Quarterdeck, Volume 6, Number 2, Summer 1998

The Ocean and Global Climate


The difference between climate and weather

Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular moment with regard to temperature, moisture, etc. You're describing weather if you say, "It's raining," or "It's hot outside."

Climate is the average weather over a specified period of time. You're describing climate if you say, "This summer has been hot!" or "Winter in Alaska is cold."

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Last updated August 1, 1998