What does 'climate' refer to in a geographical context?

In a geographical context, 'climate' refers to the average weather conditions experienced in a particular region over a long period, typically measured in decades or longer. This encompasses the overall patterns of temperature, humidity, precipitation, and other atmospheric conditions that characterize a specific area.

While current weather conditions describe short-term atmospheric events and might fluctuate from day to day, climate emphasizes the long-term trends and averages that define a region's environment. This distinction is crucial as it helps differentiate between the transient nature of weather and the more stable, predictable patterns of climate that can be used for planning, agricultural activities, and understanding ecological systems.

The notion of seasonal changes represents variations within the climate but does not capture the broader average conditions over a significant timespan. Temperature of the oceans, while it may influence climate patterns through phenomena like El Niño or La Niña, doesn't define climate itself but rather is a contributing factor to the overall climatic conditions of a region.