Climate, the long-term effect of the sun's radiation on the rotating earth's varied surface and atmosphere.

It can be understood most easily in terms of annual or seasonal averages of temperature and precipitation. The word climate comes from the Greek klima, referring to the inclination of the sun. Besides the effects of solar radiation and its variations, however, climate is also influenced by the complex structure and composition of the atmosphere and by the ways in which it and the ocean transport heat. Thus, for any given area on earth, not only the latitude (the sun's inclination) must be considered but also the elevation, terrain, distance from the ocean, relation to mountain systems and lakes, and other such influences. Another consideration is scale: A macroclimate refers to a broad region, a mesoclimate to a small district, and a microclimate to a minute area. A microclimate, for example, can be specified that is good for growing plants underneath large shade trees. Climate is how hot or cold it is in a certain place over a long period of time. It differs from weather in that weather is a measure of how hot or cold it is over a short period of time. Climate is affected by several factors:

Latitude - How far a place is from the equator. The nearer a location is to the equator, the hotter it will tend to be and vice versa. Altitude - How high a place is above sea level. Places high above sea level are cooler than those near sea level. Oceans - Ocean waters don't change temperature as quickly as land areas do. Thus land near oceans is warmer in winter and cooler in summers.

Climates can vary not only in temperature but in how much precipitation the place receives. Precipitation is the amount of water in the form of rain, snow, sleet,etc. that falls from the sky. An area with little precipitation has a dry or arid climate.

There are three basic climate zones.

Tropical climate zone. This is an area that falls between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. This area has hot climates all year long. Temperate Climate Zone - These areas are between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle and between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle. The climate in these areas is warm in the summer and cold in the winter. Polar Climate Zone - These areas are at either pole below the Antarctic Circle and above the Arctic Circle. The winters are very cold and the summers cool to cold.

Weather, state of the atmosphere at a particular time and place. The elements of weather include temperature, humidity, cloudiness, precipitation, wind, and pressure. These elements are organized into various weather systems, such as monsoons, areas of high and low pressure, thunderstorms, and tornadoes. All weather systems have well-defined cycles and structural features and are governed by the laws of heat and motion. These conditions are studied in meteorology, the science of weather and weather forecasting. Weather differs from climate, which is the weather that a particular region experiences over a long period of time. Climate includes the averages and variations of all weather elements. An atmosphere (New Latin atmosphaera, created in the 17th century from Greek [atmos] "vapor"[1] and [sphaira] "sphere"[2]) is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass,[3] and that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere may be retained for a longer duration, if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low. Some planets consist mainly of various gases, but only their outer layer is their atmosphere.