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Posted by on Nov 30, 2015 in TellMeWhy |

Why Is It Hotter in Summer than in Winter?

Why Is It Hotter in Summer than in Winter?

Why Is It Hotter in Summer than in Winter? During the summer, the sun shines most directly on the earth, bringing more heat. The earth tilts, or tips, a little to one side as it travels around the sun. When the half of the earth you live on is tilted toward the sun, you get the most hours of sunlight and the most heat. Then it is summer.

When your half of the earth is tilted away from the sun, the sun seems not so high in the sky as it does in summer. Its rays strike the earth at more of a slant and lose some of their heating power. The nights are longer, and there are more hours of cooling. Then it is winter.

Other factors that affect the climate are: distribution of land, sea and elevation, water stabilizes and prevents large changes in temperature. The land does not collect heat as the ocean does and therefore significant temperature changes can occur over large expanses of land.

With the increase of altitude, the air becomes thinner and can’t absorb as much heat it does at sea level. Therefore in increased altitude the temperature drops.

Content for this question contributed by Melanie Pfaffenberger, resident of Parma, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USA