We all know that summers usually mean warmer temperatures and winters mean cooler temperatures, but have you ever hear somebody say on a hot summer day, "I would love to go up to the mountains to get away from this heat."

Or maybe you've heard somebody else say on a cold winter day, "I would love to take a vacation down south so I could bask in the warm sun."

When temperature is the issue, what's the big deal about...

  • going up to the mountains?
  • going south for the winter?
Look at the following cities on a map.
  • Beijing, China
  • Cairo, Egypt
  • Vancouver, Canada
  • Quito, Ecuador
  • Melbourne, Australia
  • St. Petersburg, Russia
  • Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Mexico City, Mexico

How would you expect the temperatures of the following cities to vary? Why? Go to weather.com's averages and records and find the average yearly temperature for each city. Then look up each cities elevation and latitude at the Global Gazetteer.

  • Do you notice anything about each city's average temperature and their elevation and latitude?