Oceans also affect weather because they are part of the water cycle. When ocean water is warm, it evaporates. This means water vapor goes into the air and makes clouds. When the air gets colder, the vapor makes drops of water. The largest drops fall down as rain or snow.
Clouds and Water Vapor
Snow Rain
Evaporation
River Land Estuary
Ocean Underground Water
The Water Cycle
Around the world, most rain falls back into the ocean, but some falls on land, too. When that happens, some of the water goes into lakes and under the ground. Some of the water goes into rivers and then back to the ocean. Every year, there are many storms over the oceans. The biggest storms are called hurricanes, but they have other names in some places. In Southeast Asia, hurricanes are called typhoons, while people in India call them tropical cyclones. 12
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