Climate is the average and variations of weather in a region over long periods of time. Climate zones can be definedas "weird" using parameters such as temperature and rainfall. Paleoclimatology focuses on ancient climate information derived from sediment found in lake beds, ice cores, as well as various fauna and flora including tree rings and coral. Climate models can be used to determine the amount of climate change anticipated in the future. For the geological process, see Weathering or Erosion. ... Leslie Holdridges Life Zone Classification system is essentially a climate classification scheme. ... Paleoclimatology is the study of climate change taken on the scale of the entire history of the Earth. ... Climate models use quantitative methods to simulate the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and ice. ...

Definition

Annual average surface temperatures from 1961-1990. This is an example of how climate varies with location.

Climate, (from Ancient Greek klima) is commonly defined as the weather averaged over a long period of time.^[1] The standard averaging period is 30 years,^[2] but other periods may be used depending on the purpose. Climate also includes statistics other than the average, such as the magnitudes of day-to-day or year-to-year variations. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) glossary definition is: Image File history File links Size of this preview: 777 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,100 × 849 pixels, file size: 385 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) // This is a global map of the annually-averaged near-surface air temperature from 1961-1990. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 777 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,100 × 849 pixels, file size: 385 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) // This is a global map of the annually-averaged near-surface air temperature from 1961-1990. ... Beginning of Homers Odyssey The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage of the Greek language[1] as it existed during the Archaic (9th–6th centuries BC) and Classical (5th–4th centuries BC) periods in Ancient Greece. ... IPCC is the science authority for the UNFCCC The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), to evaluate the risk of climate change brought on by humans, based mainly on...

Climate in a narrow sense is usually defined as the “average weather”, or more rigorously, as the statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months to thousands or millions of years. The classical period is 30 years, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These quantities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate in a wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate system.^[3]

The main difference between climate and everyday weather is best summarized by the popular phrase "Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get."^[4] Over historic time spans there are a number of static variables that determine climate, including: latitude, altitude, proportion of land to water, and proximity to oceans and mountains. Other climate determinants are more dynamic: The thermohaline circulation of the ocean distributes heat energy between the equatorial and polar regions; other ocean currents do the same between land and water on a more regional scale. Degree of vegetation coverage affects solar heat absorption, water retention, and rainfall on a regional level. Alterations in the quantity of atmospheric greenhouse gases determines the amount of solar energy retained by the planet, leading to global warming or global cooling. The variables which determine climate are numerous and the interactions complex, but there is general agreement that the broad outlines are understood, at least insofar as the determinants of historical climate change are concerned. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 187 Member States and Territories. ... This article is about the study of the past in human terms. ... A simplified summary of the path of the Thermohaline Circulation. ... An ocean current is any more or less permanent or continuous, directed movement of ocean water that flows in one of the Earths oceans. ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. ... Global cooling in general can refer to a cooling of the Earth. ...

Zones

There are a few different ways climate zones have been defined. Originally, climes were defined within Ancient Greece to describe the weather either within the Northern Hemisphere, or globally, depending upon a location's latitude. More recently, climate zones can be defined by plant hardiness,^[5] or more generally under the Köppen climate classification. There is usually a gradual transition from zone to zone. The seven climes (klima, plural klimata, meaning inclination, referring to the angle between the axis of the celestial sphere and the horizon) was a notion of dividing the Earth into zones in Classical Antiquity. ... The term ancient Greece refers to the periods of Greek history in Classical Antiquity, lasting ca. ... Northern hemisphere highlighted in yellow. ... The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ...

Köppen classification

Main article: Köppen climate classification

General distribution of tropical rainforest

The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ... Image File history File links 800px-tropical_wet_forests. ... Image File history File links 800px-tropical_wet_forests. ...

Tropical rain forest

Rain forests are characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1,750 millimetres (69 in) and 2,000 millimetres (79 in). Mean monthly temperatures exceed 18 °C (64 °F) during all months of the year.^[6] Rainforests are home to half of all the living animal and plant species on the planet.^[7] Tropical rain forests are called the "world's largest pharmacy" because over one-quarter of modern medicines originate from its plants.^[8] The undergrowth in a rainforest is restricted in many areas by the lack of sunlight at ground level.^[9] This makes it possible for people and other animals to walk through the forest. If the leaf canopy is destroyed or thinned for any reason, the ground beneath is soon colonized by a dense tangled growth of vines, shrubs and small trees called a jungle.^[10] A rainforest is a forested biome with high annual rainfall. ... In meteorology, precipitation is any kind of water that falls from the sky as part of the weather. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... This article is about a community of trees. ... Box Log Falls, Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia Jungle usually refers to a dense forest in a hot climate, such as a tropical rainforest. ...

Onset dates and prevailing wind currents of the southwest summer monsoon.

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...

Tropical monsoon

A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months, ushering in a region's rainy season. The term was first used in English in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and neighboring countries to refer to the big seasonal winds blowing from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea in the southwest bringing heavy rainfall to the region.^[11] In hydrology, monsoon rainfall is considered to be that which occurs in any region that receives the majority of its rain during a particular season. This allows other regions of world such as within North America, South America. Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia and East Asia to qualify as monsoon regimes.^[12] In terms of total precipitation and total area covered, the monsoons affecting the Indian subcontinent dwarf the North American monsoon. The South Asian monsoon affects larger number of people due to the high density of population within that part of the world. For other uses, see Monsoon (disambiguation). ... The Arabian Sea (Arabic: بحر العرب; transliterated: Bahr al-Arab) is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui, the north-east point of Somalia... In meteorology, precipitation is any kind of water that falls from the sky as part of the weather. ... Water covers 70% of the Earths surface. ... North American redirects here. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... A political map showing national divisions in relation to the ecological break (Sub-Saharan Africa in green) A geographical map of Africa, showing the ecological break that defines the sub-Saharan area Sub-Saharan Africa is the term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south... The East Asian monsoon is a monsoonal flow that carries moist air from South Asia to East Asia. ...

Tropical savanna

A tropical savanna is a grassland biome located in semi-arid to semi-humid climate regions of subtropical and tropical latitudes. Average temperatures remain at or above 18 °C (64 °F) year round. Grasslands are dominated by grass and other herbaceous plants. Savannas are grasslands with scattered trees. Shrublands are dominated by woody or herbaceous shrubs. They are widespread on Africa, and are also found in India, the northern parts of South America, Malaysia, and Australia.^[13] Tropical Savannas (alternate spelling savannah) are a grassland biome, dotted with trees, generally located at tropical latitudes. ... The Konza tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills of northeastern Kansas. ... A biome is a climate and geographical area of ecologically similar communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, often referred to as ecosystems. ... Semi-arid generally describes regions that receive low annual rainfall (25 to 50 cm /10 to 20 in) and generally have scrub or grass vegetation. ... Humidity is the quantity of moisture in the air. ... Subtropical (or semitropical) areas are those adjacent to the tropics, usually roughly defined as the ranges 23. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... Latitude, denoted φ, gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the Equator. ... The Konza tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills of northeastern Kansas. ... For other uses, see Grass (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Herb (disambiguation). ... Savannah redirects here. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Shrubland is a habitat type dominated by woody shrubs. ... A broom shrub in flower A shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 6 m tall. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ...

Rainfall in tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is between 750 millimetres (30 in) and 1,270 millimetres (50 in) a year, and can be highly seasonal, with the entire year's rainfall sometimes occurring within a couple of weeks. Much of the plant life on savannas is adapted to seasonal aridity. Adaptations to the dry climate include herbaceous annuals, which die in the dry season and regrow from seed each year, and perennial plants which grow long tap roots to reach groundwater, or bulbs to store water.^[13] Peas are an annual plant. ... Red Valerian, a perennial plant. ... Shallot bulbs A bulb is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves (or thickened leaf bases) that is used as food storage organs by a dormant plant. ...

