Climate and weather are terms that describe atmospheric conditions but operate on different time scales and contexts.
**Weather** refers to the short-term atmospheric conditions in a specific place at a specific time. This includes immediate factors such as temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, and visibility. Weather changes frequently—sometimes within hours—and can vary significantly in different regions.
**Climate**, on the other hand, is the long-term average of weather patterns over an extended period—typically 30 years or more—in a particular area. Climate encompasses the standard variations and trends in temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation, providing a broader context for what the weather tends to be like in a given location seasonally and annually.
While weather can be unpredictable and can change rapidly, climate is relatively stable and gives insight into trends and long-term conditions. Understanding both is essential for fields such as agriculture, environmental science, and meteorology, as they influence ecological systems, human activities, and preparedness for natural events.