HAWASSA UNIVERSITY

Wondo Genet College of

Forestry and Natural Resources
Department of GISc

1
 Part I : climate
Contents:-
Chapter 1: Introduction to Climate

System
Chapter 2:Earth’s Energy Budget

and Hydrological Cycle

Chapter 3: The Atmosphere

Chapter 4: Introduction to Climate

Change
2
 Brainstorming
 What is the need of taking this course????

 Is there any difference b/n Climate and Weather?

 What is the function of climate?

 What is Climate change?

 What are the causes of Climate Change?

 How do we address problems related to Climate

change?
 Is there a difference between Climate change

Mitigation and climate change Adaptation?

3
 Definition of basic
terms
 Weather: is the state or conditions of the atmosphere at

particular time and place in terms of temperature, pressure,

precipitation, etc.

 Climate: is an average weather conditions which can prevail at

certain place for a longer period of time, ranging from months to

millions of years (the classical period is 30 years).

 It is usually described in terms of the mean and variability of

temperature, precipitation and wind over a period of time.

 Climate change:- Refers to a statistically significant variation in

either the mean state of the climate or in its variability,

persisting for an extended period (typically decades or longer). 4

 Cont’d
 Climate Variability - refers to variations in the mean state and

other statistics (such as standard deviations, the occurrence of

extremes, etc.) of the climate on all temporal and spatial scales
beyond that of individual weather events.
Adaptation – is adjustment in natural or human systems in

response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their

effects, which moderates harm or exploit beneficial
opportunities.
Categories of adaptation:-
 anticipatory and reactive adaptation,

 private and public adaptation, and

 autonomous and planned adaptation 5

 Cont…
 Mitigation- refers to actions taken to lower the

concentration of greenhouse gasses (GHG’s) in the

atmosphere
o Mitigation involves:

 reducing or eliminating emissions at the source

 sequestering greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere

 Adaptation Assessment – is the practice of identifying

options to adapt to climate change and evaluating them

in terms of criteria such as availability, benefits, costs
effectiveness, efficiency, and feasibility
6
 Cont…
Mal-adaptation: is an adaptation that does not succeed in
reducing vulnerability but increases it instead.
 Any changes in natural or human systems that

inadvertently increase vulnerability to climatic stimuli.

Resilience: is amount of change a system that can undergo
without changing state.
Sensitivity : is the degree to which a system is affected,
either adversely or beneficially, by climate related stimuli.
Vulnerability: is degree to which a system is susceptible
to, or unable to cope with an adverse effects of climate
change, including climate variability and extremes.
7
 Cont…
Vulnerability assessment: is the
mechanisms of identifying who and what is
exposed and sensitive to change.
It starts by considering the factors that

make people or the environment susceptible

to harm, i.e.
 access to natural and financial
resources;
 ability to self-protect; 8
Chapter One
Introduction to
Climate System

9
 What is climate system?
Climate system: is a complex, interactive system

consisting of the atmosphere, land surface, snow and ice,

oceans and other bodies of water and living things.
The atmospheric component of the climate system most

obviously characterizes climate which is often defined as

‘average weather’.
The climate system evolves in time due to the influence

from:
Internal dynamics

External factors 10
 Cont’d
o In traditional knowledge weather and climate

focuses on those variables that affect our daily life

most directly are:
average, maximum and minimum temperature

wind near to the surface of the Earth,

 precipitation in its various forms

Humidity

cloud types and amount, and

solar radiation

Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time

11
 Cont’d
To characterizing weather, it requires that we measure

conditions such as
temperature,

precipitation,

air pressure,

wind speed and direction,

 humidity

But climate is …?

In contrast, climate is the average weather

conditions for a site measured over a long period of

time mostly from 10-35 years. 12
 Cont….
The global climate is the result of interaction between

the five sphere, such as:-

atmosphere
hydrosphere
but are largely controlled by the
lithosphere and
interaction between the Earth and
biosphere
Sun (why????)
The important parameter that determines whether of our

planet (or any other planet) becomes; cooler, warmer, or

stays the same.
 Is because of the balance between the incoming solar

energy and the outgoing terrestrial (or planetary) energy.

13
 Cont….
 Solar radiation strikes the earth more directly at the equator

and tropics than in Polar Regions.

 As result more heat is transferred to Earth in the tropics than

at the poles.
 Global atmospheric circulation patterns represent the planet’s

attempt to
 move warm air toward the poles and

 cold air toward the equatorial region

 These patterns are complicated by Earth's

in the Northern rotation, dividing
and Southern
into three large convection cells i.e.
Hemispheres that control climate
 Hadley cell
patterns.
 Ferrell cell and
14

 Cont….
 Hadley cell:-a large-scale atmospheric convection cell in

which air rises at the equator and sinks at medium latitudes,

typically about 30° N or S.
 They are responsible for the trade winds in the tropics and

control low-latitude weather patterns.

 Occurs because the Sun heats air at the Earth's surface near

the equator.
 Ferrell cell:- as air flows pole-ward and eastward near the

surface and equator-ward and westward at higher altitudes

 this movement is the reverse of the airflow in the Hadley cell.

