How does zones of latitude affect climate

Therefore, the coastal regions will stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter, thus creating a more moderate climate with a narrower temperature range.

Altitude or height above sea level — Locations at a higher altitude have colder temperatures. This means that coastal locations tend to be cooler in summer and warmer in winter than places inland at the same latitude and altitude. How does latitude affect climate? Places with latitudes closer to the Equator have hotter climates. Places with latitudes closer to the Poles have colder climates. The most important factor is latitude because different latitudes receive different amounts of solar radiation.

The maximum annual temperature of the Earth, showing a roughly gradual temperature gradient from the low to the high latitudes. The polar regions receive the least solar radiation. Latitude affects the amount of solar radiation a place receives. The amount of solar radiation a place receives is greatest at the Equator and lessens toward the poles. Latitude is not the only factor that determines the temperature of a region.

Latitude and Altitude Latitude, or how far one is from the equator, greatly affects the climate and weather of an area. This is a region of generally warm temperatures and lush tropical vegetation. These regions experience moderate temperatures and large temperature variations. The summers are hot and the winters cool.

In these regions, temperatures are cold and vegetation sparse. Do Seasonal Temperatures Exist on Saturn? Saturn's Temperature Ranges.

Sun Intensity vs. What Is the Shape of Earth's Orbit? Where Are the Temperate Zones Located? What Is Solar Altitude? How Many Hours of Daylight in Summer? Which Planets Have No Seasons? Factors That Affect the Tundra's Climate. How Does Wind Affect Weather? S coast, and from there to the British Isles. The Gulf of Mexico has higher air temperatures than Britain as it is closer to the equator. This means that the air coming from the Gulf of Mexico to Britain is also warm.

However, the air is also quite moist as it travels over the Atlantic ocean. This is one reason why Britain often receives wet weather.

The Gulf Stream keeps the west coast of Europe free from ice in the winter and, in the summer, warmer than other places of a similar latitude. Winds that blow from the sea often bring rain to the coast and dry weather to inland areas. Winds that blow to Britain from warm inland areas such as Africa will be warm and dry. Winds that blow to Britain from inland areas such as central Europe will be cold and dry in winter. Britain's prevailing i. These winds are cool in the summer, mild in the winter and tend to bring wet weather.

Climate can be affected by mountains. Mountains receive more rainfall than low lying areas because as air is forced over the higher ground it cools, causing moist air to condense and fall out as rainfall. The higher the place is above sea level the colder it will be.

This happens because as altitude increases, air becomes thinner and is less able to absorb and retain heat. That is why you may see snow on the top of mountains all year round. The distance from the equator affects the climate of a place.

At the poles, energy from the sun reaches the Earth's surface at lower angles and passes through a thicker layer of atmosphere than at the equator. This means the climate is cooler further from the Equator.

The poles also experience the greatest difference between summer and winter day lengths: in the summer there is a period when the sun does not set at the poles; conversely the poles also experience a period of total darkness during winter. In contrast, daylength varies little at the equator.

The warmer water pumps energy and moisture into the atmosphere, altering global wind and rainfall patterns. The phenomenon has caused tornadoes in Florida, smog in Indonesia, and forest fires in Brazil. The factors above affect the climate naturally.