Humid subtropical climate zones of the world

Humid subtropical

The Humid subtropical climate zone is characterized by hot, humid summers and chilly to mild winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term "subtropical" may be a misnomer for the winter climate in the cooler areas within this category. Significant amounts of precipitation occur in all seasons in most areas. Winter rainfall (and sometimes snowfall) is associated with large storms that the westerlies steer from west to east. Most summer rainfall occurs during thunderstorms and from occasional tropical cyclones.^[14] Humid subtropical climates are characterized by hot, humid summers and cool to mild winters. ... This page is about the form of precipitation. ... For other uses, see Storm (disambiguation). ... The Westerlies are the prevailing winds in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees latitude, blowing from the high pressure area in the horse latitudes towards the poles. ... A shelf cloud associated with a heavy or severe thunderstorm over Enschede, The Netherlands. ... Cyclone Catarina, a rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone viewed from the International Space Station on March 26, 2004 Hurricane and Typhoon redirect here. ...

Humid subtropical climates lie on the east side continents, roughly between latitudes 20° and 40° degress away from the equator.^[15] This climate zone reaches up to latitude 46° North, are the Po Valley and the Toulouse regions in Europe. The Köppen definition of this climate is for the coldest month to be above a 0 °C (32 °F) mean temperature (Köppen: C), and the warmest month to be above 22 °C (72 °F) (Köppen: a); and to be constantly moist with the driest month receiving more than 60 millimetres (2.4 in) rain (Köppen: f).^[16] This article is about the geographical term. ... The Po (Latin: Padus, Italian: Po) is a river that flows 652 kilometers (405 miles) eastward across northern Italy, from Monviso (in the Cottian Alps) to the Adriatic Sea near Venice. ... New city flag (Occitan cross) Traditional coat of arms Motto: (Occitan: For Toulouse, always more) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country Region Midi-Pyrénées Department Haute-Garonne (31) Intercommunality Community of Agglomeration of Greater Toulouse Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc  (UMP) (since 2004) City Statistics Land...

Humid continental

Humid continental climate worldwide

Humid continental climate is found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between polar and tropical air masses. The humid continental climate is marked by variable weather patterns and a large seasonal temperature variance. The seasonal temperature variance can be as great as 33°C (59°F), but is typically 15-22°C (27-40°F). The temperature difference between the warmest and coldest months increases as one moves further inland and away from the moderating influence of the ocean. Places with a hottest monthly temperature above 10 °C (50 °F) and a coldest month temperature below −3 °C (26.6 °F) and which do not meet the criteria for an arid climate, are classified as continental.^[17] The humid continental climate is a climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between polar and tropical air masses. ... The humid continental climate is found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between polar and tropical air masses. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... For other uses, see North Pole (disambiguation). ... A noontime scene from the Philippines on a day when the Sun is almost directly overhead. ... In meteorology, an air mass is a large volume of air having fairly uniform characteristics of temperature, atmospheric pressure, and water vapor content. ... Animated map exhibiting the worlds oceanic waters. ...

Oceanic climate

World map showing the oceanic climate zones.

An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) is typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of all the world's continents, and in southeastern Australia. Oceanic climates are characterized by a narrower annual range of temperatures than are encountered in other places at a comparable latitude, and do not have the extremely dry summers of Mediterranean climates. Precipitation is plentiful throughout the year in this climate regime. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 512 pixelsFull resolution (2000 × 1280 pixel, file size: 99 KB, MIME type: image/png) Area of Class Cfb/Cfc climate. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 512 pixelsFull resolution (2000 × 1280 pixel, file size: 99 KB, MIME type: image/png) Area of Class Cfb/Cfc climate. ... World map showing the oceanic climate zones. ... For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). ...  Areas with Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate is a climate that resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin. ...

