Figure 32 This map illustrates the major climates of the world. Interpreting Diagrams What type of climate do you live in?
In their study and classification of climates, scientists consider many factors, including soil, vegetation, and animal life. Two factors, however, are most important. 
The two main factors that determine a region's climate are temperature and precipitation. Scientists consider average temperature and precipitation over the year, as well as how these factors vary from day to day and season to season.
Factors Affecting Temperature
A region's pattern of temperature depends on several factors. Factors that affect a region's temperature include its latitude, distance from large bodies of water, ocean currents, and altitude. The latitude of a region is perhaps the most important factor affecting temperature. Places at the same latitude experience the same seasonal changes in solar radiation and therefore generally have similar temperatures throughout the year.
Another important factor affecting the temperature of a region is its distance from a large body of water. The air above large bodies of water has much less variation in temperature than the air over land. The moderating effects of water are felt in coastal regions. These regions typically have less variation in temperature over the course of a year than do regions located at the same latitude within continents. The temperature of coastal regions is also influenced by nearby ocean currents.
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