Climate, by definition is "the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years."
Different climates are distinguished by their "region" or latitudinal zone. For example, a
Subtropical climate refers to the "zone" that lies within the "range of latitudes between 30/40° and 45°". As far as climate goes, the closer one is to the poles, the more varied and colder the weather will be (higher latitude means colder weather). In contrast, the closer one is to the equator (0 degrees latitude), warmer and more uniform the climate and weather will be found and experienced.
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| Florida has a subtropical climate with warm temperatures and typically uniform precipitation throughout the year. According to www.city-data.com, "Average annual temperatures range from 65° to 70°F (18° to 21°C) in the north, and from 74° to 77°F (23° to 25°C) in the southern peninsula and on the Keys." |
A common, more specific or detailed way of looking at or thinking about climate is the "Köppen climate classification, widely used, vegetation-based empirical climate classification system developed by German botanist-climatologist Wladimir Köppen."
Revising his initial publication of his system, it's letter-based and
gives a detailed description of the climate of a specific place.
According to the Koppen system, Florida's climate classification is Cfa, referring to the chart above:
C-Midlatitude with mild winters
f-mild with no dry season (humid subtropical)
a-hot summer season
f-mild with no dry season (humid subtropical)
a-hot summer season
Climate is greatly affected by oceans and ocean currents. According to britannica.com, "In summer, these regions are largely under the influence of moist, maritime airflow from the western side of the subtropical anticyclonic cells over low-latitude ocean waters." The atmosphere (air/weather) and oceans are nearly directly related to each other, when one changes, it often causes the other to change similarly. Besides wind, different currents affect different parts of the earth as well as their own climates and weather patterns.
Florida's climate is greatly affected by the oceans as well as its latitudinal zone, which explains much of the weather and precipitation Florida experiences, including hurricanes. According to the National Hurricane Center, "Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1st and ends November 30th."
Florida's climate is greatly affected by the oceans as well as its latitudinal zone, which explains much of the weather and precipitation Florida experiences, including hurricanes. According to the National Hurricane Center, "Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1st and ends November 30th."
Sources:
dictionary.reference.com/browse/climate
http://www.meteoblue.com/
http://www.meteorologyclimate.com/Subtropical-climate.htm
http://earth.usc.edu/~stott/http://www.meteorologyclimate.com/Subtropical-climate.htm
http://www.gdrc.org/oceans/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276218/humid-subtropical-climate
http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/ocean/images/motion/globalcurrents.gif
http://www.city-data.com/states/Florida-Climate.html
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/
http://www.accessscience.com/loadBinary.aspx?filename=800280FG0020.gif