Similar climates, at least in thermal range, are also found in tropical highlands even at considerable distance from any coastline. Generally, they fall into Köppen climate classification Cfb or Cwb. The narrow range of temperatures results not from proximity to a coastline but instead to the slight thermal range of temperatures between seasons characteristic of tropical lowlands; altitudes are high enough that such places have at least one month cooler than 14 °C (57 °F) and do not qualify for grouping in the true tropical climates. Unlike the norm in true oceanic climates, these moist highland tropical climates may have a marked winter drought, as in Mexico City. As with oceanic climates, winters are relatively warm and summers are comparatively cool, so the agricultural potential in both oceanic climates and moist tropical highland climates is practically identical. The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ... Nickname: Location of Mexico City Coordinates: , Country Federal entity Boroughs The 16 delegaciones Founded c. ...

Mediterranean climate

     Areas with Mediterranean climate

The Mediterranean climate climate regime resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type worldwide. Elsewhere, this climate type prevails in parts of western North America, in parts of Western and South Australia, in southwestern South Africa and in parts of central Chile. The climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. For example, the city of Perth, Australia, in the southern hemisphere winter months of June-August, experiences 450 millimetres (18 in) of rainfall and an average daily minimum of 8 °C (46 °F). Meanwhile, during the summer months of December to February, the city only averages 32 millimetres (1.3 in).^[18] Image File history File links Medclim. ... Image File history File links Medclim. ...  Areas with Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate is a climate that resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin. ... The Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. ... North American redirects here. ... Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State or the Golden State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Ken Michael Premier Alan Carpenter (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 15  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2005-06)  - Product ($m)  $107,910 (4th)  - Product per capita  $53,134/person... For the song, see South Australia (song). ... Location of Perth within Australia This article is about the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia. ... southern hemisphere highlighted in yellow (Antarctica not depicted). ...

Continental steppe

A steppe is a dry forest, but not dry enough to be a desert. The term steppe originally comes from the Russian word /stɛp/ which means a flat and arid land. The climates of all steppes are summarized by a continental climate. Peaks can be recorded in the summer of up to 40 °C (104 °F) and in winter down to −40 °C (−40.0 °F). Besides this huge temperature variation, the diurnal temperature differences are also very great. In the highlands of Mongolia, 30 °C (86 °F) can be reached during the day with temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F) at night. The mid-latitude steppes average 250 millimetres (9.8 in) to 500 millimetres (20 in) of precipitation per year. In tropical locations, necessary rainfall to separate steppes from true deserts may be double this criteria due to greater evapotranspiration. This article is about the ecological zone type. ... This article is about a community of trees. ... Regions containing a continental climate exist in portions of Northern Hemisphere continents, and also at higher elevations in certain other parts of the world. ...

Subarctic

A subarctic climate has monthly temperatures which are above 10 °C (50 °F) for one to three months of the year. Except for those areas adjacent to warm ocean currents, there is almost always continuous permafrost due to the very cold winters. This means that building in most subarctic regions is very difficult and expensive: cities are very few (Murmansk being the largest) and generally small, whilst roads are few and railways non-existent. An important consequence is that transportation tends to be restricted to "bush" planes, helicopters and, in summer, river boats. The subarctic is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic and covering much of Canada and Siberia, the north of Scandinavia, northern Mongolia and the Chinese province of Heilongjiang. ... Ocean currents (1911) Ocean currents (1943) An ocean current is any more or less continuous, directed movement of ocean water that flows in one of the Earths oceans. ... While these two men dig in Alaska to study soil, the hard permafrost requires the use of a jackhammer In geology, permafrost or permafrost soil is soil at or below the freezing point of water (0 °C or 32 °F) for two or more years. ... Murmansk coin Murmansk (Russian: ; Finnish: (archaic); Northern Sami: ; Skolt Sami: ) is a city in the extreme northwest part of Russia with a seaport on the Kola Bay, 12 km from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russias borders with Norway and... For other uses, see Road (disambiguation). ... Airplane and Aeroplane redirect here. ... For other uses, see Helicopter (disambiguation). ...

