- The 6 main elements of the climate
- 1- Precipitation
- 2- Humidity
- 3- Temperature
- 4- Atmospheric pressure
- 5- Meteorological phenomena
- 6- Wind
- References
The elements of the climate are the meteorological phenomena that determine the atmospheric weather of a region. Climatology is the study of the long-term state of the atmosphere, characterized by the variety of elements that interact with each other.
To separate the concept of climate and meteorology, one can think of the difference between precipitation and average precipitation. The difference may seem insignificant, but it is an important factor.
Meteorology is the mix of daily factors that result in rain or sun. For its part, the climate is the total of these factors in the long term, in periods of decades.
The 6 main elements of the climate
1- Precipitation
Precipitation is any form of water that falls on the ground from clouds. It can fall in a liquid or solid state, in the form of snow, hail or rain.
It is an element of the climate that, according to its frequency, determines the water levels in rivers and streams and affects the humidity of the environment in a given region.
2- Humidity
It is the amount of water vapor that the air of the atmosphere contains. The element of humidity in weather makes a day feel warmer and can be used to anticipate storms.
Humidity in the climate is the prolonged presence of water in the air that affects the ecosystem.
An example of this is tropical rainforests, which support different forms of life compared to deserts and arid climates. This is due to the amount of moisture that the rains bring and other factors.
3- Temperature
It is the measurement of the heat or cold of a region day by day. It is measured in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit, depending on the country.
Heat is the energy that the Sun radiates to Earth in the form of light. Clouds, water vapor, and atmospheric dust deflect half of that solar energy back into space. The rest is absorbed by the soil and water, and turns into heat.
Temperature is characterized by its variations during the day due to the rotation of the Earth, and during the seasons of the year by the translation of the Earth around the Sun.
4- Atmospheric pressure
It refers to the force exerted by the weight of the air on the ground. It varies vertically and its value decreases as altitude increases.
It is used primarily in meteorology to monitor storms that develop suddenly and seem to come out of nowhere.
The presence of large rivers and lakes is a primary element in changes in atmospheric pressure.
5- Meteorological phenomena
Tornadoes, hail storms, and fog are examples of difficult-to-predict weather events.
As elements of meteorology, these phenomena appear sporadic and are the result of a combination of specific circumstances.
Some regions have these phenomena as a characteristic of their climate. For example, the fog in London, or the tornadoes in "tornado alley" (tornado alley) in the American West.
6- Wind
Wind is the climatic element that carries heat and humidity to a region. The climate of an area is often determined by the properties of temperature and humidity.
The wind is studied in terms of its direction, speed and presence of gusts.
References
- RT Sutton (2000) The Elements of Climate Variability in the Tropical Atlantic Region. 12/07/2017. Sutton Et Al. Researchgate.net
- Chet Carrie (2014) What Are the Elements of Weather and Climate? 12/07/2017. Sciencing. sciencing.com
- Micael Ritter (2016) The elements of climate. 12/07/2017. The Physical Environment. earthoninemedia.com
- Editor (2016) Climatology as Related to Other Sciences. 12/07/2017. Integrated Publishing, Chapter 6- Climatology. meteorologytraining.tpub.com
- Editor (2017) What is climate? 12/07/2017. Basic Planet. basicplanet.com