Question
Directions
For each of the following statements, indicate if it describes weather or climate, and briefly explain why. If you think a statement could describe both weather or climate, explain why that could be. An example is provided for you.
Example:
It rained all night, last night.
Answer: Weather. It was a recent change in precipitation over a short period.
It has not snowed yet today.
In October, temperatures begin to drop.
This summer should be hotter than normal.
The humidity dropped overnight.
A thunderstorm cancelled our softball game.
It has never gone below 32°F in the month of December.
The high temperature yesterday was 10 degrees above normal.
The clouds are rolling in.
One of the strongest blizzards hit New York in February 2007, leaving about 6 feet of snow.
Texas is hot and humid and Arizona is hot and dry during the summer.
The skies were clear until an hour ago.
The air pressure dropped.
We had a lot more rain last year than this year.
Another tornado hit Kansas City.
Winds blew at 35 mph today.
For each of the following statements, indicate if it describes weather or climate, and briefly explain why. If you think a statement could describe both weather or climate, explain why that could be. An example is provided for you.
Example:
It rained all night, last night.
Answer: Weather. It was a recent change in precipitation over a short period.
It has not snowed yet today.
In October, temperatures begin to drop.
This summer should be hotter than normal.
The humidity dropped overnight.
A thunderstorm cancelled our softball game.
It has never gone below 32°F in the month of December.
The high temperature yesterday was 10 degrees above normal.
The clouds are rolling in.
One of the strongest blizzards hit New York in February 2007, leaving about 6 feet of snow.
Texas is hot and humid and Arizona is hot and dry during the summer.
The skies were clear until an hour ago.
The air pressure dropped.
We had a lot more rain last year than this year.
Another tornado hit Kansas City.
Winds blew at 35 mph today.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
1. **It has not snowed yet today.**
Answer: Weather. This statement refers to a specific day and a recent observation about precipitation.
2. **In October, temperatures begin to drop.**
Answer: Climate. This statement describes a general trend observed over many years regarding temperature patterns in October.
3. **This summer should be hotter than normal.**
Answer: Climate. This prediction is based on long-term averages and trends, which relate to climate rather than immediate weather conditions.
4. **The humidity dropped overnight.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a specific change in humidity that occurred within a short time frame.
5. **A thunderstorm cancelled our softball game.**
Answer: Weather. This refers to a specific weather event that affected an event on a particular day.
6. **It has never gone below 32°F in the month of December.**
Answer: Climate. This statement reflects long-term statistics and observations about temperature in December over multiple years.
7. **The high temperature yesterday was 10 degrees above normal.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a specific weather event (the high temperature) in relation to the average, indicating it refers to a short time frame.
8. **The clouds are rolling in.**
Answer: Weather. This refers to a current observation of cloud formation that indicates a change in weather conditions.
9. **One of the strongest blizzards hit New York in February 2007, leaving about 6 feet of snow.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a specific weather event that occurred in the past, detailing an extreme condition.
10. **Texas is hot and humid and Arizona is hot and dry during the summer.**
Answer: Climate. This statement compares climate characteristics of two regions over time, not just a short period of weather.
11. **The skies were clear until an hour ago.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a recent change in weather conditions observed in a short timeframe.
12. **The air pressure dropped.**
Answer: Weather. This indicates a recent change in atmospheric conditions that is specific to a short duration.
13. **We had a lot more rain last year than this year.**
Answer: Climate. This observation compares rainfall data over an entire year, indicating a long-term trend rather than a single weather event.
14. **Another tornado hit Kansas City.**
Answer: Weather. This statement refers to a recent occurrence of a specific weather phenomenon.
15. **Winds blew at 35 mph today.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a specific and recent wind speed measurement, indicating current weather conditions.
Answer: Weather. This statement refers to a specific day and a recent observation about precipitation.
2. **In October, temperatures begin to drop.**
Answer: Climate. This statement describes a general trend observed over many years regarding temperature patterns in October.
3. **This summer should be hotter than normal.**
Answer: Climate. This prediction is based on long-term averages and trends, which relate to climate rather than immediate weather conditions.
4. **The humidity dropped overnight.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a specific change in humidity that occurred within a short time frame.
5. **A thunderstorm cancelled our softball game.**
Answer: Weather. This refers to a specific weather event that affected an event on a particular day.
6. **It has never gone below 32°F in the month of December.**
Answer: Climate. This statement reflects long-term statistics and observations about temperature in December over multiple years.
7. **The high temperature yesterday was 10 degrees above normal.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a specific weather event (the high temperature) in relation to the average, indicating it refers to a short time frame.
8. **The clouds are rolling in.**
Answer: Weather. This refers to a current observation of cloud formation that indicates a change in weather conditions.
9. **One of the strongest blizzards hit New York in February 2007, leaving about 6 feet of snow.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a specific weather event that occurred in the past, detailing an extreme condition.
10. **Texas is hot and humid and Arizona is hot and dry during the summer.**
Answer: Climate. This statement compares climate characteristics of two regions over time, not just a short period of weather.
11. **The skies were clear until an hour ago.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a recent change in weather conditions observed in a short timeframe.
12. **The air pressure dropped.**
Answer: Weather. This indicates a recent change in atmospheric conditions that is specific to a short duration.
13. **We had a lot more rain last year than this year.**
Answer: Climate. This observation compares rainfall data over an entire year, indicating a long-term trend rather than a single weather event.
14. **Another tornado hit Kansas City.**
Answer: Weather. This statement refers to a recent occurrence of a specific weather phenomenon.
15. **Winds blew at 35 mph today.**
Answer: Weather. This describes a specific and recent wind speed measurement, indicating current weather conditions.