The terms ╥weather╙ and ╥climate╙ shouldn╒t be used interchangeably. Both describe a combination of temperature and atmospheric conditions, but while short-term weather conditions probably influenced what you╒re wearing, long-term climatic conditions probably influenced where you╒re living.
Weather describes the short-term conditions in the troposphere, the region of the earth's atmosphere closest to the surface. Temperature, humidity, wind, precipitation, pressure, and cloudiness are the basic elements that interact to create the weather. As anyone who has ever found themselves in a surprise thunderstorm or unexpected heat wave can testify, weather conditions are rarely constant.
Climate is defined as ╥average weather,╙ and is determined by averaging weather conditions for years, even decades, at a time. Climate is primarily influenced by location relative to the equator; move towards the poles, and temperatures drop; move back towards the equator, and temperatures rise.
Climate is often influenced by proximity to oceans or large lakes: areas by large bodies of water tend to have more humid climates, while inland locations are drier. There are exceptions, of course: equatorial mountains can have snow-covered peaks, and many deserts roll right up against ocean shores.
Climate doesn╒t vary much from year to year, but it does vary from month to month. That╒s because the earth's axis is tilted twenty-three and one-half degrees from the vertical. As the earth rotates around the sun, the sun's rays hit different parts of the globe in varying strengths throughout the year. The result is what we call ╥seasons.╙
