Key TermsClimate

Climatologist

Latitude

Weather

Climate is the long-term (usually at least 30 years) weather average for a particular area. Like weather, it is described by temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind and other conditions.

The climate of the Arctic, for example, could be described as cold with little precipitation; the summer climate in Florida is very humid; and the northeastern United States often has heavy winter snowstorms.

Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place.

Conversions: 1 inch = 2.54cm

Polar < 10°C Mostly belowfreezing (0°C)

Very little; usuallyfalls as snow

Long cold winters

Climate Graphfor Place

Climate Reasoning Graph based ondata from

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Hilo, HI

Phoenix, AZ

Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN