Janey Levy - Dangerous Climates

Words in the glossary appear in bold type the first time they are used in the text.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Levy, Janey, author.

Title: Dangerous climates / Janey Levy.

Description: New York : Gareth Stevens Publishing, [2020] | Series: Mother nature is trying to kill me! | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018044073| ISBN 9781538239582 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781538239605 (library bound) | ISBN 9781538239599 (6 pack)

Subjects: LCSH: Climatic extremes--Juvenile literature. | Weather--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC QC981.8.C53 L488 2020 | DDC 551.55--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018044073

First Edition

Published in 2020 by

Gareth Stevens Publishing

111 East 14th Street, Suite 349

New York, NY 10003

Copyright 2020 Gareth Stevens Publishing

Designer: Sarah Liddell

Editor: Monika Davies

Photo credits: Cover, p. 1 Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock.com; background used throughout XONOVETS/Shutterstock.com; p. 4 Perutskyi Petro/Shutterstock.com; p. 5 Drew McArthur/ Shutterstock.com; p. 7 (main) Matt Makes Photos/Shutterstock.com; p. 7 (inset) Bojan Brecelj/Contributor/Corbis Sport/Getty Images; p. 9 Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock.com; p. 11 (main) Matt Tilghman/Shutterstock.com; p. 11 (black caiman) Uwe Bergwitz/ Shutterstock.com; p. 11 (green anaconda) ShutterOK/Shutterstock.com; p. 11 (gympie gympie tree) Cgoodwin/Peter coxhead/Wikimedia Commons; p. 13 bodom/ Shutterstock.com; p. 15 Mia2you/Shutterstock.com; p. 17 easy camera/Shutterstock.com; p. 19 Ipedan/Shutterstock.com; p. 21 sirtravelalot/Shutterstock.com.

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KILLER CLIMATES

No matter where you are in the world, every place has a climate. Climate is the average weather conditions of a place over a long period of time. Scientists often figure out an areas climate by looking at its weather over 30 years!

Some climates are quite pleasant. Mediterranean climates have mild winters that pass quickly and summers that are long and warm. But some climates are so dangerous they can actually kill you!

DANGEROUS CLIMATES ARE FOUND EVERYWHERE, FROM EARTHS POLAR AREAS TO AREAS NEAR EARTHS EQUATOR.

PERILOUSPOLAR CLIMATES

The polar regions, or areas, are two of the worlds coldest places. These two regions sit at the top and bottom of Earth. The Arctic is the area around the North Pole. Antarctica, a continent near the South Pole, is where Earths coldest temperatures have been recorded.

At these extremely low temperatures, your body gets very cold, your breathing slows down, and you may not think clearly. Your fingers and toes might even freeze solid and fall off. In the end, you could turn into a block of ice!

THE FORCE OF NATURE

Temperatures in Antarctica havedropped to -144 oF (-98 oC) many times! Powerful winds also blow in Antarctica. Winds can reach speeds of over 200 miles (322 km) per hour!

THESE TOES HAVE SUFFERED FROSTBITE. FROSTBITE IS A CONDITION IN WHICH PART OF THE BODY FREEZES OR NEARLY FREEZES IN COLD WEATHER.

DEADLYDESERT CLIMATES

Deserts are the hottest, driest places on Earth, and theyre found around the world. Some of Earths hottest temperatures have been recorded in Death Valley, a desert in California.

In extremely hot desert conditions, you can feel faint and your head may begin to pound. Your heart may start beating fast. You might feel sick and throw up. This is because your body is getting too hot and is unable to control its temperature. This condition is called heatstroke, and many people have died from it.

THE FORCE OF NATURE

In 1913, the worlds hottestair temperature was recorded in Death Valley. Temperatures rose to a blazing 134 oF (57 oC)!

DEATH VALLEY IS NORTH AMERICAS DRIEST AREA. IT ONLY RECEIVES ON AVERAGE AROUND 2 INCHES (5 CM) OF RAIN A YEAR!

TERRIBLETROPICAL CLIMATES

Tropical wet climates are found in rain forests near the equator. As their name suggests, rain forests are forests that get a lot of rain.

Sometimes, a climate can be dangerous because of the plants and animals that live there. For example, gympie gympie stinging trees grow wild in rain forests. Their leaves can sting people, causing great pain. In the rain forest, scary predatorssuch as jaguars and green anacondasmight choose you for dinner!

THE FORCE OF NATURE

Green anacondas seize prey using their sharp teeth. They then wrap theirbody around their prey, squeezing tighter and tighter. Soon, blood cant reach the preys brain, and the animal dies.

THE RAIN FOREST HOLDS MANY MORE DANGERS, INCLUDING THE CROCODILE-LIKE BLACK CAIMAN.

BLACK CAIMAN

GREEN ANACONDA

GYMPIE GYMPIE STINGING TREE

MORTALMONSOON CLIMATES

Tropical monsoon climates are another type of tropical climate. These climates are affected by monsoons, a wind system that blows one direction in the summer and the opposite in the winter. Monsoons are well known for their heavy summer rains. People welcome the rains because water helps their crops grow. But the rains can also bring death.

Too much rain can kill crops by drowning young plants. Floods can wash away homes and other structures, leaving people without food and clean drinking water.

THE FORCE OF NATURE