Why do low latitude areas have a warmer climate & why is climate in low latitude regions mainly hot & sunny but climate in high latitude regions mainly cold?
In the lower latitudes, such as the tropics, temperatures are the highest. This is because the sun's rays travel a shorter distance to the Equator and are therefore more concentrated, resulting in higher temperatures. Portions of the low latitude zone receive direct rays from the sun year-round and therefore have warm to hot climates.The hot regions are normally closest to the equator. The climate is hotter there because the Sun's light is most directly overhead at the equator. And the North and South Poles are cold because the Sun's light and heat are least direct there. Due to the spherical shape of the Earth, sunlight falls on different parts at different angles. Direct and focused sun rays falls on the equator and hence, the regions here are hotter and warmer. The Polar Regions receive diffused sun rays, which is why the areas there are colder. The first three climate zones relate to latitude. Tropical climates occur near the equator, in the low latitudes. Temperate climates occur about halfway between the equator and the poles, in the middle latitudes. Polar climates occur near the poles, in the high latitudes. With less moderating effect from ocean currents and more influence from tropical and polar large-size continental land air-masses they feature more extreme temperatures in each respective season, with summers getting as hot as those of subtropical or tropical climates and winters as cold as in subpolar climates. As one goes from the surface of the earth to higher altitudes, the atmosphere becomes less dense and temperature decreases. The hills are therefore cooler during summers. The pressure and wind system of any area depend on the latitude and altitude of the place. Thus it influences the temperature and rainfall pattern.
High-altitude locations are usually much colder than areas closer to sea level. This is due to the low air pressure. Air expands as it rises, and the fewer gas molecules including nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide have fewer chances to bump into each other. Because the angle of radiation varies depending on the latitude, surface temperatures on average are warmer at lower latitudes and cooler at higher latitudes. Due to the curvature of the earth, the amount of solar energy received varies according to latitude. As a result, air temperature generally decreases from the equator towards the poles. As one goes from the surface of the earth to higher altitudes, the atmosphere becomes less dense and temperature decreases. Low latitudes are those locations found between the Equator (0 degrees N/S) and 30 degrees N/S. The middle latitudes are found between 30 degrees N/S and 60 degrees N/S. And the high latitudes are found between 60 degrees N/S and the poles (90 degrees N/S). Temperature increases as you gain altitude in the stratosphere and the thermosphere. Temperature decreases as you gain altitude in the troposphere and mesosphere. Air temperature varies in complicated ways with altitude. Therefore, northern Scandinavia and Siberia, experience very long, cold winters with little precipitation. Subarctic climates are also called boreal climates or taiga. The two polar climate types, tundra and ice cap, lie within the Arctic and Antarctic Circles near the North and South Poles. High-latitude regions (between 60 and 90 degrees latitude in the northern and southern hemispheres) are very cold with low humidity. These Polar Regions behave in complex ways due to the strong interactions between ocean, atmosphere, land, sea ice, land ice, and associated ecosystems. Relatively small variations in radiation balance during the year, and also due to the change in latitude, are typical for the radiation regime of inter-tropical latitudes. This is one of the reasons that the annual air temperature range is very low in these latitudes.
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