Whereas weather refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere, climate describes
what the weather is like over a long period of time in a specific area. Different regions
can have different climates.
If you’ve ever heard your local weathercaster say, “We just hit a record high for
this day,” he or she is comparing the day’s weather with your location’s climate.
Death Valley, Calif. hits 134
degrees F in 1913, setting U.S. record
Weather can change quickly, from one moment to the next and over short
distances. It can be raining one minute, and snowing the next. It can be pouring
on one side of town and sunny on the other.
A tornado churns up dust in the sunset near Traer, Iowa. (Brad Goddard -NOAA)
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Climate, on the other hand, changes more slowly. That’s why we come to
expect, for example, that the Northeast will be cold and snowy in January and
that the South will be hot and humid in July. Also, climate generally doesn’t vary
much over short distances, except in the mountains.
Part of NOAA’s mission is to build a Weather-Ready Nation—ensuring
communities and businesses are prepared to for extreme weather, water, and
climate-related events.
Whether it’s a hurricane, a crippling snowstorm, or a multi-year drought, weather
and climate affect communities and businesses across the United States.
NOAA’s National Weather Service is the nation’s lead forecasting agency, its first
line of defense to ensure Americans can take steps to protect life and property.
NOAA’s NWS provides around-the-clock service to every American through our
network of 122 local weather forecast offices and numerous regional centers
that keep tabs on weather, fire, river, coast and ocean conditions. Our
forecasters rely on a network of radars, satellites, ocean buoys, weather
balloons, other observations, and supercomputers to provide timely, accurate,
and reliable forecasts. They also issue critical watches and warnings before
extreme weather strikes.
Though the weather of an area can change daily, when seen in longer
periods, a general pattern of climate emerges. For example, though it may
rain on some days in the tropics and on others in the desert, rainfall is
greater and more constant in the former than the latter. These annual
weather patterns classify the world into six major climate regions.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)
The six major climate regions are polar, temperate, arid, tropical,
Mediterranean and tundra.
Polar Chill
Polar climates are very cold and dry throughout the year. They encompass
the South Pole, the extreme northern latitudes and the interior of
Greenland. Plant life is non-existent except for some algae, while the few
animal species include polar bears, killer whales, seals and penguins.
Temperate Regions
The temperate region experiences cold winters and mild summers, and
covers much of North America, Europe and the northern parts of Asia.
Temperate forests grow in soil fertilized by leaf litter, producing a rich
diversity of plants like oak, maple, elm and willow, and animals like deer,
bear, rabbits, squirrels and birds. Temperate grasslands are dominated by
flowering grasses, and are populated by such fauna as lions, wolves, zebras,
foxes, snakes and deer.
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Arid Zones
Arid zones are hot and dry all year and include the deserts of North Africa
and central Asia, the southwest United States, and inland Australia. The
coarse soil contains little surface water and supports mostly shrubs and
short, woody trees. Animal life includes birds, reptiles, insects, rodents and
small carnivores.
Damp Tropical Regions
The tropical region is hot and wet, covering the jungles of South America
and Africa, Southeast Asia and the islands of the Pacific. This area
contains the greatest diversity of plant and animal life. Tropical forests
experience about 12 hours of daylight daily, with only a rainy and dry
season. They can contain 100 different tree species in a half-mile square,
with small fauna like birds, bats, insects and small mammals.
The Mild Mediterranean
A Mediterranean climate shows mild winters and hot, dry summers, and
includes the land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, Southern South
America and Southern California. Plants are typically shrubby and less than
three feet tall, populated by small, nocturnal animals like geckos, snakes
and rodents, which are hunted by raptors like hawks.
The Cold Tundra
The tundra is very cold all year and covers the tops of mountains, the
northern extremes of North America and Asia, and the southern coast of
Greenland. Though plant life may be numerous, it grows low to the ground
and includes grasses and shrubs. Animal populations, which expand and
shrink radically depending on the season, include caribou, squirrels, foxes,
wolves, bears, and migratory birds
