| A | B |
| climate | the average of weather conditions in an area through all seasons over a period of time |
| El Nino | a short term condition that changes ocean temperature, resulting in a temporary climate change |
| global warming | the rise in Earth's average temperature from excess carbon dioxide |
| greenhouse effect | process by which the Earth's atmosphere absorbs heat |
| local winds | the winds that depend on local changes in temperature |
| microclimate | the climate of a very small area |
| prevailing winds | winds that blow constantly from the same direction and do not change much from year to year |
| air pressure | the weight of air |
| atmosphere | the layer of air that surrounds Earth |
| condensation | cooling that causes water vapor to change back into droplets of water |
| evaporation | the changing of water droplets into water vapor |
| humidity | a measure of the amount of water in the air |
| precipitation | any form of water that falls from clouds |