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What is climate?
www.esrl.noaa.gov
Ice Ages
• Earth naturally fluctuates between ice
ages and interglacial periods
• ICE AGE- an era of cooler than normal
global temperatures
• INTERGLACIAL PERIOD- era of warmer
than normal temps.
• Scientists claim the next ice age is 50,000
years away
Other Factors- Astronomy
• Milankovitch Cycles: Flux in Earth’s orbit
and Earth’s axis over long time periods
What We Know- Facts
• Earth’s climate HAS changed many times
over time naturally
• Our climate IS changing right NOW, but
it’s different than ever documented before
– WHY????
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NYC Climate Facts
• Warmest months: June, July, August
• Consistently around 100 mm precip/month
• Coldest months: Dec, Jan, Feb.
• Coastal City (Atlantic Ocean)
• N. Hemisphere: 40.7° N
• Elevation: sea level (0)
Practice- NYC vs. Sydney
Sydney, Australia
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Sydney Climate Facts:
• Warmest months: Dec., Jan, Feb
• Coldest months: May, June, July, Aug
• Precipitation averages to ~100 mm/month
• Coastal city
• Southern Hemisphere: 34° S
• Elevation: sea level
Which factor?
• Latitude?
• Altitude?
• Distance to Body of Water?
• Ocean Currents?
• Topography?
• Prevailing Winds?
City Pairs
• Chico, CA vs. Reno, NV
• Norfolk, VA vs. San Francisco, CA
• Estes Park, CO vs. Lincoln, NE
• Boston, MA vs. Minneapolis, MN