✦ Lesson 5
Climate, climate zones and landscapes
It could be sunny in Barcelona but raining in Madrid at the same time. That is the weather: the day-to-day conditions. The climate is what the weather is usually like in a place over a long period of time: the average weather of the last 30 years.
Weather ⏱️
Today, tomorrow, this week. 'It's raining in Madrid today.'
Climate 📅
Over many years. 'Madrid has cold winters and very hot summers.'
The three climate zones
❄️ Cold climates
Very low temperatures all year round, and a lot of snow. Around the North Pole and the South Pole.
🍃 Temperate climates
Between the cold and the hot zones. Cold winters and warm summers: the four seasons are easy to notice. Spain is here!
☀️ Hot climates
Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, near the Equator. It is warm all year round.
Each climate has its landscapes
❄️ Cold
- Polar: always very cold; only mosses, shrubs and small flowers grow in summer
🍃 Temperate
- Mediterranean and oceanic: hot summers, mild winters and forests
- Continental and desert: extreme temperatures
- Mountain: low temperatures
☀️ Hot
- Equatorial: hot and very rainy all year: rainforests and jungles
- Tropical: a rainy season and a dry season: savannahs
- Desert: very hot during the day and cold at night
📅 climate = average weather over 30 years❄️ cold · 🍃 temperate · ☀️ hot