Book 7, Question 94
Why Does Climate Mean More than Today’s Weather?
Weather is what the sky is doing today, and it can change from hour to hour. Climate is the long-term pattern of weather in a place, averaged over many years. So one chilly day does not change a place's climate.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 7
More fun facts
- Climate describes the typical weather in a region over 30 years or more.
- Weather covers short times, from minutes and hours to days and weeks.
- Climate can describe one region or the whole planet.
- Sea level is one of the measurements scientists track to see how the climate is changing.
- Shifting seasons, rising seas, and melting glaciers are examples of climate change.
Sources: NASA Science, NASA Science
Questions kids ask
How many years does it take to describe a climate?
Usually 30 years or more of weather.
Is a cold day proof the climate isn't warming?
No. One day is weather. Climate is the pattern over many years.