Weather and climate — Geography, 7–10 years
Weather is what the air is like now; climate is the usual pattern in a place over many years.
Now and usually
Weather can change from hour to hour: today may be sunny, windy or rainy. Climate is the usual pattern over many years, such as a place being generally hot and dry or cool and wet. One cold day does not change a place’s climate.
Why separate them
The problem is that a short observation cannot tell us what a place is usually like. Weather helps us decide what to wear or whether to travel today; climate helps people plan crops, buildings and water supplies over many years.
Using two kinds of information
A forecast says Lisbon will have rain on Saturday, so that is Saturday’s weather and you may take a coat. A climate table says Lisbon usually has mild, wetter winters and warmer, drier summers. The forecast describes one day; the table describes a long pattern.
The reasonable mistake
A common mistake is saying, “It is snowing today, so this place has a cold climate.” That is understandable because today’s weather is the evidence we can feel directly. Climate needs many years of observations, including warm, cold, wet and dry days.
Weather and climate outside school
You use weather information when choosing clothes, planning a picnic or checking whether a journey is safe. Climate information helps farmers choose crops and helps architects design for heat, cold, rain or strong winds. These are different questions about the air.
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