Weather, Seasons of the Year

And what´s actually the different between climate and weather? The climate is the long-term condition of the weather in a given area. The weather is a short- term condition of the climatic agents.

There are several climatic zones on the earth - arctic, temperate and tropical. Spreading out from the equator is the tropical zone, then comes the temperate zone and finally the arctic zone. The same thing applies in the northen and southern hemispheres. It´s not possible, however, to mark out an exact borderline between any two climatic zones. Our country is situated in the central temperate zone. Other countries that are located in this zone also enjoy a European - type- continental climate. It means that winters are not too cold and summers are not too hot.

In the arctic climatic zone, snow lies on the ground for most of the year. It´s winter almost the year round. The thermometer reads many degrees below zero. In this climatic zone the fauna and flora are somewhat poorer. Most of what grows there are lichens and scrubby bushes. Of animals we find there for instance reindeer, the polar fox, and the polar bear. These areas are only very sparsely settled.

The temperate climatic zone, in which our country is situated, is characterised by the changing of the seasons. We distinguish four seasons of the year - spring, summer, autumn and winter. Every season of the year lasts for three months. Nature and animals are very varied here. Coniferous forests (spruce, pine, fir), deciduous woods (oak, beech, birch, maple), as well as mixe dones growin this climatic zone. Of animals we´ll find here hares, deer, foxes, wild boar, etc. people can grow many kinds of useful plants and keep domestic animals. They can also devote themselves to all kinds of sports, because the climate offersthem all that´s needed. In summertime we can swim, ride on a boat and in the winter practice ski jumping and ride on snowboards. People from this temperate zone do not usually have as many difficulties getting used to life in the arctic zone as people from the tropical zone do.

The tropical climatic zone is the third and last of the above - named climatic zones. Hot weather prevails for most of the year. A dry season alternates with the rainy season. There are also tropical forests here full of ferns and lians. The air here is very humid. Tropical rain forests and primeval forests are a major source of oxygen. Many exotic animals live in the tropical zone. These are, for example, snakes, monkeys, lizards, parrots, and even turtles. Of plants we´ll find here, for instance, beautiful orchids. People who live in the tropics have adjusted to these natural conditions and therefore often have a dark complexion.

The temperate zone is characterised by the changing of the seasons. The first is of course spring, which starts on March 21st according to the calendar. In the spring flowers stert growing and the grass starts turning green. Among the first plants that one catches sight of are the white petals of snow - drops, snow - flakes and primroses. Later are in flower violets, marsh marigolds, dandelions and lilies of the valley. The weather at this time is often somewhat unstable. One moment the sun is shining and it feels warm, but suddenly the sky becomes overcast, it starts to drizzle and rain, hailstones may fall and often it even snows. In the spring it always pays off to carry along an umbrella or at least a raincoat. Spring is followed by summer, which begins on June 21st. it often comes a lot earlier.