Precipitation tends to be low due to the low moisture content of the cold air. Typically, there is a summer maximum in precipitation ranging from moderate in North America to extreme in the Russian Far East.^[19] In drier areas, glaciers are largely absent because of the lack of winter precipitation. In the wettest areas, glaciers tend to be abundant and Pleistocene glaciation covers even the lowest elevations. Soils of the subarctic are generally very acidic largely because of the influence of the vegetation both in the taiga and in peaty bogs, which tends to acidify the soil, as well as the extreme ease with which leaching of nutrients takes place even in the most heavily glaciated regions. The dominant orders are Spodosols and further north Gelisols. Agriculture is mainly limited to animal husbandry, though in some areas barley can be grown. North American redirects here. ... Far Eastern Federal District (highlighted in red) Russian Far East (Russian: ; IPA: ) is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i. ... This article is about the geological formation. ... The Pleistocene epoch (IPA: ) on the geologic timescale is the period from 1,808,000 to 11,550 years BP. The Pleistocene epoch had been intended to cover the worlds recent period of repeated glaciations. ... A glaciation (a created composite term meaning Glacial Period, referring to the Period or Era of, as well as the process of High Glacial Activity), often called an ice age, is a geological phenomenon in which massive ice sheets form in the Arctic and Antarctic and advance toward the equator. ... Loess field in Germany Surface-water-gley developed in glacial till, Northern Ireland For the American hard rock band, see SOiL. For the System of a Down song, see Soil (song). ... For alternative meanings see acid (disambiguation). ... Lütt-Witt Moor, a bog in Henstedt-Ulzburg in northern Germany. ... Podsol (also spelled Podzol, or known as Spodosol) is the typical soil of coniferous, or Boreal forests. ... Gelisols are an order in USA soil taxonomy. ... For other uses, see Barley (disambiguation). ...

Tundra

Map of arctic tundra

Arctic tundra occurs in the far Northern Hemisphere, north of the taiga belt. The word "tundra" usually refers only to the areas where the subsoil is permafrost, or permanently frozen soil. Permafrost tundra includes vast areas of northern Russia and Canada ^[20]. The polar tundra is home to several peoples who are mostly nomadic reindeer herders, such as the Nganasan and Nenets in the permafrost area (and the Sami in Sápmi). The soil there is frozen from 25 centimetres (9.8 in) to 90 centimetres (35 in) down, and it is impossible for trees to grow. Bare and rocky land can only support low growing plants such as moss, heath, and lichen. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Tundra (disambiguation). ... Northern hemisphere highlighted in yellow. ... For other uses, see Taiga (disambiguation). ... While these two men dig in Alaska to study soil, the hard permafrost requires the use of a jackhammer In geology, permafrost or permafrost soil is soil at or below the freezing point of water (0 °C or 32 °F) for two or more years. ... For the 2006 historical epic set in Kazakhstan, see Nomad (2006 film). ... The Nganasans are one of the indigenous peoples of Siberia. ... The Nenets people (Russian name: Ненцы - Nentsy (plural)) are an indigenous people in Russia. ... The Sami people (also Sámi, Saami, Lapps, sometimes also Laplanders) are the indigenous people of Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. ... Languages Sami, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Russian Area - Population  - Sami  - Non-Sami - (Year) - (Year) Independence None¹ Time zone UTC +1 to +3 ¹/ Integrated parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia respectively, but with varying degrees of autonomy for the Sami population. ... For other uses, see Moss (disambiguation). ... Heath can mean: Kelling Heath, near Weybourne, North Norfolk, England Heath (habitat), a landscape characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation. ... For other uses, see Lichen (disambiguation). ...

There are two main seasons, winter and summer. During the winter it is very cold and dark, with the average temperature around −28 °C (−18.4 °F), sometimes dipping as low as −50 °C (−58.0 °F). However, extreme cold temperatures on the tundra do not drop as low as those experienced in taiga areas further south. During the summer, temperatures rise and the top layer of the permafrost melts. The permafrost thaws enough to let plants grow and reproduce, but because the ground below this is frozen, the water cannot sink any lower, and so the water forms the lakes and marshes found during the summer months. Although precipitation is light, evaporation is also relatively minimal. Generally daytime temperatures during the summer rise to about 12 °C (54 °F) but often drop to 3 °C (37 °F) or lower. The tundra is a very windy area, with winds often blowing upwards at 48 kilometres per hour (30 mph) to 97 kilometres per hour (60 mph). In terms of precipitation, the tundra is desert-like, with only about 15–25 cm (6–10 inches) falling per year, mainly in the summer.

