| A | B |
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| CLIMATE | The average, year-after-year conditions of temperature, precipitation, winds, and clouds in an area. |
| TROPICAL ZONE | The area near the equator, between about 23.5° north latitude and 23.5° south latitude. |
| POLAR ZONE | The areas near both poles, from about 66.5° to 90° north and 66.5° to 90° south latitude. |
| TEMPERATE ZONE | The area between the tropical and polar zones, from about 23.5° to 66.5° north and 23.5° to 66.5° south latitudes. |
| MARINE ZONE | The climate of some coastal regions, with relatively warm winters and cool summers. |
| CONTINENTAL CLIMATE | The climate of the centers of continents, with cold winters and warm or hot summers. |
| WINDWARD | The side of mountains that faces the oncoming winds. |
| LEEWARD | The downwind side of mountains. |
| MICROCLIMATE | The climate characteristic of a small, specific area; it may be different from the climate of the surrounding area. |
| RAIN FOREST | A forest in the tropical wet climate zone that gets plenty of rain all year. |
| SAVANNA | A tropical grassland with scattered clumps of trees; found in the tropical wet-and-dry climate zone close to the equator. |
| DESERT | A region that receives less than 25 centimeters of rain a year. |
| STEPPE | A prairie or grassland found in the semiarid climate region. |
| HUMID SUBTROPICAL | A wet and warm climate area on the edge of the tropics. |
| SUBARTIC | A climate zone that lies north of the humid continental climate zone, with short, cool summers and long, bitterly cold winters. |
| TUNDRA | A polar climate region, found across northern Alaska, Canada, and Russia, with short, cool summers and bitterly cold winters. |
| PERMAFROST | Permanently frozen soil found in the tundra climate region. |
| ICE AGE | Cold time periods in Earth's history, during which glaciers covered large parts of the surface. |
| SUNSPOT | Dark, cooler regions on the surface of the sun. |
| GREENHOUSE GAS | Gases in the atmosphere that trap heat. |
| GLOBAL WARMING | A gradual increase in the temperature of Earth's atmosphere. |
| CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS | Chlorine compounds formerly used in air conditioners, refrigerators, and spray cans; also called CFCs. |
