Difference Between Weather and Climate: Nowadays several changes take place in the climate with the influence of natural and human factors. In the Climate Change scenario, anthropogenic factors play an important role through its industrialization, modernization, infrastructure, and urbanization programs. Today global warming has become a new normal for the planet Earth. It shows the drastic change in the Earth’s surface temperature that impacts all living creatures on the Earth. It is important to know the difference between weather and climate for a better understanding of the present scenario.

Difference Between Weather and Climate

Even though both weather and climate seem to be closely related terms, they have some prominent differences as explained below in the tabular presentation. Mark Twain, American Writer, said about the weather and climate that climate is what you expect and the weather is what you get in that location

Difference Between Weather and Climate
WeatherClimate
The daily basis changes in the atmospheric conditions of 
a particular place at a particular time period are called weather.
The average summation of long-term changes in the atmospheric conditions of a particular place for more than 30 years is called climate.
It includes short-term atmospheric conditions that are not persistent.It includes the long-term atmospheric conditions that are persistent over decades.
Atmospheric elements like precipitation, temperature, etc. 
can influence the weather conditions within a short period of time.
Atmospheric elements like precipitation, temperature, etc. can not influence the climate conditions within a short period of time.
It impacts more on the day-to-day life of people like transportation, occupation, etc.It impacts more on the industries, agriculture, livelihood of inhabitants, etc.
The weather conditions are altered frequently.The climatic conditions are altered over a longer period.
The study of weather conditions and weather forecasting is called Meteorology.The study of climatic conditions and climate forecasting is called Climatology.

Definition of Weather

Weather is the atmospheric conditions of a particular place that is recorded on daily basis. The study of weather is indispensable for understanding the effects of weather on day-to-day life and human activities. The daily atmospheric conditions such as the sun shining, wind blowing, visibility, humidity, cloudiness in the sky, etc. record the weather of the specific location on a specific day and time period.

Weather is not a permanent phenomenon and it changes with time and seasons. The atmosphere is enveloped in the Troposphere which is the closest atmospheric layer to the ground. Already we have covered an article about the Layers of Atmosphere, you can go through that article for knowing more about Atmosphere. The atmospheric changes mainly happen in the Tropospheric Layer. With technological advancements like satellite observation, weather forecasting has become an easy task.

Effects of Weather Change

The effects of weather changes have a wider cover from Agriculture to Astronomy and from Economics to Environment. The greater effect of weather changes takes place on the farming practices and major crops cultivated around the world. Wheat and rice are the main cereals that thrive in hot regions while crops like maize and sugarcane suit cooler weather conditions. The changing patterns in rainfall impose a wider influence on plant growth and crop cultivation. It is the weather changes that cause the problem of food shortages in many regions. The parts of the African continent and South East Asian region are considered the worst region to be hit by food starvation.

Definition of Climate

Climate is the atmospheric conditions of a particular place that is recorded over a longer period of time. In the case of climate, the atmospheric conditions are persistent for so long. The average summation of all atmospheric conditions prevalent in that location is considered the Climate of that location. The atmospheric parameters like temperature, sunlight, rainfall, humidity, wind, and atmospheric pressure are the same as that of weather but in climate, these are measured for a longer time period. 

The records of atmospheric conditions like the amount of precipitation, the hottest and coldest day, etc. help in predicting the climate of that particular place. The climate is deduced after analyzing and observing the atmospheric conditions that prevailed in that place for around 30 years or above.

Causes of Climate Change

In our daily life, we come across the term Climate Change in newspapers or news channels. Climate Change refers to the changing events of the atmosphere and its elements that also influence the climate. In simple words, Global Warming increases the temperature of the Earth’s surface and temperature is the atmospheric element that influences the climate. Hence with global warming, the climate is also changed. However, several research and reports reveal that the present climate of the planet Earth is changing at a faster rate that alarms about any danger.

There are many causes of Climate Change. Here some Natural and Anthropological factors are given below.

Natural Factors- 

Sunlight Fluctuations 

Volcanic Eruptions 

Variances in Earth's orbit

CO₂ Concentration (CO₂)

Anthropological Factors- 

Industrial Revolution/ Industrialization

Population Explosion

Urbanization

Unbalanced Transportation System

Different types of Environmental Pollution  

All these human activities have contributed enough to increasing the level of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. It results in higher heat absorption on Earth’s surface and higher surface temperature of Earth. 

Difference Between Weather and Climate- FAQs

Ans. The average summation of long-term changes in the atmospheric conditions of a particular place for more than 30 years is called climate.

Ans. The daily basis changes in the atmospheric conditions of a particular place at a particular time period are called weather.

Ans. The weather includes short-term atmospheric conditions that are not persistent. The climate includes the long-term atmospheric conditions that are persistent over decades.

Ans. Climate Change refers to the changing events of the atmosphere and its elements that also influence the climate.

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