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Climate Patterns In St. Louis, Singapore

Decent Essays

There are a number of factors that influence the weather we encounter around the world. Humans, animals and any living organisms have learned to adapt to changes in temperature throughout the year, but what exactly causes such fluctuations to occur? Climate controls are important in determining the temperature and precipitation profile for any location on the surface of the Earth. Therefore, the five climate controls that influence climate patterns in St. Louis, Missouri and Singapore are latitude, altitude, wind patterns, land and water contrast and ocean currents

St. Louis, Missouri has temperatures that range from 30 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter to about 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, with precipitation of about 40 inches a year.. …show more content…

According to Hess, “The angle at which solar rays hit Earth’s surface varies with latitude. The higher the angle, the more concentrated the energy and therefore the more effective the heating” (2011, p. 80). St. Louis, Missouri is located at 38°39' N, 90°W, which puts it north of the Tropic of Cancer. The angle of incidence is between 10 and 40 degrees, which causes cooler temperatures since the insolation is spread out over a large area. Whereas, Singapore is located at 1°24'N, 103°55'E, thus indicating it’s just north of the equator. Since Singapore is by the equator, the sun is directly overhead, causing an angle of incidence of 90 degrees, which results in insolation being concentrated to a more specific area, causing warmer temperatures. The temperature of these locations are greatly influenced by the location on the latitude. Another climate control is altitude, thus the further you are to the atmosphere, the colder the temperatures will be. St. Louis, Missouri’s elevation is 535 ft., while Singapore’s elevation is 16ft. The elevation at St. Louis, Missouri indicates they will have cooler temperatures, as they’re closer to the atmosphere, compared to Singapore. The …show more content…

Whereas, Singapore is obtaining winds from the south equatorial current carrying warmer temperatures towards the equator. Another climate control is land and water contrast. “A land surface heats up more rapidly and reaches a higher temperature than a comparable water surface subject to the same isolation. In essence, a thin layer of land is heated to relatively high temperatures, whereas a thick layer of water is heated more slowly to moderate temperatures” (Hess, 2011, p. 82). St. Louis, Missouri has colder temperatures because they’re located in the interior of the continent, which causes the surface of the land to cool more rapidly and deliver colder temperatures in the winter. Also, in the summer, the heat is absorbed more on the surface of the land, which causes temperatures to get hotter. However, Singapore, has a constant temperature of 80 degrees year round because they’re near the equator and surrounded by the ocean. The temperatures in Singapore stay consistent because the surrounding waters take up the insolation, which helps regulate the temperature. The final climate control is ocean currents, “cool currents deflect

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