What Determines Weather Patterns on Earth?

[TheAzn]

I apologize if this is a stupid question, but I just needed to make sure about something.

Besides latitude and the tilt of the the Earth's axis, the other main determiner of weather would have been land formation, correct?

Just to get it out there, the reason why I believe that land formation is the controller of weather is because:
1. The continents determine how large the oceans/seas can be.
2. Air currents are partially controlled by mountains.
3. Ocean currents are controlled by the continents and the sea floor terrain.

Is this the correct list of the Main (natural) things that control weather for a long period of time, assuming that order counts?
Most Important:
1. Latitude
2. Tilt of the Earth's Axis
3. Land Formation

Less important:
4. Distance From the Sun
5. Super Volcanoes/ other "large scale" natural disasters
6. Volcanoes/Forest Fire/ other "small scale" natural disasters

 

[Andre]

It has been hypothezed that the Rocky Mountains are responsible for the balmy winters of western Europe, relatively to the east part of North America on the same lattitude.

So things may be more complex than it seems. See also jet stream and Rossby wave.

 

[TheAzn]

It has been hypothezed that the Rocky Mountains are responsible for the balmy winters of western Europe, relatively to the east part of North America on the same lattitude.

That's amazing!

So things may be more complex than it seems. See also jet stream and Rossby wave.

Hmmm, I guess I was too hasty in my assumptions.

 

[Ophiolite]

Are you talking weather, or climate, or both? If you include climate then you need to promote distance from the sun to first place.

 

[TheAzn]

Are you talking weather, or climate, or both?

I guess it is both.

If you include climate then you need to promote distance from the sun to first place.

My Geography professor told me that latitude and the tilt of the Earth's axis matters more, though. The reason that she gave was that the Earth's orbital path is pretty much a circle; she said that the Earth's orbit is indeed elliptical but the elliptical orbit shown in some diagram of Earth are exaggerated.

 

[Evo]

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