We explain what climatology is, the variables it considers, its branches, and importance. Also, we explain its differences with meteorology.
What is climatology?
Climatology is the branch of geography that studies climate and its variations over time. This has been one of the subjects of study in geography since its beginnings, as climate and atmospheric conditions are linked to different aspects of human life, such as agricultural activity or the prevention of natural disasters.
The climate tends to be regular over long periods of time, such as geological periods. It follows specific climatic cycles that have a decisive influence on the course of plant and animal life in a given region. You must read about Climate once.
But at the same time, the climate varies naturally, depending on various geological, hydrological, and atmospheric conditions. All of these are the subject of study of climatology.
To this end, this science describes variations in temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, winds, etc. It thus creates records known as climograms, which track the climatic behavior of a region and compare it with that of past eras.
Climatology should not be confused with meteorology, just as climate (long-term) should not be confused with weather (short-term). Maybe you should definitely read about Prejudice once.
Branches of Climatology
Climatology has the following branches or subdivisions:
- Physical Climatology: This focuses on the study of climatic elements (wind, humidity, precipitation, etc.) from a statistical perspective, as well as the causal relationships between them.
- Regional Climatology: As its name suggests, it focuses on the study of discrete or typical climatic features of a given region.
- Dynamic Meteorology: Emerging in the late 1960s, it deals with the simulation and determination of climate change due to global warming, using fundamental equations of meteorology.
- Bioclimatology: The study of the correlations between climate and life, that is, how the two influence each other.
- Paleoclimatology: This is the study of climate in ancient geological eras, based on evidence from the fossil record and the composition of rocks in underground substrates.
Importance of Climatology
Climate changes drastically impact our civilization. On the one hand, due to the possibility of climate-related catastrophes. On the other hand, the slow change from one climate to another leads to a greater or lesser availability of resources. For example, water disappears in the process of desertification, and with it, soil fertility and the possibility of plant life.
The study of climate offers conclusions regarding the determining factors of these changes. Thus, it allows us to take corrective measures in a timely manner or even understand the possible climatic futures of planet Earth, since, judging by the evidence from past geological eras, our planet did not always have the same set of climates it has today.
Climatology and Meteorology
Climatology and meteorology are related but distinct sciences. Both use the same analytical parameters and, in principle, have the same object of study, but from very different perspectives.
On the one hand, climatology studies the climate, that is, the trend in patterns of variation in temperature, humidity, and other atmospheric elements over long periods of approximately 30 years on average.
On the other hand, meteorology studies the same variables analyzed by climatology, but over a short period of time, long enough to make predictions or forecasts regarding future climate in a specific region of the world.
References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, ensuring reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- “Climatology” on Wikipedia.
- “Climatology” on INTA Chicos.
- “What is the difference between climatology and meteorology?” (video) on Basque Radio and Television (EiTB).
- “Climatology” on Science Direct.
- “Climatology” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
