About the Earth's Climate

Weather can be roughtly defined as the short-term properties of the troposphere at a given place and time.

Climate, on the other hand, is the average long-term weather of an area; it is a region's general pattern of atmospheric or weather conditions, seasonal variations, and weather extremes (such as hurricanes, or prolonged drought or rain) over a long period (at least 30 years).

The two main factors determining an area's climate are temperature, with its seasonal variations, and the amount and distribution of precipitation. Below is a generalized map of the Earth's major climate zones.

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