PENNSVALLEY
102
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Lesson 51:
Climate andWeather of Mexico
How do latitude and land elevations affect climate? In our study of weather and climate
(LLB=Lesson 11)
, we learned that the closer we are to the equator, thewarmer the climate becomes.
We also learned that the area between the
Tropic of Cancer
and the
Tropic of Capricorn
, which are
latitude lines north and south of the equator, is known as a tropical region. Tropical regions have one
season – summer. Some tropical regions have rain all year, while others have seasonal rain. That is,
unless you are on amountain or higher elevation.Temperaturesmay vary and youmay even find snow.
Mexico’s different geographical regions, varied landscapes and land formations, and latitude affect
the climate andweather.There are deserts with a hot, dry climate in the northwestern and north-central
parts of Mexico.The coastal plains on theGulf and Pacific Coasts are low lying and usually hot.Most of
southern and southeasternMexico, stretching to theYucatan Peninsula, is low in elevation and closer to
the equator.These areas are tropical, withwarm temperatures and seasonal to heavy rainfalls.
Mexico’s largest land region, the Central Plateau, is dry andmountainous. Because of the higher
elevations, much of the Central Plateau has a temperate climate with mild temperatures. In areas
where elevations are greater than 6,000 feet, temperatures can become cold.
ACTIVITY 1:
Open to the climatemap of NorthAmerica in your
AtlasBuddy (AB)
on page vii. As you study themap
and themap legend, list below the climate zones inMexico that are represented by a different color.
Mexico’sClimate Zone
Color
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
ACTIVITY 2:
Identify the correct climate zonewitheachof thegeographical areas listedbelow.Use the climatemap
of North America in your
Atlas Buddy (AB)
on page vii and themap of Mexico/Central America on
page 99 as a reference.
Geographical Area/Location
Climate Zone
1. BajaCaliforniaRegion
2.MexicoCity and the higher elevations of theCentral PlateauRegion
3.Two types of dry climate found in northernMexico
4. The type of tropical climate found inmost of theYucatanPeninsula?
5. The rain forests of southeasternMexico that stretch
into the southern tip of theYucatanPeninsula
Mexico
People who live on
the Gulf and Pacific
coastal plains worry
about tropical hurri-
canes. Between the
months of August
andOctober, hurri-
cans can track from
the Pacific Ocean or
the Gulf of Mexico
and
