When you’re sweating it out on a hot, humid day, you can blame the weather. But what if the summer days where you live are hot and humid year after year? Then climate is to blame.
Climate is a term for the average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time. Take a look at some steamy rain forests near the equator. They get soaked by about 160 inches of rain per year – every year. (That’s more than 13 feet!) But in Las Vegas, Nevada, the average rainfall each year is around four inches. Year after year in Antarctica, temperatures stay low all year round. They average –50°F! However, in Montreal, Canada, the average temperature in January is 16°F. In July, it’s 72°F!
Around the world, climates are very different. So, scientists divide the Earth into climate zones. Places in a given zone have certain things in common, like extremely low temperatures or very high rainfall. However, conditions in one climate zone aren’t exactly the same all over it. Find your climate zone on the map below. (You may need to look at a map that shows countries and states to help you zoom in on where you live.) Does the description match your average weather? What other places in the world are in your climate zone?
Climate touches on many parts of your life. It affects the clothes you buy, the outdoor sports you play, and which plants and animals live near you.