Understand the difference between daily weather and long-term climate.
Explore weather and climate through observations, patterns, seasons, climate zones, change, and forecasting.
Weather describes short-term atmospheric conditions such as temperature, clouds, wind, humidity, and precipitation.
Learn MoreClimate is the typical range of weather measured over decades.
Learn MoreEarth's tilted axis changes the angle and duration of sunlight through the year.
Learn MoreTropical, dry, temperate, continental, and polar climates support different ecosystems and ways of life.
Learn MoreGreenhouse gases trap heat that would otherwise escape to space.
Learn MoreSatellites, radar, stations, ships, buoys, balloons, and computer models help scientists observe the atmosphere and forecast weather while tracking long-term climate trends.
Learn MoreWeather describes short-term atmospheric conditions such as temperature, clouds, wind, humidity, and precipitation. It can change within minutes as air masses and pressure systems move.
Climate is the typical range of weather measured over decades. A place's latitude, elevation, nearby water, landforms, and ocean currents all help shape its climate.
Earth's tilted axis changes the angle and duration of sunlight through the year. Seasons are opposite across the hemispheres and are not caused by Earth's distance from the Sun.
Tropical, dry, temperate, continental, and polar climates support different ecosystems and ways of life. Mountains can create many climate zones over a short horizontal distance.
Greenhouse gases trap heat that would otherwise escape to space. Human activities have increased their concentrations, warming the climate and changing rainfall, ice, oceans, and extremes.
Satellites, radar, stations, ships, buoys, balloons, and computer models help scientists observe the atmosphere and forecast weather while tracking long-term climate trends.