Climate elements and factors

We start explaining What is the weather and the types that we can find. To do this, we must first clarify the difference between time (or meteorology) and climate. And, while with The weather We refer to the state of the atmosphere in a specific place and moment, with The weather We refer to an average or characteristic state of the atmosphere in a given area; for which a more or less dilated period of time has been taken into account. Therefore, the climate are the characteristic or medium atmospheric conditions of a given place. We recommend you read this other article about the difference between weather and time.

The climatic elements and factors That we will see in the following sections, are the ones that make us have different weather conditions and, therefore, a wide variety of climates throughout the globe. The different climates that exist are:

• Interopical climates: Within which we have equatorial climates, dry tropical climates, humid tropical climates, monzone climates and dry climates. Here we tell you everything about what the tropical climate and its characteristics are.
• Temperate climates: among which we can find the Mediterranean climate, ocean climate and the continental climate. In this other post you can learn more about what Mediterranean temperate climate is.
• Polar climates: The two types of polar climates are the climate of tundra and the glacial climate.
• Mountain climates.

The climate elements or climatic elements They are the Atmospheric phenomena o Properties of the atmosphere that determine the climate of a certain place for a representative period of time (at least 30 years). Next, we explain what the elements of the weather are:

Precipitation

It is the amount of water fallen to the ground in the form of rain, snow, hail, dew, etc. It occurs when the atmosphere can no longer retain more water, which is condensed and then, if the necessary conditions are given, precipitate. In this other post you can find the different types of rainfall.

Temperature

With the temperature we refer to the measure of heat energy of the air at a specific time and place. Celsius (ºC) and also in degrees Fahrenheit (ºF) are usually measured in degrees.

Atmospheric pressure

It is the weight exerted by the air of the atmosphere on the earth’s surface. Therefore, atmospheric pressure will be less the higher the height. The Atmospheric Pressure Unit is the Passcalls (PA).

Wind

The wind is the air of the moving atmosphere. This movement is made from high pressures to low pressures. From the wind we measure its speed in meters per second (m/s) or in knots (KT) and its direction in degrees from the north.

We recommend this other article on winds in Spain.

Humidity

It is the amount of water that contains the air. We talk about absolute humidity to refer to the total amount that contains a certain volume of air and is measured in grams per cubic meter (g/m3). We can also express the amount of water vapor that the air contains with respect to the amount of water vapor that could contain for a certain temperature; We speak of relative humidity, which is expressed in percent (%).

In this link you can learn more about what is the importance of atmospheric humidity.

Insolation

Insolation is the amount of sunny hours that are over a day. It is interesting to keep in mind that the land rotation axis causes them to have a greater or lesser number of hours of sun based on latitude and season of the year.

Cloudiness

It is the sky part that is covered by clouds in a certain place. To do this, the celestial vault is mentally divided into 8 equal parts. The cloudiness will be, for example, 4 octas (4/8) if it has the same amount of clouds as of clear sky or 8 octas (8/8) if it is completely covered with clouds. You can also measure the total number of days covered a year.

To learn more about cloudiness, here you can read about how clouds and different types of clouds are formed.

Evaporation

It is the physical phenomenon by which liquid water is transformed into steam at room temperature. It depends on the other elements of the climate that is greater or lesser evaporation. If you are interested in discovering more about this weather element, here we talk about what is evaporation of water and examples.

The Climate factors or climatic factors These are the circumstances that make up the different types of climate. They are the following.

Latitude

It is the distance in degrees (or angular distance) that are from any point located on the earth’s surface to Ecuador. A lower latitude will be insolation and less the variation in the duration of the days, so the temperatures will be warmer. The otherwise the opposite occurs.

Atmospheric general circulation

Another of the factors that influence the weather It is the situation with respect to the general atmospheric circulation. With this we mean that there are different regimes of planetary winds with different characteristics that come from one or another direction according to the region in which we are:

• Alisios winds occur in low latitudes.
• As we ascend in latitude we find the winds of the West.
• Finally, we have the polar winds in the high latitudes.

Altitude

It is the vertical distance from sea level to a point on the surface of the earth. The altitude mainly affects the atmospheric pressure and the temperature, since by increasing the altitude the pressure is lower and the temperature is also decreased.

Orography or relief

When an air mass runs with mountains, they constitute a real barrier to their movement. Therefore, the mass of air is forced to ascend, which cools and saturates the water vapor it contained, causing rainfall on the hillside (that is, the slope exposed to that mass of air). On the other hand, on the opposite slope or the cassock slope there is no precipitation and, in addition, the air is heated when descending again, so the characteristics of the initial air mass change completely.

Perhaps you may be interested in reading this other article on how the relief in the weather influences.

Continentity

Continentity refers to the distance to the sea to which a certain point of the earth’s surface is located. The sea has a thermoregulator effect, that is, it softens temperatures. Thus, the further we are from the sea, there will be a greater contrast or difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures.

Sea currents

They are large masses of water present in the oceans that are responsible for distributing the heat of the intertropical zone towards the rest of the planet, traveling for it great distances. Some are, therefore, warm, but there are also cold sea currents.

Thanks to the well -known Gulf current The climates in northern Europe are warmer than they would correspond to them. We also have the famous and cold current of Humboldt that brings nutrients to the fishing of Peru and is the cause of the coastal deserts that occur there.

Seen all this, would you know how to say What is the difference between the elements and the climate factors?

On the one hand, the fundamental difference is that the climatic elements are the phenomena that constitute the climates, that is, they are those characteristics that define them. On the other hand, the climate factors are the set of causes or the agents that condition them, that is, the climate factors respond to the reason are like that.

Finally, we leave you a list of the different Meteorological instruments that they take care of Measure the different elements of the weather explained above:

• Pluviometer and pluviographer to measure precipitation.
• Thermometer and thermograph to measure the temperature.
• Barometer to measure atmospheric pressure.
• Anemometer and weather vane to measure the speed and wind direction.
• Hygrometer and psychrometer to measure the humidity and relative humidity of the air.
• Heliograph to measure insolation.
• Nefobasimeter or ceilometer to measure cloudiness.
• Evaporimeter and evapoimetric tank to measure evaporation.

If you want to read more articles similar to Climate elements and factorswe recommend that you enter our category of other environment.