What distinguishes weather from climate?
A) Weather is based on observations; climate is predicted by models.
B) Weather is the day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere; climate is the range of likely conditions based on many years.
C) Weather is the local conditions of the atmosphere; climate is the average of conditions across the whole globe.
D) Weather and climate are essentially the same thing.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions such as temperature, precipitation, wind, and humidity that can vary on a daily or hourly basis in a specific location. On the other hand, climate refers to the long-term patterns and trends of temperature, precipitation, and other weather variables over an extended period (such as 30 years or more) for a larger region, whether it is a continent, hemisphere or the entire planet. Climate is determined by a complex interplay of various factors such as ocean currents, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure systems, greenhouse gases, solar radiation, and topography, which can influence atmospheric circulation and weather. While weather can change rapidly and unpredictably, climate changes are usually slow and occur over much longer periods. Hence, climate models are used to forecast future climate trends, while weather predictions are made based on current atmospheric observations and patterns.

What Distinguishes Weather from Climate