Climat
In short
Climat is the long-term pattern of weather conditions in a specific area over many years. It describes what is normal for a region rather than what is happening right now.
In plain words
Weather tells you if it is raining today. Climat tells you if a place is usually a desert or a rainforest. It looks at averages of temperature and rainfall over decades.
A simple example
If you check the sky to see if you need an umbrella today, you are looking at weather. If you pack heavy coats because you are visiting Iceland in winter, you are planning for the climat.
Why it matters
Understanding climat helps farmers decide which crops to grow and helps cities build defences against rising sea levels. It allows us to predict how environments might change over time.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse climat with weather; weather is the short-term state of the atmosphere, while climat is the long-term average.