Temperature Patterns
The temperature of a place on the Earth is largely dependent upon how strong the Sun is. The strength of the Sun depends upon how high it rises in the sky during the day. This varies with the seasons and with latitude, a measure of how far a place is from the equator. In winter the Sun does not rise as high, and consequently the sunlight is weaker and the temperatures lower. Near the equator, the Sun can be overhead during the middle of the day, heating the surface very strongly. Even during the winter, sunlight near the equator is strong and temperatures rarely fall below 25°C during any time of the year. This part of the world is called the tropics.
The coldest temperatures occur in the polar regions near the North and South Poles. Here, the Sun never rises very high above the horizon, even in summer, and in winter it is not seen at all, for up to six months. Temperatures for most of the year are below freezing and have been known to fall to below -80°C.
Temperatures in most other places in the world vary quite a lot between winter and summer. In parts of Russia and the United States for example, temperatures in summer can rise to 30°C, but fall to -30°C in winter. In more temperate climates like the that of the British Isles, there is a difference between summer and winter but it is not as large. If we consider the average temperature of both day and night, the difference between average winter and average summer temperature in much of the British Isles is only 12°C.
| Global January temperature |
| Global July temperature |
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