Explain how the following factors influence climate i) Altitude ii) Continentality iii) Ocean currents
Answer Text: i) - Temperature decreases with increasing height above sea level. This is because atmospheric air at low altitude is denser than high above. Heat loss is greater at high altitude than at lower altitude - Rise in altitude cause fall in temperature and a cooling effect that causes condensation of moisture in the air. This leads to precipitation forming at high altitude - Atmospheric pressure is higher at low altitude and lower at high altitude. This is because the weight of the atmospheric air at low altitude is more than at high altitude ii) In summer, coastlands are relatively cooler than in land areas. This is because the winds bring the cooling effect of the sea to the land, by the time winds reach inland they are heated by warm land resulting in higher temperature over the interior of the land In winter the onshore winds bring the warming effect of the sea into the land causing a rise in temperature. By the time these winds reach the interior of the land, they are cooled by cold land thus enhancing the low temperature Onshore winds cause a lot of rain in the coastal areas throughout the year. This is because the wind picks up moisture over the sea and drop it on the nearby land. The continental interiors receive less rain, mainly in summer, because the winds have dropped most of the moisture in the coastal lands iii) Ocean currents - Cold ocean currents bring about the cooling effect in the temperature - Also bring a dry effect because the cold air is not able to rise Warm ocean currents - Bring a warm effect (rise in temperature) - Heavy rainfall because the warm air is able to rise and condense to form
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