What factors control where different climates are found?

1 Answer
Mar 1, 2017

Primarily, temperature, then elevation. All other factors really derive from those two.

Explanation:

“Climate” is the prevalent condition(s) of temperature and moisture in different regions of the world. Those two factors determine what kinds of plant and animal life will flourish.

Both of those are the result of direct insolation (sun’s heat) and planetary elevation (altitude). Elevation can also affect the temperature and the moisture content of the atmosphere and ground.

See also this reply: https://socratic.org/questions/what-are-the-characteristics-that-differentiates-climate-zones-on-earth