Climate describes the average weather of a place over a long period of time, usually 30 years or more. It includes patterns of temperature, rainfall, and wind. Climate differs across regions of Earth.

Tropical climates are warm and wet, deserts are dry, and polar regions are cold. Scientists collect long-term weather data from stations, satellites, and instruments to understand these patterns. Climate helps describe what conditions are typical in a place.

Climate is studied in Earth science. It is compared across regions using recorded data over many years.