Sesson 1: Defining Climate

Key Idea

The weather describes what the air is like outside on a certain day. It can be sunny, cloudy, rainy, or snowy. Weather can change quickly, from one day to the next.

Climate is different. It is the usual weather pattern a place has over many years. A place's climate tells people what kind of weather to expect during different seasons, year after year. For example, some places have a climate with warm summers and cold winters.

Key Idea

Over one year, a place experiences different seasons. For example, a place might have a warm part of the year and a cold part. Another place might have a rainy season and a dry season.

These seasons follow a predictable order. This order creates a yearly pattern that repeats. The same pattern of warm, cold, rainy, or dry times happens at about the same time each year in that specific location.

Key Idea

A place's location on Earth helps shape its long-term weather. This means the climate pattern is not the same everywhere. Some places are warm all year, while others have four distinct seasons, including cold winters.

For example, a desert has a hot and dry climate. A town near the North Pole has a very cold climate with lots of snow. These different climates show that the repeating cycle of weather changes depending on the location.