Geo Chapter 13 - Climate

Canada is a very [blank_start]large[blank_end] country; it extends for a great distance from north to south and from east to west. Different [blank_start]elevations[blank_end] produce different climate conditions. Coastal regions have different climates from [blank_start]inland[blank_end] regions. Wind and [blank_start]pressure[blank_end] systems move weather conditions from one part of the country to another.

The most southerly inhabited point in Canada is [blank_start]Pelee Island[blank_end] in Lake [blank_start]Erie[blank_end] at 41 degrees North latitude. The most northerly point of the country is [blank_start]Alert[blank_end], Nunavut, at the northern tip of [blank_start]Ellesmere[blank_end] Island. at 83 degrees North latitude. This wide range in latitude has a huge impact on Canada's [blank_start]climate[blank_end].

Distance from the [blank_start]equator[blank_end] (latitude) is a key (but not only) factor in determining whether a region has a hot or cold climate. In general, as latitude increases, temperature [blank_start]decreases[blank_end]. This is because the curvature of the earth causes the sun's energy to be more [blank_start]concentrated[blank_end] closer to the equator but more [blank_start]dispersed[blank_end] as you get closer to the poles.