Regional Climates | Page 7 | NOAA Climate.gov

Polar Opposites: the Arctic and Antarctic

July 10, 2011

In the Arctic, an ocean is surrounded by continents, while Antarctica is continent surrounded by oceans. These differences in the arrangement of land and water contribute to differences in each polar region’s climate, oceanic and atmospheric circulation patterns, and seasonal and long-term sea ice patterns.

The New Climate Normals: Gardeners Expect Warmer Nights

June 25, 2011

Starting in July, when you hear that a day was hotter, or colder, or rainier than normal, that normal will be a little different from what it was in the past.

Winter Temperatures Influenced by North Atlantic Oscillation, La Niña

April 5, 2011

Natural climate phenomena—the North Atlantic Oscillation & La Niña—can explain much of this winter's temperature patterns across North America.

Another Wintry Winter for the Eastern U.S.

February 8, 2011

Deep snow that fell across the Great Plains and the Northeast in late January and early February is the latest installment in the second very wintry winter in a row for the eastern U.S.

Rain Shadows on the Summits of Hawaii

January 5, 2011

On Hawaii’s Big Island, prevailing Pacific trade winds from the northeast bring more rainfall to northern & eastern slopes, leading to dramatic differences in vegetation on different sides of the island.

In Search of Clouds Over Greenland

June 4, 2010

At the highest point atop the Greenland Ice Sheet, Matthew Shupe and his colleagues are installing a suite of climate and weather instruments. Their goal is to better understand the role of clouds in the rapid warming observed across the Arctic region.

Arctic Air Ushers in Chilly December

January 11, 2010

A wave of cold Arctic air gripped much of North America, Europe, and northern portions of Asia through the month of December 2009.

Living with an Uncertain Monsoon

October 22, 2009

In May and June each year, speculation about the coming of the monsoon fills newspapers and conversations across India. Everyone is concerned about if, when, and how much rain will arrive. But none have more at stake than India’s over 100 million farming households.

Arctic Sea Ice Reaches 3rd Lowest Minimum Extent

October 22, 2009

On September 12, the extent of sea ice in the Arctic reached the third lowest level ever recorded since satellite records began in 1979. Only 2007 and 2008 have had smaller ice extents than 2009.

Climate Variability in the North Atlantic

In this activity, students examine climate variability in the North Atlantic associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NOA) in a case study format.

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