| A | B |
|---|
| summer solstice | longest day of the year |
| winter solstice | shortest day of the year |
| weather | condition of the atmosphere at a particular location and time |
| climate | weather conditions of a place over a long period of time |
| precipitation | falling water droplets in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail |
| equinox | two days of the year that day and night are equal in length |
| elevation | the distance above sea level |
| Tropical | zone of latitude found on either side of the equator that are hot all year long |
| Polar | zone of high latitude that are cold all year long |
| greenhouse effect | the process by which Earth's atmosphere traps heat energy is the |
| tundra | the flat, treeless lands forming a ring around the Artic Ocean |
| permafrost | subsoil that is constantly frozen |
| humid continental | has 4 distinct seasons, most changeable weather |
| humidity | the amount of water vapor in the air |
| middle latitudes | The climate region found between the 23 1/2 degrees and 66 1/2 degrees is known as the |
| rain shadow | the land on the side of a mountain or hill that receives little precipitation due to the lack of moist air |
| arid | means "dry" |
| semiarid | transition zone between arid and humid areas |
| topical humid | warm & rainy year round |
| tropical wet and dry | warm all year, rainy and dry seasons |
| mediterranean | dry sunny summers, mild wet winters |
| humid subtropical | hot humid summers, mild humid winters |
| marine west coast | cloudy mild summer, cool rainy winters |
| subarctic | long cold winters, short mild summers |
| tundra | very long cold winters, very short cool summers |
| ice cap | freezing cold, ice all year |
| highland | varied temperatures as elevation changes |
| monsoon | seasonal shifts of wind that bring dry or wet air |
| savannas | tropical grasslands |
| deciduous | trees that lose their leaves |
| coniferous | trees that remain green all year |
