7th Grade Geography Chap. 3

The condition of the atmosphere in one place during a limited period of time.

The weather patterns that an area typically experiences over a long period of time.

An imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole through the planet's center.

The measure of how hot or cold a place is.

The path that the earth takes around the sun.  (Or any body makes around another.)

The day when there is an equal amount of day as there is night.

A line of latitude that is 23 1/2 degrees North.  It gets the sun's direct rays about June 21 which is the Northern Hemisphere's longest day of the year.

June 21st, the first day of summer and the longest day of sunlight in the year.

A line of latitude found in the Southern hemisphere located at 23 1/2 degrees south.  When the sun hits this most directly the Southern hemisphere has its longest sunlight hours of the year.  Dec. 22
It is the northern hemisphere's shortest hours of sunlight.

When Earth's atmosphere traps some heat and keeps it from escaping back into space giving the Earth needed heat.

A rise in the atmospheric CO2 levels along with a general rise in global temperatures.  Mainly caused by pollution.

A latitude zone between 30 degrees south and 30 degrees north containing the Tropic of Capricorn, the equator, and the Tropic of Cancer.  They have the warmest temperatures and receive the suns most direct rays year around.

The Earth's polar areas stretching from 60 degrees north to 90 degrees North and 60 deg. south and 90 deg. south.

The area north of 66 deg north latitude that experiences daylight or twilight from March 21 to September 23.

The polar area south of 66 1/2 degrees south that experiences continuous daylight of twilight for the other 6 months of the year.

The most variable weather on Earth is found here between 30 deg. North and 60 deg. north in the Northern hemisphere and 30 deg. south and 60 deg. south in the southern hemisphere.
The area having 4 seasons.

The typical movement of moving air patterns where tropical air moves toward the poles and polar air moves toward the equator.

The phenomenon where prevailing winds blow diagonally rather than along strict north-south or east-west directions.

Global winds at the equator that are diverted north and south leaving a narrow, generally windless band.

Cold and warm streams of water that move through the oceans.

The periodic change int he pattern of ocean currents, water temperatures, and weather in the mid-Pacific region.Usually it causes trade winds to diminish or even reverse direction which ultimately influences climates around the world.

The side of the mountain range facing the wind where rising air cools and releases most of its moisture as precipitation.

The opposite side of the mountain from the windward side where winds become warmer and drier as they descent.

The hot dry air that produces little or no precipitation on the leeward side of the mountain causing dry areas and even deserts.

The plant life that grows in an area where the natural environment is unchanged by human activity.

Trees, most of which are evergreens and have cones.

Trees, most of which are broad leaf, change color, and drop their leaves in autumn.

Climates that are hot and wet throughout the year with an average temperature of 80 degrees.  The warm humid air produces rain almost daily.

Climates with dry winters and wet summers accompanied by high year-round temperatures. They have clumps of course grass and fewer trees.

Exist in low-latitude and midlatitude areas.  They are dry with sparse plant life and yearly rainfall seldom exceeding 10 in.  Temperatures vary widely from the heat of the day to the cool of the night and from season to season.

Wide, grassy plains of Eurasia; also, similar semiarid climate regions elsewhere.

Western coastlines - between 30 deg. north and 60 deg. north and 30 deg south and 60 deg. south, where ocean winds bring cool summers and cool damp winters.

Lands by the Mediterranean Sea with mild, rainy winters and hot, sunny summers.  Vegetation includes thickest of woody bushes and short trees.

In southeaster U.S. climate with short, mild winters and nearly year-round rain.  The wind patterns and high pressure related to nearby oceans keep humidity level high.

An area in the northern hemisphere where landforms influence climate more than winds, precipitation, or ocean temp.  The farther north the longer and more severe the snowy winters and cooler the summers.  Vegetation is similar to marine west coast.

South of the Arctic Circle winters are bitterly cold, and summers are short and cool.  These areas have the world's widest temperature ranges from winter to summer as much as 120 degrees.  It has a brief summer growing season.

Close to the Poles the climate has winter darkness and bitter cold lasting several months, and sun's indirect rays during long summer days with limited warming effects.  There is mostly low bushes and very short grasses.