Climate and Weather Patterns Quiz

Climate: Statistics of Weather Conditions in a Given Region over Long Periods

• Climate is the long-term weather pattern in a region, typically averaged over 30 years.
• Climatic variables measured include temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, and precipitation.
• Climate is determined by latitude, longitude, terrain, altitude, land use, nearby water bodies, and their currents.
• Climate can be classified by temperature and precipitation, with the most widely used classification scheme being the Köppen climate classification.
• Paleoclimatology is the study of ancient climates using proxy variables such as sediments, tree rings, and coral.
• Climate models are mathematical models of past, present, and future climates.
• Climate change may occur over long and short timescales from various factors.
• Climate classifications are systems that categorize the world's climates, with the Köppen climate classification scheme being one of the most used.
• The modern climate record is known through the taking of measurements from weather instruments such as thermometers, barometers, and anemometers.
• Climate variability describes variations in the mean state and other characteristics of climate.
• Climate change is the variation in global or regional climates over time and can be caused by processes internal to the Earth, external forces, or human activities.
• Climate models use quantitative methods to simulate the interactions and transfer of radiative energy between the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and ice through a series of physics equations.