Polar ice cap

A polar ice cap, or polar ice sheet, is a high-latitude region of a planet or moon that is covered in ice. There are no requirements with respect to size or composition for a body of ice to be termed a polar ice cap, nor any geological requirement for it to be over land; only that it must be a body of solid phase matter in the polar region. Earth's polar ice caps are mainly water ice, and the coldest locations on the planet. There is so little moisture in the air that it is hypothesized that the polar ice cap is as dry as most deserts. Polar ice caps form because high-latitude regions receive less energy in the form of solar radiation from the sun than equatorial regions, resulting in lower surface temperatures.^[21] Seasonal variations of the ice caps will take place due to varied solar energy absorption as the planet or moon revolves around the sun. Additionally, in geologic time scale, the ice caps may grow or shrink due to climate variation. Polar Ice Cap on Mars, seen by the Hubble Telescope This article is about polar ice caps in general, for Earths ice cap see: Polar ice packs A polar ice cap or polar ice sheet is a high-latitude region of a planet or moon that is covered in... This article is about the geographical term. ... This article is about the astronomical term. ... A natural satellite is an object that orbits a planet or other body larger than itself and which is not man-made. ... This article is about water ice. ... Location of the polar regions Northern Hemisphere permafrost (permanently frozen ground) in purple. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... This article is about the geographical term. ... Solar irradiance spectrum at top of atmosphere. ... Sol redirects here. ... World map showing the equator in red In tourist areas, the equator is often marked on the sides of roads The equator marked as it crosses Ilhéu das Rolas, in São Tomé and Príncipe. ... The historical temperature record shows the fluctuations of the temperature of the atmosphere and the oceans throughout history, and in particular since 1850. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Desert

A desert is a landscape form or region that receives very little precipitation. Deserts can be defined as areas that receive an average annual precipitation of less than 250 millimetres (9.8 in),^[22][23] or as areas in which more water is lost than falls as precipitation.^[24] In the Köppen climate classification system, deserts are classed as BWh (hot desert) or BWk (temperate desert). This article is about arid terrain. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Evapotranspiration (ET) is the sum of evaporation and plant transpiration. ... The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ...

Deserts take up one-third of the Earth's land surface.^[22] They usually have a large diurnal and seasonal temperature range, with high daytime temperatures (in summer up to 45 °C or 113 °F), and low night-time temperatures (in winter down to 0 °C; 32 °F) due to extremely low humidity. Water acts to trap infrared radiation from both the sun and the ground, and dry desert air is incapable of blocking sunlight during the day or trapping heat during the night. Thus during daylight most of the sun's heat reaches the ground. As soon as the sun sets, the desert cools quickly by radiating its heat into space. Urban areas in deserts lack large (more than 25 °F/14 °C) daily temperature ranges, partially due to the urban heat island effect. Diurnal temperature variation is a viticultural term that relates to the variation in temperature that occurs from the highs of the day to the cool of nights. ... The term humidity is usually taken in daily language to refer to relative humidity. ... For other uses, see Infrared (disambiguation). ... Prism splitting light High Resolution Solar Spectrum Sunlight in the broad sense is the total spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. ... Thermal insulation on the Huygens probe The term thermal insulation can refer to materials used to reduce the rate of heat transfer, or the methods and processes used to reduce heat transfer. ... Sol redirects here. ... Tokyo, a case of Urban Heat Island. ...

