Often used as interchangeable terms, climate and weather have very different meanings. The main difference between them is a measure of time: while weather refers to the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, climate is the average daily weather of a specific location for a long period of time.
Table Summary
| Weather | Climate |
| Short period of time | Long period of time |
| Daily atmospheric conditions | Averages of daily weather |
Getty Images / Moment / mikroman6
Definitions
Weather refers to the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time. It is basically the way the atmosphere behaves regarding human activities. The components of weather include rain, snow, flooding, heat, etc.
On the other hand, climate is a term used to refer to average weather at a specific location for a long period of time. While weather refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere (minutes or months), climate is the average over time and space. It refers to averages of precipitation, humidity, sunshine, fog, frost, etc.
Weather VS Climate
Often used as interchangeable terms, climate and weather have very different meanings. Weather is what we call the short-term status of the atmosphere regarding sunshine, heat, dryness, rain etc. Climate, on the other hand, is the average daily weather for an extended period of time at a specific location.