Monthly temperature and precipitation patterns for several US and world cities are provided below. Latitude and longitude, elevations for selected cities (Los Angeles, Yuma, Denver, St. Louis, Chicago, and Sitka), and a location on a small map are given. Answer the questions that follow by comparing the temperature charts, noting locations, and considering latitude, land and water contrasts, altitudes, and potentially the effects of wind or air masses (if known). Note that locations at a similar latitude will have the same sun angles and day lengths through the year. Several charts are included for comparisons of temperature profiles.

1. Why does Yuma, AZ have warmer summers than Los Angeles, CA? 2. Why does St. Louis, MO have warmer summers than Denver, CO? 3. When compared to Sitka, AK, Chicago, Il has colder winters. Why? Note the latitude of each. 4. Why does Sitka have a smaller range of temperatures through the year than Chicago? 5. Note the latitudes of Los Angeles, CA and Capetown, S. Africa. Explain the temperature profiles of each city and how they compare. 6. Other pairings (above) are made for comparisons of climates of selected cities. Note that Chicago and Shenyang share the same latitude. Would you expect Sitka, AK and Dunedin, New Zealand to have similar ranges of temperature? Which of these two cities is at a higher latitude? Which of these two cities reaches cooler temperatures through the year?