Many deserts are formed by rain shadows, mountains blocking the path of precipitation to the desert. Deserts are often composed of sand and rocky surfaces. Sand dunes called ergs and stony surfaces called hamada surfaces compose a minority of desert surfaces. Exposures of rocky terrain are typical, and reflect minimal soil development and sparseness of vegetation. For the Australian television series see Rain Shadow (TV series). ... For other uses, see Sand (disambiguation). ... This article is about the geological substance. ... This article is about the sand formations, for other meanings see Dune (disambiguation) Mesquite Flat Dunes in Death Valley National Park In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by eolian (wind-related) processes. ... Issaouane Erg, Algeria. ... Cyclists crossing hamada, approaching Erg Chebbi sand dunes, Morocco A hamada (ara. ... This article is about the geological substance. ... Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants, and is, by far, the most abundant biotic element of the biosphere. ...

Record

Modern

Instrumental temperature record of the last 150 years

Details of the modern climate record are known through the taking of measurements from such weather instruments as thermometers, barometers, and anemometers during the past few centuries. The instruments used to study weather conditions over the modern time scale, their known error, their immediate environment, and their exposure have changed over the years, which must be considered when studying the climate of centuries past.^[25] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A clinical mercury thermometer A thermometer is a device that measures temperature or temperature gradient, using a variety of different principles. ... A barometer is an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure. ... A hemispherical cup anemometer of the type invented in 2000 by John Thomas Romney Robinson An anemometer is a device for measuring the velocity or the pressure of the wind, and is one instrument used in a weather station. ...

Paleoclimatology

Main article: Paleoclimatology

Paleoclimatology is the study of climate change taken on a long scale, spanning a greater section of the Earth's history. It uses records from ice sheets, tree rings, sediment, coral, and rocks to determine the past state of the climate system on Earth, and whether or not long term climate cycles exist.^[26] Paleoclimatology is the study of climate change taken on the scale of the entire history of the Earth. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ...

Climate change

See also: Climate change, Global warming, temperature record, and attribution of recent climate change

Climate change refers to the variation in the Earth's global climate or in regional climates over time. It describes changes in the variability or average state of the atmosphere over time scales ranging from decades to millions of years. These changes can be caused by processes internal to the Earth, external forces (e.g. variations in sunlight intensity) or, more recently, human activities. Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 450,000 years For current global climate change, see Global warming. ... Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. ... The temperature record shows the fluctuations of the temperature of the atmosphere and the oceans through various spans of time. ... Attribution of recent climate change is the effort to scientifically ascertain mechanisms responsible for relatively recent changes observed in the Earths climate. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ...

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, the term "climate change" often refers only to changes in modern climate, including the rise in average surface temperature known as global warming. In some cases, the term is also used with a presumption of human causation, as in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC uses "climate variability" for non-human caused variations.^[27] Environmental policy is any (course of) action delibaretely taken (or not taken) to manage human activities with a view to prevent, reduce or mitigate harmful effects on nature and natural resources, and ensuring that man-made changes to the environment do not have harmful effects on humans [1]. // It is... For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). ... Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international environmental treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. ...

Earth has undergone periodic climate shifts in the past, including four major ice ages. These consisting of glacial periods where conditions are colder than normal, separated by interglacial periods. The accumulation of snow and ice during a glacial period increases the surface albedo, reflecting more of the Sun's energy into space and maintaining a lower atmospheric temperature. Increases in greenhouse gases, such as by volcanic activity, can increase the global temperature and produce an interglacial. Suggested causes of ice age periods include the positions of the continents, variations in the Earth's orbit, changes in the solar output, and vulcanism.^[28] Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... Glaciation, often called an ice age, is a geological phenomenon in which massive ice sheets form in the Arctic and Antarctic and advance toward the equator. ... For other uses, see Albedo (disambiguation). ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... Animated, colour-coded map showing the various continents. ...

Climate models

See also: Climate models and Climatology

Climate models use quantitative methods to simulate the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and ice. They are used for a variety of purposes from study of the dynamics of the weather and climate system to projections of future climate. All climate models balance, or very nearly balance, incoming energy as short wave (including visible) electromagnetic radiation to the earth with outgoing energy as long wave (infrared) electromagnetic radiation from the earth. Any unbalance results in a change in the average temperature of the earth. Climate models use quantitative methods to simulate the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and ice. ... Climatology is the study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time,[1] and is a branch of the atmospheric sciences. ... Air redirects here. ... Animated map exhibiting the worlds oceanic waters. ...

