Weather versus Climate

The key difference between weather and climate is time. 

What is the difference between weather and climate? Both weather and climate are measured via environmental parameters, including air and sea surface temperature, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, humidity and evaporation, as well as wind speed and direction.  

The key difference between weather and climate is time. Weather describes the current conditions of the atmosphere: how much will it rain today, or how hot will it be tomorrow?  

Climate describes the long-term weather patterns of the atmosphere: what was the average temperature over the last 30 years, or how much rain can be expected in an average year?  

Weather and climate are closely linked but are observed and documented over different timeframes. As climate is defined by long-term averages, it can be predicted with some certainty. Weather, however, is difficult to predict beyond brief time periods 

--- 

To advance Climate Science Literacy across Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations in Asia-Pacific has developed a series of posters, social media graphics, and videos. The United Agencies that have jointly developed the climate science literacy materials include UNESCO, ILO, IOM, UNDP, UNDRR, UNEP, UN ESCAP, UNFCCC, UNICEF, and UNOSSC. 

The materials are available free of charge for public adaptation and distribution under Open Access CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO. If you would like to translate the video into additional languages, please contact eo.bangkok@unesco.org.