Climate

The climate of a place is the general condition of the atmosphere in that place over a long period of time. For example the climate in the Sahara desert can be described as hot and dry because these are the general conditions you can expect there.

Climate must not be confused with weather. Weather is the condition of the atmosphere in a place at a particular time. Weather can change very quickly. It can be sunny in the morning and rainy in the afternoon.

The climate of an area is usually stable. This means that it does not change much as time passes. For example, twenty years from now we can expect that the climate in the Sahara desert will still be hot and dry. In order to understand the climate of an area we must study the weather patterns in that area for many years.

One of the major factors that affects the climate of an area is its latitude. Places close to the equator tend to have warmer climates. Places farther away from the equator have cooler climates. The places which are farthest from the equator have the coldest climates.