The most talked-about models of recent years have been those relating temperature to emissions of carbon dioxide (see greenhouse gas). These models predict an upward trend in the surface temperature record, as well as a more rapid increase in temperature at higher altitudes. Carbon dioxide (chemical formula: ) is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... The historical temperature record shows the fluctuations of the temperature of the atmosphere and the oceans throughout history, and in particular since 1850. ...

Models can range from relatively simple to quite complex:

• A simple radiant heat transfer model that treats the earth as a single point and averages outgoing energy
• this can be expanded vertically (radiative-convective models), or horizontally
• finally, (coupled) atmosphere–ocean–sea ice global climate models discretise and solve the full equations for mass and energy transfer and radiant exchange.

An icebreaker navigates through young (1 year old) sea ice Nilas Sea Ice in arctic Sea ice is formed from ocean water that freezes. ... General Circulation Models (GCMs) are a class of computer-driven models for weather forecasting and predicting climate change, where they are commonly called Global Climate Models. ...

See also

Weather Portal

• Air conditioning
• Climate change
• Climateprediction.net - a distributed computing project (using, amongst others, BOINC) to try and produce a forecast of the climate in the 21st century Website
• Biome - an ecological term for a major regional group of distinctive plant and animal communities best adapted to the region's physical environment
• Climatology
• Effect of sun angle on climate
• Electronic Climate Control
• Solar variation
• Temperature extreme
• National Climatic Data Center
• Climate Prediction Center

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1754x2646, 2231 KB) Rooster Weather Vane photographer: Arne Koehler File links The following pages link to this file: Weather vane ... Note: in the broadest sense, air conditioning can refer to any form of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 450,000 years For current global climate change, see Global warming. ... Climateprediction. ... Distributed computing is a method of computer processing in which different parts of a program are run simultaneously on two or more computers that are communicating with each other over a network. ... The Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing (BOINC) is a distributed computing infrastructure intended to be useful to fields beyond SETI. It is being developed by a team based at the University of California, Berkeley led by the project director of SETI@home, David Anderson. ... Prediction of future events is an ancient human wish. ... A biome is a climate and geographical area of ecologically similar communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, often referred to as ecosystems. ... For the journal, see Ecology (journal). ... Climatology is the study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time,[1] and is a branch of the atmospheric sciences. ... Figure 1 This is a diagram of the seasons. ... In automotive electronics, an electronic control unit (ECU) is an embedded system that controls one or more of the electrical subsystems in a vehicle. ... 400 year history of sunspot numbers. ... Temperature extremes are the highest and lowest temperatures recorded in specific locales. ... The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, North Carolina is the worlds largest active archive of weather data. ...

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... IPCC is the science authority for the UNFCCC The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), to evaluate the risk of climate change brought on by humans, based mainly on... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States National Arboretum is an arboretum in Washington D.C., owned by the United States Department of Agriculture. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (U of M, UM, U-M or simply Michigan) is a coeducational public research university in the state of Michigan. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1913 advertisement for the 11th edition, with the slogan When in doubt - look it up in the Encyclopædia Britannica The Encyclopædia Britannica (properly spelt with æ, the ae-ligature) is the oldest English-language general encyclopedia. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... ISSN, or International Standard Serial Number, is the unique eight-digit number applied to a periodical publication including electronic serials. ... ISSN, or International Standard Serial Number, is the unique eight-digit number applied to a periodical publication including electronic serials. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the day. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Peveril Meigs, III, (1903-1979) was an American geographer, notable for his studies of arid lands on several continents and in particular for his work on the native peoples and early missions of northern Baja California, Mexico. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• IFAS AgClimate
• Climate Prediction Project
• WorldClimate
• ESPERE Climate Encyclopaedia
• Global Climate Data
• Climate index and mode information
• A current view of the Bering Sea Ecosystem and Climate
• Climate: Data and charts for world and US locations
• World climates list and articles