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Climate is the set of atmospheric characteristics that define a region of the planet during the different seasons and throughout the year. There are different non-atmospheric factors that influence the configuration of the climate in an area. These are factors such as relief, altitude, latitude, continentality or vegetation. But, for example, what is really the influence of relief on climate?
In this Green Ecologist article, we talk in detail about how the relief influences the climate and other factors and elements that affect the climate of a region.
Climate and weather
Sometimes there is confusion between the concepts climate and time, but both refer to different time scales. With time we refer to the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place and it can vary with the passing of the hours and days, while the climate is an average of the meteorological time in a longer period of time and can be measured by different instruments.
The concept of climate has varied over the years, currently being considered as the system constituted by the components that exchange matter and energy and are directed by the sun's energy. Energy directs the climate, mobilizing all these components and is returned to outer space, maintaining equilibrium and constant temperature. When the climate of a certain area differs from that of the surrounding areas, we speak of topoclimate, but if this area is very small, we talk about microclimate.
The climate of a certain region strongly influences the vegetation and fauna of that region, since it plays a fundamental role in the physiological processes of organisms such as development, growth, health or pathological states. The human being, in turn, influences the climate by emitting chemicals and pollutants. Furthermore, the climate varies throughout different geological periods, which the science of climatology attempts to predict.
According the Köppen classification, exist 6 types of climates defined by temperature and pressure. These types are ordered geographically from the equator to the poles:
- Rainy tropical climates.
- Dry climates.
- Rainy temperate climates.
- Cold winter climates.
- Polar climates.
- High mountain climates.
How the relief affects the climate
Before the initial doubt of this article about how the relief influences the climateWe will explain it to you in this section below.
Specifically, the relief is related to the shape of the earth's surface or relief, like the presence of mountains. Relief influences temperature and precipitation patterns. For example, in the highest mountainous areas, the air masses when colliding with these bodies, rise and as a consequence the temperature decreases with altitude and the frequency of rains increases. When the air is saturated with water vapor, precipitation is generated and when passing through the mountain range, it loses moisture, generating drier climates.
You may be interested in learning more about this topic by looking at this example in which we explain why it doesn't rain in the Atacama desert.
Other elements and factors that influence the climate
The factors and elements that influence the climate They can be directly related to meteorological factors such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity or rainfall, but these factors are also influenced by non-meteorological factors, apart from the relief already explained, such as:
Latitude
Latitude refers to the distance between a certain point on the earth's surface and the Equator (an imaginary line that passes through the earth's center). Latitude is important because it determines the inclination with which the Sun's rays strike the Earth, determining factors such as the length of days and nights and the temperature of a certain region.
Altitude
Altitude is the distance between sea level (0 meters altitude) and a certain point on the earth's surface. Altitude influences atmospheric pressure, rainfall or temperature. The higher the altitude, the lower the atmospheric pressure and temperature, which is why the mountain peaks are covered in snow.
Continentality
The concept of continentality refers to the distance from a point to the sea. The sea acts as a thermal regulator that heats up and cools more slowly than the land surface. As a consequence, the regions closer to the sea have a more moderate and more stable temperature than those regions further from the sea. Also, they influence the humidity and amount of rainfall.
Ocean currents
Ocean currents consist of the displacement of large masses of water within the oceans. These currents take place due to differences in temperature between two points in the ocean. These bodies of water that move, warm or cool the air that circulates through the areas through which they pass and, therefore, influence humidity and atmospheric pressure.
Vegetation
Vegetation moderates temperature, filters solar radiation, produces humidity and modifies the rainfall of a region. For example, in this other article by Ecologist Verde you will be able to delve into this topic by discovering Why trees attract rain and, in this other, you will be able to know Why trees attract lightning.
If you want to read more articles similar to How the relief influences the climate, we recommend that you enter our category of Other environment.
