Weather and Climate Class 6 Geography Notes Maharashtra State Board
The weather conditions of a few places in India are as follows on 10 June.
The weather conditions at each of the places given above are different on 10 June. Kochi has cloudy weather. It means there is little sunlight. The rainy season has started and moisture in the air will be high. Hence, it will take a long time for the clothes to dry. You may have observed a similar situation at your place during the rainy season. At Bhopal, there is hot sun. The water in the wet clothes gets converted into vapour quickly and the clothes will dry within a short time.
Mussoorie is located to the north of the Tropic of Cancer, hence it receives less solar heat. The air there is cool too due to its location on a mountain. Clothes take longer to dry here because of the medium heat and cool air. Factors like heat, moisture, and wind influence the time taken by the clothes to dry. However, these conditions keep on changing. We always experience such changes.
Weather
We all always experience atmospheric conditions prevailing at a place and at a given time. We often talk about it. But these conditions are short-lived. This is what we call weather. For example, we say the weather is hot, cool, dry, sultry, etc.
Climate
You must have noticed that each season lasts for a particular period and each season occurs at a particular time of the year. The scientists observe the weather in a region for many years. With the help of such studies, they define the mean weather conditions. The average weather condition of a place observed over a long period of time is the ‘climate’ of that region. Climate is generally expressed as ‘cool and dry’ or ‘hot and humid’ or ‘hot and dry’, etc.
The weather changes quite often due to changes in temperature, winds, humidity, etc. We always experience these changes. A sum total of all these elements define ‘weather’. These affect our day-to-day activities and lifestyle. Elements of weather are taken into consideration while describing the climate.
Elements of Weather
Temperature:
The earth’s surface gets heat from the sun. As a result, the surface gets heated up. The air close to the surface starts becoming hot and later, one by one, different layers of air at higher elevations receive heat. Therefore, as we move upward from sea level, the temperature of air decreases. The temperature also decreases from the equator towards both the poles.
Air Pressure:
Air has weight. As a result, it creates pressure. It is called air pressure. The lowermost layers of air get subjected to the pressure of the upper layers. Hence, the density of the lower layers of air increases. There is greater air pressure near the surface of the earth and it decreases with increasing height. This is vertical air pressure. These changes also occur in a horizontal manner. This gives rise to winds.
Winds:
The air starts moving from high pressure towards low-pressure areas in a horizontal direction. This moving air is called wind. The wind blows from high to low-pressure areas and its speed depends on the amount of difference in air pressure.
Moisture:
The atmosphere contains vapour. The air that has a greater amount of vapour is called humid air. The humidity in the atmosphere is called moisture. The proportion of moisture in the atmosphere depends on temperature. Air with higher temperatures holds a greater amount of moisture.
Precipitation:
Vapour in the atmosphere condenses into water droplets or snow particles. Their showering on the earth is called precipitation. Rainfall, snowfall, hailstorms, etc. are forms of precipitation.
Weather is described on the basis of the conditions prevailing at the given time while climate is described on the basis of conditions prevailing over a longer period of time. The weather keeps changing frequently and we can experience the changes easily. Changes in the climate take place over a long period of time. These are not perceived easily.
Latitudinal position, height above sea level, nearness to the ocean, oceanic currents, etc. are the factors that influence climate. Besides these, mountain ranges, types of land, and local winds are other factors that influence the climate of a region.
The climate affects the entire living world in different ways. Life mostly thrives in regions that have a conducive climate. The climate also influences the diet, shelter, etc. of living things. The distribution of water on the earth is also a controlling factor of the climate.
Detailed Maharashtra State Board Class 6 Geography Notes Weather and Climate are particularly useful for answering essay questions.