 Polar cell: The smallest and weakest cells are the Polar
15
 Cont.….
Global temperature and precipitation patterns are

directly related to:

global atmospheric circulation patterns and

different climate regions across the globe.

Areas with consistent climates are grouped

together in one climate regions.

Climate regions are differentiated on the basis of

 monthly temperatures,

monthly precipitation, and

precipitation values
16
 Climatic Elements and
Control
Climate elements
 The weather elements that used to describe climates are also

the elements that determine the type of climate for a region.

 The climatic elements are:

 temperature,
are very important climatic
 precipitation, elements that give micro or
macro environmental climates
 wind,

 Humidity and

 atmospheric pressure

 These elements are not the only parameters included in a

climatology package; however, they are the most significant

elements used to express the climate of the region. 17
 Cont…
1. Temperature
 is how hot or cold the atmosphere is,

 how many degrees Celsius (centigrade) it is above or

below freezing (0°C).

 Temperature is a very important factor in determining the

weather, because it influences or controls other elements of

the weather, such as
 precipitation, Assigment 1
 humidity,
Describe the relationship b/n
each elements in relation to
 clouds and temperature?
 atmospheric pressure.
18
 Cont..
 Humidity
 is the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere

(air).
 Humidity indicates the likelihood formation of

precipitation, dew or fog.

 There are three main measurements of humidity:

 Absolute humidity, Assignment 2

differentiate each types
 relative humidity and based on their
 specific humidity. measurement?

19
 Cont….
 Precipitation: is moisture that falls from the air to

the ground.
It is any water form that falls to the earth from

overhead could formations.

The main forms of precipitation include drizzle,

rain, sleet, snow and hail.

How precipitation occurs?????

 when a local portion of the atmosphere becomes

saturated with water vapour, so that the water

condenses and "precipitates".
20
 Air
pressure
 It is the weight of air resting on the earth's

surface.
 Is the force per unit area exerted against s

surface by the weight of air above that surface

in the earth’s atmosphere
In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is

closely approximated by:

 Hydrostatic pressure

 Low pressure and

 High pressure 21
 Cont…
 Hydrostatic Pressure: caused by the mass of air

above the measurement point.

 Low-pressure areas have less atmospheric mass

above their location, whereas

 High-pressure areas have more atmospheric

mass above their location.

Elevation increases, as less overlying atmospheric

mass;
so that atmospheric pressure decreases with

increasing elevation. 22
 Cont…
 Wind: is the movement of air masses from higher

pressurised areas to lower pressurized areas.

o Is the result of horizontal differences in the air pressure.

o Its speed is determined by the difference between the

high and low pressure.

 On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air.

 In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases

or charged particles from the sun through space,

 while planetary wind is the out gassing of light

chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into

space. 23
 Types of winds
1. Polar easterlies:- is dry, cold prevailing winds that blow
around the high pressure areas of polar highs at the north
and south poles.
 It is located at 60-90 degree north and south poles

2. Westerlies: is the prevailing winds from the west towards

the east is in the middle latitude b/n 30-60 degrees of latitude.
 Horse latitudes: is the place where the westerlies meet

the trade winds at about 30 degrees (subtropical)

3. trade winds; is winds blowing steadily towards the

equator from north east in southern hemisphere

24
Cont….

25
 Controls of Weather and Climate
 Climatic controls: are those factors of the atmosphere

that causes the variability weathers and climates over

the surface of the earth:
 These includes:

 Latitude, altitude, proportion of land to water,

geographic location, prevailing winds, mountains and

highlands, ocean currents, wind (movement of air)
 Latitude: is the distance of a location from the equator.

• It controls the amount of solar radiation that reaches

the surface of the earth.
26
 Cont….
• As we move further away from the equator
towards the poles, less sun is received during the
year and the temperature become colder.
This is due to two factors:

 The angle at which the sun's rays are positioned

to the surface of the earth based on its curvature

 The amount of atmosphere that the light has to

travel through at a particular latitude

27
 Cont…
 As latitude increases the angle at which the sun's rays hit

the ground decreases

 This leads to decreased temperatures and evaporation

rates at higher latitudes.

 As the thickness of atmosphere increases;

 the amount of absorption, scattering, and reflection

increases Which leading to a corresponding decrease in

light reaching the ground.
 The differential heating of the land, air, and water

produced by these latitudinal variations leads to

 the creation of global winds and ocean currents 28
 Winds
 Is caused by differences in pressure resulting from

differential heating of the earth’s surface.

 As the air molecules are heated they move more

rapidly decreasing the density of an air mass and it

will rises.
 Warmer air is also able to hold more water vapour

than cold air so it is moister.

 Warmer areas rising air molecules, therefore, will

have low pressures.

 Winds result from the earth trying to equalize

pressure from areas of high pressure to those with a

29
 Land and Water
 The distribution of water and land across the surface of the Earth is

another important control that regulates climate.

 Water responds to temperature change much more slowly than does land.

 It takes longer to heat water, and longer for it to cool down.

