WEATHER AND CLIMATE

EXPLANATION

NOTES FOR CLASS

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

WEATHER is the conditions right here, right now. Look out of the window and you will see what the weather is like today. It might be sunny, hot, windy or cloudy, raining or snowing.

The weather takes into account the temperature, precipitation, humidity and atmospheric pressure, of the part of atmosphere (air) closest to the surface of the Earth.

The weather is constantly changing as temperature and humidity change in the atmosphere. Landmasses, such as the British Isles, experience constantly changing weather conditions.

CLIMATE is the average weather conditions – temperature, pressure, precipitation and humidity- expected for a certain place. Climate is based on the average weather experienced over 30 years or more.

Climate refers to what is expected to happen in the atmosphere rather than the actual conditions. So it is possible for the weather today to be different from that suggested by the climate.