Factors of Climate

The lesson builds upon our look at latitude's impact on seasons and adds four more factors to explain how the Earth's climate is created. In addition to Latitude--the most important factor--are Elevation, Wind Currents, Ocean Currents, and Topography.

The lesson reviews how latitude greatly influences temperature on Earth and introduces how Elevation also has an impact on temperature of regions on Earth. Next, the lesson introduces Wind and Ocean Currents. It explains how convection drives our winds and creates the Hadley Cell and Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) that has a profound impact of climate in the tropics and creates the conditions for some the world's largest deserts.

Influenced by these Wind Currents are the Ocean Currents which are in a constant cycle of warm and cold water exchange between the equator and poles. Why the waters off of the west coast of a continent are usually cool while waters off the east coast are warm are explained. (Hint, it has to do with the Coriolis Effect). The role that El Nino and the North Atlantic Drift have in shaping the climate of the Americas and Europe are discussed as is the impact of Continentality.

The lesson concludes by discussing Topography's role in our climate--chiefly due to the Rainshadow Effect.

While useful to all audiences, this lesson is specifically designed to address elements of the Texas Education Knowledge Standards for the World Geography Studies Course.