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Definitions And Distinctions
The concepts of weather and climate are closely connected, but two factors exist that differentiate between the two: the magnitude of time periods and the scope of geographic locations that define them. Weather describes the set of atmospheric conditions for a specific location at a given moment in time; weather is prone to dramatic changes over extremely short time lines (such as a single day) and varies dramatically from one place to another. In contrast, climate is based on long-term weather patterns dominant in large geographic areas. Climate changes are gradual, global and take a significant amount of time to manifest--from decades to centuries.
Weather Types
There are multiple factors that contribute to weather, such as the pressure, temperature and speed of movement of the air, as well as clouds and precipitation. Combinations of those create unique, ever-changing atmospheric conditions. Air pressure is one of the most important aspects of weather, influencing many others: high pressure leads to clear days with sunshine and low precipitation, while low pressure brings clouds and either rain or snow, depending on temperature. Sometimes, when one or multiple of these factors change outside of their average distribution, extreme weather may occur: an example of such weather is a hurricane, which is caused by extremely low air pressure and involves large quantities of clouds and precipitation as well as high winds (air movement).
Climate Types
The most common system of climate classification is known as the "Köppen Climate Classification System". It divides climates around the planet into five distinct types: Tropical, Arid, Temperate, Continental and Polar. Tropical climate has high temperatures throughout the year (generally above 68 degrees Fahrenheit) and high volumes of precipitation. Arid has high temperatures, but extremely low precipitation (often exceeded by evaporation). Temperate climate has the average temperature of its coldest month below 64 degrees Fahrenheit and above 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Continental climates have the average temperature of their warmest months above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while the average temperature of the coldest months is below 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Polar climate is defined as having the average temperature of its warmest month be less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Lastly, each of those is further subdivided into numerous subtypes, such as tropical rainforests, semi-arid steppes and tundra.