Climate Controls

Fig 1

Lets review some climate controls from class today:
latitude-higher latitudes have colder weather (less intense solar radiation) and lower latitudes are warmer.
elevation- higher elevation colder temps

global winds- these winds move warm air towards the polar regions, the Sahara (fig 1, north Africa) and many of the worlds deserts are located at 30 degrees N and S latitude in the subtropical high. The dry-summer tropical climate is found Southern California.

vegetation- influences cloud formation, solar absorption and precipitation.

water- moderates the temperature of the air above the water.

topography- think mountains ( fig 2) windward side of mountains usually wetter than the leeward side. Fig 2 is Boulder CO, as you go east the landscape becomes very arid.




Fig 2