Climates around the world
Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world, distinguishing between weather and climate
What a learner can do afterwards
- Define weather as day-to-day conditions and climate as the long-term pattern of weather in an area
- Describe at least three different climate types (tropical, temperate, polar, desert) with examples
- Explain that climate varies by region due to factors like distance from the equator
1 · Read
You already know that weather changes from day to day. It might be sunny in the morning and rainy by lunchtime. Climate is different. Climate is the pattern of weather a place has over many years, not just one day.
Four climate types show up again and again. The Arctic is polar: snow and ice cover the ground almost every day of the year. The Amazon rainforest is tropical: warm, with rain nearly every day. The Sahara is desert: warm and dry, with almost no rain. London is temperate: hot summers, then cold, snowy winters.
How close a place sits to the equator shapes its climate. Near the equator, sunlight arrives strong and direct all year, so those places stay warm. Far from the equator, near the North or South Pole, the same sunlight arrives weak and slanted, so those places stay cold.
Weather is today's conditions, climate is the years-long pattern, and how close a place is to the equator helps shape that pattern.
More to read
Weather vs. Climate
Weather and climate sound alike, but they mean different things. Weather is what happens day to day. It can rain today and shine tomorrow. Climate is the pattern of weather in one place over many years. A desert has a dry climate even if one rainy day comes. The Arctic has a cold climate even in summer. To find the climate, scientists watch the weather for a very long time and look for the pattern.
Climate Forecasters
Different parts of the world have different climates. Near the equator, the sun shines straight down all year, so tropical lands stay hot and wet. Far from the equator, the sun rays slant, so polar lands stay cold. Deserts are dry because little rain falls there. Temperate lands sit in between, with warm summers and cool winters. Forecasters study temperature and rainfall records to describe each climate zone.
Elementary Assessment Task - Weather and Regions
Where you live shapes the weather you see. Mountains can block clouds, so one side stays wet and the other stays dry. Oceans warm nearby land in winter and cool it in summer. Distance from the equator sets how hot or cold a place can get. By comparing regions, you can explain why the Arctic stays icy while tropical forests stay green. Weather is local news, and climate is the whole story.
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2 · Watch
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