The weather you encounter day to day depends on where you live. Places around the Equator experience warm weather all year round, but experience alternate periods of rainy and dry seasons. Places near lakes may experience more snow in the winter, whereas places on continental plains may be more prone to hail, thunderstorms, and tornados in the summer. The different kinds of weather you might experience in these regions are caused by moving patterns in the Earth’s atmospheric and oceanic circulation, unequal heating of the Earth, and the rotation of the Earth on its tilted axis.

Learn more about regional climates with this curated resource collection.