Question

Explain the factors affecting climate.

Answer 1

Instructions:

• It is a straight forward question.

Solution:

• Various factors that determine or control the climate of the region are:
• Latitude
• Altitude and relief
• Distance from the seas
• Land and water relationship
  • Latitude: At the equator, the intensity of the solar rays is very high, which makes the region very hot. But as we move away from the equator, towards the polar regions, the solar intensity gradually decreases, resulting in a cooler climate. So in this way, if a region lies in the tropical zone, it may experience a very hot and humid climate. However, as the region moves farther from the tropics, its climate will gradually become cooler and drier.
  • Altitude: Generally, as we move higher in altitude the temperature starts decreasing.
  • Distance from the seas: A region, which is closer to the sea, will have neither too hot nor too cold climate. However, if the region is farther from the sea, the moderating influence will start to decrease, and the region will experience extreme weather conditions
  • Land and water relationship: Land heats up and cools down faster than water. So, during the summer months, as the land heats up faster, it begins to develop a low-pressure zone on its surface. On the other hand, water tends to remain cooler than land and therefore it develops a high-pressure region on its surface. As a result, winds start to blow from the sea region towards the land. However, during the winter season, the direction of the winds will change. It will move from the land towards the sea and thereby affecting the local weather.