Weather vs. Climate

Hi friend, today is another blog from the back to the basic series. Today we are discussing the difference between climate and weather. We will also discuss how they are being misused or confused.

So what’s the difference between climate and weather?

Weather is defined as ​​the state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc. Weather is the current atmospheric state. When we are talking about the weather we are talking about how it is outside at the given moment. This is when it is raining or sunny outside. On the other hand, the climate is defined as the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. Climate is the collection of different weather patterns that happen in a general area for a long time. When we are talking about the climate we are talking about the patterns of climate for example in the south of the United States. We know that the summer in the south is likely to bring on droughts or that in the spring it is likely to be raining and experience more tornados. So when looking at these two terms together, weather patterns make up the climate of a region.

How are they misused?

When we discuss the definitions of climate and weather it is pretty clear how they can get confused very easily. In reality, one makes up the whole of the other. In society, we have used these terms interchangeably. It is no surprise then that at this point in history when both terms are very important, society would not be able to distinguish between the two. Many times you will hear someone say how the climate is outside when they meant the weather. It is now more important to be able to distinguish between the two with climate change happening. When we understand the basics it allows us to learn more about problems that we are facing now.

If you remember the previous blog we discussed climate change, knowing these two terms will help explain the current issues that we are facing. Breaking down current challenges helps the problem not seem so daunting.

I hope that this was helpful! If it was consider sharing this blog post with someone you know. Your call to action for this week is to discuss these two definitions with others in your life.