Weather is what happens today or this week. Climate is the average weather over decades. Weather tells you if you need an umbrella tomorrow; climate tells you what kind of winters your region typically has.

Clouds form when warm, moist air rises, cools, and condenses around tiny particles like dust or salt. When water droplets grow heavy enough, they fall as rain. Different cloud types signal different weather — from fair-weather cumulus to storm-producing cumulonimbus.

Seasons change because Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees on its axis. As we orbit the Sun, different parts of the planet receive more direct sunlight at different times of year. Summer happens when your hemisphere tilts toward the Sun; winter when it tilts away.

El Niño is a warming of Pacific Ocean waters near the equator. It disrupts weather patterns worldwide, causing droughts in some regions and floods in others. It typically lasts 9-12 months and occurs every 2-7 years.