| A | B |
|---|
| tundra | a vast rolling plain without trees |
| monsoons | seasonal winds that bring rain in South Asia |
| rain shadow | dry area on the side of mountains facing away from the wind |
| steppes | partly dry grasslands that surround many deserts |
| desert climate | climate with fewer than 10 inches (25 cm) of rainfall per year |
| permafrost | layers of soil that remain frozen year-round |
| groundwater | largest source for freshwater |
| vegetation | plant life |
| humid subtropical climate | climat with ho, humid summers and short, mild winters |
| subarctic climate | climate where taiga grows |
| salt water | the water in the earth's oceans |
| tropics | climate region at low latitudes near the Equator |
| aquifers | underground rock layers that water flows through |
| freshwater | the water most important to humans |
| evaporation | the sun's heat turns water into vapor |
| timberline | elevation above which no trees grow |
| tundra climate | climate that is harsh, cold and dry |
| groundwater | water below the earth's surface |
| typhoons | tropical storm systems in Asia |
| weather | unpredictable changes in air that take place over a short time |
| climate | usual, predictable pattern of weather in an area over a long time |
| savanna | broad grassland with few trees |
| marine west coast climate | coastal climate with mild winters and cool summers |
| humid continental climate | inland mid-latitude climate with cold winters and short, hot summers |
| Mediterranean climate | mild mid-latitude coastal climate with rainy winters and hot, dry summers |
| subarctic | high latitude climate with bitter cold winters near-freezing summers |
| canopy | top layer of a rain forest |
