Elements of Weather and Climate

The atmosphere is not a static blanket around the Earth. It is a dynamic system whose various components are constantly changing, and these changes directly shape the conditions we experience as weather and climate. The elements that make up this system are the basic variables that meteorologists measure and study, and they are the same factors that influence agriculture, settlement, health, and every other aspect of human life on the planet.

The main elements of the atmosphere that are subject to change and that influence human life on earth are:

• Temperature
• Pressure
• Winds
• Humidity
• Clouds
• Precipitation

These six elements are the fundamental building blocks of weather and climate. Temperature refers to the degree of hotness or coldness of the air. Pressure is the weight of the air exerted on the earth's surface. Winds are the horizontal movement of air from high-pressure to low-pressure areas. Humidity is the amount of water vapour present in the air. Clouds are visible masses of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere, and precipitation is the falling of water in any form — rain, snow, hail, or sleet — from the atmosphere to the ground. …