Earth Science Stack Exchange
Earth Science Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [climate]

Average weather conditions for a particular area measured over multiple years or decades. For questions on climate change use the [climate-change] tag.

Climate is the long-term average weather sitation for a particular area on Earth and for a particular time of year. Since this average is measured of multiple years, or even decades a climate is relatively stable.

For questions on climate change see

For questions on ancient climates (before the use of weather instruments) see

For questions on mathematical models of climates see

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Why is Europe warmer than North America at similar latitudes?

Traditionally it has thought to be the Gulf Stream. But other researchers, like Richard Seager and Tapio Schneider, propose different arguments as to why. How much of a role does the Gulf Stream really play? Who is right? (or are they all at least…
InquilineKea
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Ice Coverage on the Laurentian Great Lakes

Currently (April 2014), the fraction of the Great Lakes covered by ice is more than ten times the median amount for this time of year, the median amount being indicated by the green line in the below graph and representing the 1980-2010 time period.…
DavePhD
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Are there locations on Earth that only have one season?

I am looking for locations/places/countries that only have one season. By seasons, I mean a large varying change in temperature and precipitation caused by the climate in the region. I am not looking for abnormal weather.
Cing Sian Dal
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How have levels of outgoing longwave and incoming shortwave radiation changed over the last 20-30 years?

So as we know, climate change is associated with increased radiation flux into the Earth. In other words, the sum of (incoming shortwave radiation) - (outgoing longwave radiation) [which I will call net flux] is greater than 0. I'm just curious…
InquilineKea
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Where can I find data for annual high and low temperatures?

I am comparing the climates of a handful of cities and I would like to find the average of all recorded yearly high and low temperatures, but all I'm able to find is the average of all monthly averages. For example, if I look at climate data for…
Andrew Ogden
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Terrestrial albedo

With the increase in carbon dioxide and the warming of the Earth's surface, some surfaces change colour and reflect light differently. In general, there is a decrease in light areas and an increase in dark areas. Can the measurement of the albedo…
Jean Dumont
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Why does Colorado have so many days of partly cloudy skies?

So I found a map of the US that shows the number of partly cloudy days in different areas of the country. It seems that Florida is the only state with more partly cloudy days. Partly cloudy days are when the sky is not clear but not overcast. I…
user6847056
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Climate zone classification using the Holdridge method

I have to classify the climate zones for Western Ghats using the Holdridge method. The classifiers are temperature, rainfall, elevation. Elevation is constant. But for temperature and rainfall how many years of data should I take? Should I take mean…
Aeron Storm
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How to split climate modes of variability into positive, negative and neutral phases?

How can I split all the climate modes of variability that you can find here, into positive, negative and neutral phases? I know that depending on the climate mode there exist different methods of achieving this. Do you know any general literature…
aaaaa
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Would the North Pole have a continental climate with warm summers if it was surrounded by land?

I was researching solar insolation and found that solar insolation at the poles over summer is roughly equivalent to several places on earth that have relatively warm summers. Below is a Matlab graph showing the average insolation received by…
SethToast
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Continentality/Oceanity

Is there a specific temperature range that is considered to be the change from Continentality to Oceanity? Would this temperature change with latitude? Would be nice if someone could point me to some literature on the subject. Thank you!
Dr. Flow
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Does carbon dioxide naturally freeze on Earth?

The coldest temperature ever measured at Vostok Station is -89.2 °C, well below the sea-level sublimation point of carbon dioxide at -78.5 °C. However, Vostok Station is well above sea level (3488 m). Is this still cold enough to get natural dry…
Mark
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Why do some parts of the West Coast of North America get hot later in the year than others?

Southern California is currently in the midst of a heat wave, which is an unwelcome stress for stay-at-home laws during the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, the California coast sees its warmest temperatures in well into the fall, peaking in…
spillthrill
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What are some places that have never recorded an "ice day" nor a "tropical night"?

An ice day is a day on which the maximum temperature doesn't exceed 0 °C and a tropical night is a night on which the minimum temperature exceeds 20 °C. Probably no part of the tropics has experienced an ice day and most continental locations far…
user28506
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How much shifts the Subtropical high zone from 30 degrees during seasons?

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is a band of low pressure that runs around the planet Earth; The Polar front is the Arctic band of low pressure that run around 60° N and south. Both those bands are subject to shifts and deformation due to…
Naima
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