Should places at the same distance from the equator have the same climate? You might think they should. Unfortunately, you would not be correct to think this. Climate types vary due to other factors besides distance from the equator. So what are these factors? How can they have such a large impact on local climates? For one thing, these factors are big. You may wonder, are they as big as a car? Think bigger. Are they bigger than a house? Think bigger. Are they bigger than a football stadium? You are still not close. We are talking about mountains and oceans. They are big features and big factors. Oceans and mountains play a huge role in climates around the world. Only one of those factors is latitude, or distance from the equator.
Mountain ranges can cause local climates to vary. For example, mountain ranges can block moisture. This places to be dry in areas that would otherwise be wet.
Major climate types are based on temperature and precipitation. These two factors determine what types of plants can grow. The types of plants are very important. Animals and other living things depend on plants.

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