It seems that Britain's cold snap has required UK commentators to point out the difference between weather and climate. It's a simple distinction, but one that many are surprisingly sketchy about. Let's make it clear.
According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, climate is:
"The atmospheric conditions for a long period of time, and generally refers to the normal or mean course of the weather. Includes the future expectation of long term weather, in the order of weeks, months or years ahead."
The BOM provides the Macquarie Dictionary definition of weather: "the state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc." but adds, "It occurs in the troposphere, the layer of air about 10 - 15 km thick, above the surface of the earth."
On its weather education page, which deals with the climate vs. weather question in detail, the BOM says simply "Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get." See that page for (much) more information!
Are you clear about the difference between weather and climate?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
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