Climates

The pattern of weather conditions in an area over a long period of time is called its climate. Yearly average temperature and precipitation create climate type. Tropical climates are found near the equator. They are always warm. More than 100 inches (254 cm) of rain may fall every year. Farther north and south of the equator are temperate and dry climates. Warm temperate places have hot summers and mild, rainy winters. Cool temperate places have warm summers and cold winters with snow. Arid, or dry, climates are the driest. They include areas where just enough rain falls for grass to grow, and deserts, where few plants grow. Mountainous areas have highland climates. They are cold high on the peaks and warmer toward the mountain bases. Polar climates are the coldest. They have long, dark winters and cool summers. They get little or no precipitation.

This organizer is called a compare/contrast chart. In this chart, world climates are compared for the features in the left column, which are temperature, precipitation, and usual weather.View Larger Image

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