Latitude or distance from the equator temperatures drop the further an area is from the equator due to the curvature of the earth. Altitude or heights above sea level Locations at a higher altitude have colder temperatures. Temperature usually decreases by 1°C for every 100 metres in altitude. Several controlling factors determine global temperatures. The first and most significant is latitude. Because of the Earth's shape and the sun's angle hitting the planet, temperatures are highest near the equator and decrease toward the poles. Temperature normally decreases as elevation or height increases, making locations at higher elevations colder. For every 100-meter increase in elevation, the average temperature decreases by 0.7°C. Even in areas located near the equator, the temperature at higher elevations is cooler. Some controlling factors for climate consist of: Latitude is the most important climatic control, due to the effect is has on the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. The seasonal changes in incoming solar radiation, as well as the length of the day, vary with latitude. There is a relationship between latitude and temperature around the world, as temperatures are typically warmer approaching the Equator and cooler approaching the Poles. There are variations, though, as other factors such as elevation, ocean currents, and precipitation affect climate patterns.

Latitude is the most important climatic control, due to the effect is has on the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. The seasonal changes in incoming solar radiation, as well as the length of the day, vary with latitude. At higher latitudes, the Sun's rays are less direct. The farther an area is from the equator, the lower its temperature. At the poles, the Sun's rays are least direct. Much of the area is covered with ice and snow, which reflect a lot of sunlight. Higher the angle of incidence, higher is the temperature. Similarly, lower the angle of incidence, lower is the temperature. This is why the temperature is higher near the tropical regions and decreases towards the poles. There is a relationship between latitude and temperature around the world, as temperatures are typically warmer approaching the Equator and cooler approaching the Poles. There are variations, though, as other factors such as elevation, ocean currents, and precipitation affect climate patterns. Climate of a region depends on the latitude where it lies. Equator gets most direct sun rays hence the region falling in this latitude has extreme hot climate. the latitude above equator and below equator has less direct and poles receive no or slanting rays. Temperature variations not only depend on altitude but also latitude, and there is a gradual decrease in temperature with the increasing altitude and latitude. The overall trend for the vertical temperature lapse rate for the whole plateau is approximately linear. Near the Earth's surface, air gets cooler the higher you climb. As you climb a mountain, you can expect the air temperature to decrease by 6.5 degrees C for every 1000 meters you gain. As you move away from the equator towards the poles, the earth's surface becomes more angled to the incoming sunlight due to the spherical shape of the earth. Because of this, the intensity of sunlight received decreases as we move from the equator to poles. Hence, temperature decreases as latitude increases. The temperature of a place decreases with increasing altitude from the earth's surface. Since the direct source of atmospheric heat lies at the surface of the earth, the higher we ascend in the atmosphere, the lower the temperature is.