Compare Long-Term Climate Averages

5 questions0m 0s

Learn the skill

Compare the same month and unit across places. Long-term averages summarize many observations; they do not tell you the exact temperature on one future day.

Worked example

If a place has a July average of 20 degrees C, individual July days can be warmer or cooler. An average is not a daily guarantee.

A single-day marker is contrasted with a row of repeated yearly observations. One describes weather; long-term patterns of many observations describe climate. — One day or a few selected months cannot establish a full long-term climate pattern.

Two Fictional Towns

The following invented long-term averages summarize 30 years of observations. Town A: January average temperature 4 degrees C; July average 22 degrees C. Town B: January average 15 degrees C; July average 18 degrees C. Only these two months are shown, and all temperatures use the same unit.

Question 1 Which town has the warmer January average? Town A Town B They are equal

Question 2 What is the difference between Town A's July and January averages, in degrees C? Answer

Question 3 What is the difference between Town B's July and January averages, in degrees C? Answer

Question 4 Which claim is supported by the table? Town A is warmer on every day of the year Town B never has a cold day Town A has the larger difference between these two monthly averages

Question 5 Can the table give the exact temperature in Town A next Tuesday? Yes; it is always the July average No; a long-term monthly average is not a daily forecast Yes; both towns must have the same temperature