What Are the Differences Between Climate & Weather?
No human on Earth is immune from the effects of weather and climate changes. Tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards and floods are just some of the damaging results of weather, while climate changes can lead to mini Ice Ages like the that which occurred between 1450 to 1890 AD. Although used synonymously, climate and weather are not the same thing. Here are some differences between them.
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Time Frame
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Climate does not change from day to day. It is a long-range measure of an area's typical weather patterns, taking up to thirty years of data to refine. Weather, as most people are intimately aware of, can change many times in just a few days as warm and cold fronts travel through an area.
Changes
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Factors that change weather and climate vary. Weather is influenced by changes in air pressure and the presence of clouds and precipitation. Wind speed and direction can affect the outcome of different weather interactions. Climate changes because of the amount of heat the atmosphere holds, which can vary with atmospheric conditions.
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Effects of Change
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Weather usually affects a small area of the planet, and once a front passes through, normal conditions return relatively quickly. Climate changes can affect the entire planet for years, decades, or even centuries. At its most drastic, climate can influence the evolution of animals and plants and lead to mass extinctions.
Human Considerations
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How humans impact the climate and weather differ. The use of CFCs may not have an immediate impact on local weather but can lead to a proliferation of greenhouse gases, which can raise the average temperature of the entire planet. Localized acid rain is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.
Terminology
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Weather often helps to identify particular locations. For example, Chicago is the 'windy' city, Florida is the Sunshine State, and Tennessee boasts the Smoky Mountains. On the other hand, no one place can be defined by climate. There are temperate areas and tropical areas, but they vary globally.
Predictions
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The process of predicting climate and weather differs. To predict weather, meteorologists look at wind speed/direction, temperature, and precipitation in the atmosphere. Data is gathered from weather stations across an area, and forecasters measure only one to three weeks into the future. Climatologists measure the movement of the ocean, how much sunlight is reaching the Earth, and the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They can predict climate decades into the future.
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