Climatology

Climatology may be defined as the study of weather patterns and atmospheric changes over a comparatively long period. As the name suggests, it deals with the climate of a place and the factors that cause it. This scientific field is mainly based on recording and analyzing weather patterns and scenarios. It also involves the study of the atmospheric conditions which cause such weather. This is the basic climatology definition. 

Sometimes climatology is confused with meteorology, which is the study of weather and weather forecasting. Climatology mainly focuses on the long-term study of weather patterns along with their natural and artificial causes. So when we talk about the study of weather and climate on a general basis, we can refer to both climatology and meteorology. The people who specialize in the field of climatology are known as climatologists. Here, we will discuss the various branches of climatology and the role of climatologists.

History of Climatology 

The Greeks first formally started the study of weather and climate. Hippocrates wrote a book titled ‘ On Air, Waters and Places’ around 400 BCE. This is said to be the oldest influential classic text on climate. The very idea of climate determinism has been quite popular in history. The effect of climate on the people clearly explains the idea of climate determinism. Later on, various other scientists like Shen Kuo also started studying the climate and the various weather patterns. Nowadays, the prime concern of scientists is to study the climate and weather patterns after the Industrial Revolution. 

Branches of Climatology

The scientific study of weather is called climatology. However, one should not confuse this with meteorology. There are various divisions under the study of weather and climate. Let’s take a look into some of the subfields of climatology. 

• Palaeo Climatology - This refers to the reconstruction and understanding of the climate of the past via the study of ice cores, tree rings, etc. 

• Physical Climatology - This can be explained via the study of the factors responsible for the various spatial and temporal alterations and changes in heat, moisture, and air movement.

• Dynamic Climatology- This branch deals with the study of thermodynamic processes and the impact of the physical parameters.

• Historical Climatology- This is the study of the climate and its factors that are related to human history.

• Regional Climatology - As the name suggests, this branch focuses on the various regions of the world climate. 

• Synoptic Climatology - This subfield is related to the study of the weather and the climate of a local region or a hemisphere from the perspective of atmospheric circulation.

• Bioclimatology - This deals with the effects and impact of the physical environment on living beings over an extended period. 

• Hydroclimatology - The study of the hydrological cycle and its impact on the climate over a long period is known as hydroclimatology.

The above subfields can be regarded as the branches of climatology. However, most of them fall under the category of applied climatology. 

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Climatologist Meaning 

We already know the scientific study of weather is called climatology, and the scientists who specialize in this field are known as climatologists. In short, this is the climatologist's meaning. The role of climatologists is to study the three major aspects of climate. These aspects include varied weather patterns that dictate the normal conditions of a region, the relationship between the climate parameters, and the nature of change of weather over a certain amount of time.

In recent times the climatologists are mainly focused on human-caused climate change. The effects of the ocean currents like El Nino and La Nina, along with the solar radiation, are also monitored by these scientists. The change of the global climate and the weather parameters due to global warming and the greenhouse effect are also being studied by climatologists all over the world. In a nutshell, this is the climatologist's meaning.

Interesting Facts About Climatology 

• Analysis by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that average global temperatures in 2020 were 1.76 degrees F (0.98 degrees C) warmer than the 20th-century average — making it the second-hottest year on record. 

• Hurricanes, droughts, and coral deaths are a few of the natural disasters caused due to climate change.