects the climate of a place. At the poles, energy from the sun reaches the Earth's surface at lower angles and passes through a thicker layer of atmosphere than at the equator. This means the climate is cooler further from the Equator. The poles also experience the greatest difference between summer and winter day lengths: in the summer there is a period when the sun does not set at the poles; conversely the poles also experience a period of total darkness during winter. In contrast, daylength varies little at the equator.

El Niño

El Niño which affects wind and rainfall patterns, has been blamed for droughts and floods in countries around the Pacific Rim.  El Niño refers to the irregular warming of surface water in the Pacific.  The warmer water pumps energy and moisture into the atmosphere, altering global wind and rainfall patterns. The phenomenon has caused tornadoes in Florida, smog in Indonesia, and forest fires in Brazil.

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