 As a result, locations near the oceans experience milder changes in

climate than location near the land.

 Variations in air temperature are much greater over land than over water.

 It is the differential heating of land and water that effects for the distinct

types of marine and continental types of climate.

 The distance from water bodies are also another determining factor for

climate
30
 Cont…
Near Water: Water bodies provide a source of moisture
for the land masses of the world.
This generally leads to areas close to water having

wetter climates.
Water bodies also have a moderating affect on the

climates of the land masses near to them.

Insolation is unable to penetrate the lithosphere

unlike water so it can only heat the surface of the land.

Water can heat to some depth because of penetration

of light and circulation within the water bodies.

31
 Cont…
Because of this land can heat up or cool down

much quicker than water, so the water has a

moderating effect on the land around it.
In the summer the water acts like an air

conditioner to keep the air temperatures cool

In the winter water acts like a heater to keep the

temperatures from getting too cold

This affect is most noticeable in the mid-latitudes

where there is a constant onshore wind

32
 Classifications of Climate
There are a variety of methods for classifying climate.

Among these, Koppen Climate Classification System is

the most commonly used method for classifying the

world's climates.
Its categories are based on

Average temperature (annual and monthly ) and

total precipitation (Annual and monthly )

The Koppen system divides world climates into six

major categories using the letter from A-E and H:

33
 Koppen climate classification
system
Notation Climate type Description

A Tropical All months have aver. Temperature above

180C
B Desert With deficient precipitation during most
of the year

C Mild mid-latitude The coldest month ranges from just

below freezing
D Severe mid- Found in most of the North American
latitude interior from about 40 °N to 70 °N.
E Polar With extreme cold winter and summer

H Highland Region higher than adjacent land and

containing many hills or mountains
34
1. Tropical Moist Climates (A)
 extend northward and southward from the equator to about 15 -

25° of latitude.
 In these climates all months have average temperatures greater

than 18° Celsius.

 Annual precipitation is greater than 1500 mm.

 Three minor Koppen climate types exist in the A group, and their

designation is based on seasonal distribution of rainfall.

1. Tropical wet
Assignment 3
2. tropical monsoon climate and  Explain them briefly

3. tropical wet and dry or savanna

35
 Dry Climates
(B)
 The most obvious climatic feature of this climate is that

potential evaporation and transpiration exceed

precipitation.
 These climates extend from 20 - 35° North and South of

the equator and in large continental regions of the mid-

latitudes often surrounded by mountains.

Minor types of this climate include:

Dry arid (desert)

 is a true desert climate.

 It covers 12% of the Earth's land surface and is dominated

by xerophyte vegetation.
36
2. Dry semiarid (steppe).
Is a grassland climate that covers 14% of the

Earth's land surface

 It receives more precipitation than the dry

arid either from the Intertropical convergence

zone or from mid-latitude cyclones

37
 Moist Subtropical Mid-Latitude Climates (C)
 This climate generally has warm and humid summers with

mild winters.
 Its extent is from 30 to 50° of latitude mainly on the eastern

and western borders of most continents.

 During the winter,

 the main weather feature is the mid-latitude cyclone

 Convective thunderstorms dominate the summer

months.
 Three minor types exist:

 humid subtropical;

 Mediterranean; and
38
 marine.
 Cont…
The humid subtropical:-
 has hot summers and frequent thunderstorms.

 Winters are mild and precipitation during this season

comes from mid-latitude cyclones.

 A good example of a humid subtropical climate is the

southeastern USA.
Marine climates: are found on the western coasts of
continents.
 They have a humid climate with short dry summer.

 Heavy precipitation occurs during the mild winters

because of the continuous presence of mid-latitude

39
cyclones.
 Cont’d

Mediterranean climates:- receive rain primarily

during winter season from the mid-latitude
cyclone.
Extreme summer aridity is caused by the

sinking air of the subtropical highs and may

exist for up to 5 months.
Locations in North America are from Portland,

Oregon to all of California.

40
 Moist Continental Mid-latitude Climates (D)
Moist continental mid-latitude climates
 have warm to cool summers and cold winters

 The location of these climates is pole ward of the C climates.

 The average temperature of the warmest month is

 greater than 10° Celsius, while

 the coldest month is less than -3° Celsius.

 Winters are severe with snowstorms, strong winds, and bitter

cold from Continental Polar or Arctic air masses.

 Like the C climates there are three minor types:

 dry winters;

 dry summers; and

 wet all seasons.

41
 Polar Climates (E)
 have year-round cold temperatures with the warmest

month less than 10° Celsius.

 Polar climates are found on the northern coastal areas

of North America, Europe, Asia, and on the landmasses

of Greenland and Antarctica.
 Two minor climate types exist:

Polar tundra is a climate where

 the soil is permanently frozen to depths of hundreds of

meters, a condition known as permafrost

 Vegetation is dominated by mosses, lichens, dwarf trees

and scattered woody shrubs.

42
Agro climatic Zones of Ethiopia

Assignment 3
Describe and explain Agro climatic zones of
Ethiopia

43