How Does the Ocean Affect Weather Patterns?

The ocean is like a giant heater or cooler that affects the weather. When it’s warm, it sends hot air up into the sky, making storms and rain. When it’s cold, it makes the air cool down, creating calm or even snow. This happens all over the world, changing the weather in places far away from the ocean itself.

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Examples

  1. A warm ocean can make a summer feel like a tropical paradise even if you're in the middle of Europe.
  2. Cold water from the ocean can bring snow to places that usually have mild winters.
  3. The same ocean that makes waves for surfers can create rainstorms far inland.

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Categories: Environment · ocean· weather· climate · Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.