Weather vs. Climate: What's the Difference?

Look outside or think about this morning. Was it sunny, cloudy, rainy, or windy? The sky changes almost every day. But have you ever noticed that some places are almost always hot, and some are almost always cold? Today you will find out why — and learn two very important science words.

Weather is what the atmosphere — the layer of air around Earth — is doing right now or on any single day. It includes things like temperature (how hot or cold it is), rainfall, snow, wind, and clouds. Weather can change very quickly. It might be sunny in the morning and rainy by afternoon. A weather pattern is when certain types of weather happen again and again. For example, many places get more rain in spring and more sunshine in summer. Noticing that pattern over days and weeks is how forecasters — people who predict weather — do their job. Climate is different. Climate is the usual, average weather a place gets over a long time — at least 30 years. Climate tells us what to expect, not what is happening right now. A desert has a hot, dry climate. A rainforest has a warm, wet climate. Here is a simple way to remember the difference: Weather is what you wear today. Climate is what clothes you keep in your wardrobe all year. Real-world example: In the city of Miami, Florida, it might rain on one random Tuesday in January. That rainy Tuesday is the weather. But Miami's climate is warm and humid (moist) because it is warm and rainy most of the time, year after year.