Climate

weather · earth science · long-term patterns · geography

Measuring over time. Climate is not just today's weather. Scientists average weather patterns over 30 years to figure out a region's true climate, because weather changes day to day but climate stays fairly steady.

More than temperature. Climate includes temperature, humidity, wind, atmospheric pressure, and precipitation. All these measurements together paint a complete picture of what a place is really like.

Location matters most. Where you live on Earth determines your climate. Latitude (how far north or south you are), altitude (how high up), nearby oceans and their currents, and even the shape of the land all shape what kind of climate a region has.

Everything is connected. Climate involves the atmosphere, oceans, ice sheets, land, and all living things working together. When one part changes, it can affect all the others.

Long-term patterns. Climate can be measured over months, years, decades, or even millions of years. This helps scientists see huge patterns that happen over Earth's entire history.