Which of the following is an example of climate rather than weather?

• A. The average rainfall in Seattle for the past 30 years is 37 inches per year.
• B. It rains today in Seattle.
• C. A thunderstorm during the afternoon.
• D. A cold front passing through overnight.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is the difference between climate and weather. Weather covers short-term atmospheric conditions—what’s happening now or over the next day or two, like rain today, a thunderstorm this afternoon, or a cold front moving through overnight. Climate, on the other hand, describes long-term patterns and averages over many years. The example of Seattle’s rainfall averaged over 30 years, about 37 inches per year, reflects a long-term pattern used to represent typical conditions and is thus a climate measure. The other scenarios describe specific, short-term events—today’s rain, a thunderstorm, or a front passing through—which are weather.