Title: Climate
Headings: 
Climate
Microclimates

Content: Although climate is much more stable than weather, and can seem to be unchanging in the context of human lifespans, if we look at the Earth's long geological history, we can see that climate has changed many times in the past. For example, the Earth has experienced warming and cooling periods throughout its history, as glaciers expanded and then retreated. Many parts of the world experienced considerably higher average temperatures in the period 1931-60 than they had probably had for hundreds of years. Factors that influence climate include distance from the equator (latitude), elevation (altitude), and distance from large bodies of water, proximity to mountain ranges, ocean currents, air currents and vegetation. In general, climate becomes warmer as you get closer to the equator, and it becomes colder as you move toward the poles. This is because the sun is at a higher angle in the sky above the equator and at a lower angle near the poles. In addition, ice near the poles has a high albedo. ( It reflects sunlight well.) Temperature tends to decrease with elevation because air becomes thinner at higher altitudes. Temperature decreases by about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit for every one thousand foot increase in height (6.5 degrees Celsius for every one thousand meter increase in height).