| A | B |
|---|
| climate | long-term average weather conditions that occur in a particular region |
| microclimate | localized climate that is different than the climate of the larger area surrounding it |
| rain shadow | area of low rainfall on the downwind slope of a mountain |
| specific heat | amount of thermal energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a material by 1°C |
| drought | period with below-average precipitation |
| El Niño/Southern Oscillation | combined ocean and atmospheric cycle that results in weakened trade winds across the Pacific Ocean |
| ice age | cold period, lasting hundreds to millions of years, during which glaciers cover much of Earth |
| interglacial | warm period that occurs during an ice age |
| monsoon | wind circulation pattern that changes direction with the seasons |
| deforestation | large-scale cutting and/or burning of forests |
| global climate model (GCM) | set of complex equations used to predict future climates |
| global warming | rise in Earth’s average surface temperature during the past 100 years |
| greenhouse gas | a gas in the atmosphere that absorbs Earth’s outgoing infrared radiation |
