How Does Latitude Affect Temperature?

What Is Latitude?

Latitude, along with longitude, is used to specify absolute location on earth. Lines of latitude run east and west, circling the globe. Latitude is measured by the number of degrees formed by the angle from the equator to the center of the Earth and from the center of the Earth to the location you are defining. More precise measurements also use minutes and seconds as subunits. There are 60 minutes per degree and 60 seconds per minute The north and south poles are 90 degrees north and south, respectively.

How Does Latitude Affect Temperature?

The amount of direct sunlight that reaches different parts of the Earth varies because the Earth is round. For example, if you were to hold a basketball up in front of a flashlight, the portion of the basketball that is closer to the light will be brighter than the top and bottom because those parts only get indirect light from the flashlight. If you were to hold up a sheet of paper, the light would be more evenly spread out. When the light comes from the sun, there is also solar radiation, which increases the temperature on the Earth so that regions around the Equator are warmer than the North and South Poles.

The Tropic of Cancer, at the latitude of 23.5 degrees north, and the Tropic of Capricorn, at the latitude of 23.5 degrees south, mark the region where the sun appears directly overhead for at least a fraction of the year. This is significant because that means the area experiences direct sunlight, which increases temperatures more than indirect sunlight. If you live north of the Tropic of Cancer or south of the Tropic of Capricorn, you do not receive direct sunlight at any point during the year.

Temperature Variations

Climate is based on many factors in addition to latitude, so that while latitude is a good predictor of a location's average temperature, it is not the only factor to take into consideration. The higher a location's elevation is, the lower its temperature will be. In addition, for coastal areas the temperatures will usually be cooler because the water acts as a heat sink. Areas that have heavy vegetation, like forests, will be cooler than deserts because the sand absorbs the heat energy.

Seasons

The Earth experiences seasons because it tilts on its vertical axis. When the United States experiences summer, it is because the Earth has tilted so that the North Pole has tilted toward the sun. This means the United States is closer to receiving direct sunlight and therefore has more solar radiation. During winter, the Earth has tilted so that the North Pole is away from the sun and therefore receives less.

References

• Latitude and Longitude
• Global Temperature
• Latitude Affects Temperature