Global
Climates and Seasons What Scientists Think
Here's why: Because the earth is tilted on its axis, the sun heats it unevenly. Areas closest to the equator (tropical and subtropical zones) get more direct sunlight all year. They are the hottest zones. Areas farther from the equator (temperate and polar zones) get less direct sunlight, and the number of hours of sunlight per day changes a great deal throughout the year.) They are colder regions. During our summer, the Northern Hemisphere leans toward the sun in its revolution. There are more daylight hours, and the sun’s angle is more direct than at other times of year. So it's warmer. The opposite happens in the winter when we are tilted away from the sun. Its rays are slanted (less intense) and we have fewer daylight hours. As we move from summer to fall and winter (as the earth revolves and is eventually tipped away), days get shorter and the temperatures get cooler. The opposite happens from winter to summer. But the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun when we are tilted toward it. So they have opposite seasons and temperature patterns. That's why the temperature lines on the map seem to move north and south with the seasons. These global temperature differences cause our different climates (including factors such as winds, humidity, and precipitation)! Journaling
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