Name ____________________________________________ Lab

ES2101

What Factors Control Your Local Climate?

Purpose
You will gain an understanding about the factors that control local climate. You will distinguish
the degree of influence that various climate control factors have on local climates by examining
climate data for several pairs of cities. By comparing the climates of different locations, you will
see that some climate control factors exert greater influence on local climate than others. You
will then develop a more complete knowledge of your local climate by reviewing published
climate data for the Ashburn area. You will examine maps and other sources of climate
information to determine which factors have the most influence on your local climate.

Materials
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Background
The factors that control local climate include latitude, elevation, nearby water, ocean currents,
topography, prevailing winds, and vegetation. Elevation and latitude are generally the most
obvious factors influencing loval climate. Large bodies of nearby water, particularly oceans, also
play major roles in controlling local climate. The degree of influence that topography, prevailing
winds, and vegetation have on local climate is generally more subtle than other factors. The local
climates of several paired groups of cities are compared as a way to highlight how specific control
factors influence climate. By looking at the most variable climate control factor(s) between each
of the paired cities, you will be able to see which climate control factors are the most influential.

Procedure A
1. Why might one place have cold, snowy winters, while it rarely snows at another place only a
hundred miles away?

2. Provide a justification for each factor you indicated as having major influence on the climates of
Phoenix, AZ and Flagstaff, AZ.

I hereby declare upon my word of honor that I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on
this work.

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ES2101
3. Summarize the major differences in climate between Boston, MA and North Bend, OR.

4. Provide a justification for each factor you indicated as having major influence on the climates of
Boston, MA and North Bend, OR.

5. Summarize the major differences in climate between Fargo, ND and Dallas, TX.

6. Provide a justification for each factor you indicated as having major influence on the climates of
Fargo, ND and Dallas, TX.

7. In the space below, write a description of the local climate in Ashburn, VA. Discuss
characteristics such as timing and types of precipitation you receive, minimum and maximum
temperatures and their timing, and any other aspects you think most accurately describe your
local climate.

8. Describe how each of the climate control factors in Data Table 2 influences your local climate.

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DATA TABLE 1: COMPARATIVE CLIMATES
PHOENI FLAGSTAF BOSTO NORT FARG DALLA ASHBUR
X F N H O S N
BEND
Locational Elevation
Information (ft)
Latitude

Longitud
e

Temperatur Jan/July
e (max)
Maximu
m

Temperatur Jan/July
e (min)
Minimum

Precipitation Jan/July
(rain)
Average

Precipitation Jan/July
(snow)
Average

DATA TABLE 2: RATING THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE CONTROL FACTORS ON LOCAL

CLIMATE
Climate Control Phoenix Flagstaff Boston North Fargo Dallas Ashburn
Factors Bend
Latitude
Elevation
Water
Ocean Current
Topography
Prevailing Winds
Vegetation
Key: Major = major influence m = minor influence

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Name ____________________________________________ Lab
ES2101