The Climates of Canada

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The Climates of Canada
What creates different climates in Canada and
what impact does climate have on human activity?
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(No Transcript)
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• Weather the state of the atmosphere at any given
  moment in time

• CLIMATE the temperatures, humidity,
  precipitation and atmospheric conditions of a
  region over long periods of times.

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Do you know....

• 1. What was the lowest recorded temperature in
  Canada?
• 2. The highest recorded temperature in Canada?

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Climate Regions of Canada
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Six Factors Affecting Climate

• 1. Latitude
• 2. Altitude
• 3. Distance from the Sea
• 4. Wind Direction
• 5. Ocean Currents
• 6. Precipitation

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Latitude

• Lines extending east and west around the earth
  and measure the distance north and south of the
  Equator (0 degrees)

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Latitude

• because the Earth is tilted on its axis, the sun
  heats it unevenly
• Areas closest to the equator (tropical and
  subtropical zones) get more direct sunlight all
  year
• Areas farther from the equator (temperate and
  polar zones) get less direct sunlight
• the number of hours of sunlight per day changes a
  great deal throughout the year

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Latitude
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Altitude

• The higher the altitude, the colder the
  temperature
• 150m rise in altitude 1 degree drop in
  temperature

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Distance from the Sea

• the surface of land heats and cools more quickly
  than water

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Distance from the Sea

• The surface of land heats and cools more quickly
  then the surface of water
• large landmasses can vary between temperature
  extremes
• Summer and winter temperatures on the West Coast
  are moderated by the water

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Wind Direction

• Depending on their point of origin, winds can
  warm or cool the temperature

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Wind Direction

• In Canada, prevailing winds (those that usually
  come from one direction) most often come from the
  west, or from the north
• West Coast communities are unique in Canada with
  winter temperatures above freezing. They have the
  mildest winter temperatures as a result of warm
  westerly winds coming off the ocean.

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Ocean Currents

• affect temperature by warming or cooling the air

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Ocean Currents

• Ocean currents are either warm or cold, depending
  on their origin
• Affect temperature of land by warming or heating
  the air blowing over them
• Warm air can hold more water than cold air this
  is why West Coast has a mild, wet climate

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Precipitation

• drizzle, showers, heavy rain, hail, snow, or
  fog - all have an impact on the location they
  fall

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Precipitation

• the amount of precipitation a location receives
  depends on its distance from the sea and the
  prevailing winds
• Western Canada experiences three types
  orographic, convection, and frontal

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• Frontal - rain attached to a cold front, which is
  a weather system that can produce large amounts
  of rain and strong winds. The most common kind of
  rain.
• Orographic - caused when masses of air pushed
  by wind are forced up the side of elevated land
  formations, such as large mountains
• Convection - Caused by the heat of the sun. Most
  likely to occur on a hot and humid day. Can
  produce large amounts of rainfall in very short
  periods of time.

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Question to Answer

• Which one of the five conditions affecting
  temperature do you think has the greatest impact
  on Victoria and why? Explain your reasoning with
  supporting details. (Minimum 4 sentences)