When you have finished this section, try the Climates Quiz.

Climate is how hot or cold it is in a certain place over a long period of time. It differs from weather in that weather is a measure of how hot or cold it is over a short period of time.

Climate is affected by several factors:

• Latitude - How far a place is from the equator. The nearer a location is to the equator, the hotter it will tend to be and vice versa.
• Altitude - How high a place is above sea level. Places high above sea level are cooler than those near sea level.
• Oceans - Ocean waters don't change temperature as quickly as land areas do. Thus land near oceans is warmer in winter and cooler in summers.

Climates can vary not only in temperature but in how much precipitation the place receives. Precipitation is the amount of water in the form of rain, snow, sleet,etc. that falls from the sky. An area with little precipitation has a dry or arid climate.

There are three basic climate zones.

• Tropical climate zone. This is an area that falls between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. This area has hot climates all year long.
• Temperate Climate Zone - These areas are between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle and between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle. The climate in these areas is warm in the summer and cold in the winter.
• Polar Climate Zone - These areas are at either pole below the Antarctic Circle and above the Arctic Circle. The winters are very cold and the summers cool to cold.