Factors that Influence Climate
Using the table above and the diagram on the following page to answer questions. Use the Number that
correlates to the description to answer or explain.
Factors that Influence Climate
Those that affect: TEMPERATURE
Those that affect: PRECIPITATION
1) Latitude – As latitude increases, the average
7) Latitude – Belts of low pressure centered at
yearly temperature decreases.
latitudes of 0 and 60 N and S produce generally
heavy precipitation. Belts of high pressure centered
at latitudes of 30 N and S produce dry climates;
sometimes even deserts.
2) Nearness to centers of large land masses –
8) Nearness to centers of large land masses –
Locations near the center of a large land mass Locations near the center of a large land mass tend to
tend to have wide ranges in temperatures,
have dry climates.
both between day and night and seasonally.
3) Nearness to large bodies of water – Large
9) Nearness to large bodies of water – Areas near
bodies of water have a “milding” effect on the large bodies of water tend to have higher than
temperatures of coastal areas producing low
average precipitation, especially areas on the leeward
ranges in temperature, both between day and side of the water.
night and seasonally.
4) Location relative to large mountain ranges –
10) Location relative to large mountain ranges –
Windward sides of mountain ranges are
Windward sides of mountains tend to receive higher
cooled while leeward side are warmed
than average precipitation while leeward sides
receive lower than average precipitation
5) Altitude (height above sea level) – As altitude 11) Prevailing wind direction – Wind direction
increases, the average yearly temperature
determine the windward (moist, lush and green) and
decreases.
leeward side (hot, dry and sunny) of both mountain
ranges and large bodies of water.
6) Ocean Currents – Ocean currents tend to
warm temperatures of eastern coastal areas
and cool temperatures of western coastal
areas.
Questions:
1. What two factors (#’s) would cause location F to have a colder yearly temperature than any other location?
_____, ______
2. What three factors (#’s) would cause location E to have the greatest annual precipitation? ______, ________,
_____
3. Which location, C or D, would you expect to have the greater annual precipitation? ________
a. What two numbers explain this? ______, _______
4. Which location, A or B, would you expect to have the greater range in temperature during the year? _______
a. What two numbers explain this? ______, _______
5. Location A is in the center of a large desert. What two factors (3’s) could account for its low annual
precipitation? ________, __________, ___________
6. What three factors (3’s) would cause location D to be cooler than at location B? ______, _______, _______
7. Which location, E or D, would be warmer? _______
a. What two numbers explain this? _________, __________
8. Which spot would have the coolest yearly temperature? _______
a. What two numbers explain this? ______, _______
9. Which location, E or A, would have more precipitation? _______
a. What four numbers explain this? ______, _______, _______, ________
Things you need to know about the Diagram
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The diagram represents an imaginary continent on the earth that is surrounded by water.
The arrows indicate the direction of the prevailing winds
Two large mountain ranges are also indicated with triangles
Points A, B and E are located at sea level
C and D are in the foothills of the mountain
F is high in the mountains.