Question
Discuss the principal elements of weather and climate and the major geographical factors affecting them.
Solution
The principal elements of weather and climate are temperature, pressure, winds, humidity, clouds and precipitation. They are called elements because they are the ingradients out of which various weather and climate types are formed. The temperature and precipitation are the main basic elements to which pressure, winds and other elements are related. Temperature expresses intensity of heat. Moisture present in the atmosphere may be precipitated in the form of rain, hail, and snow.
The various geographical factors affecting weather and climate are :
1. Latitude
2. Distribution of land and water
3. The great semi-permanent high and low pressure belts.
4. Winds
5. Altitude
6. Mountain barriers
7. Ocean currents
8. Storms of various kinds.
These control produce changes in temperature and precipitation which in turn give rise to a variety of weather and climates.
