Weather, Climate and Ecosystems
What you must know
Weather is the short-term state of the atmosphere; climate is the long-term average. The Bahamas has a tropical climate with a hot wet season and a cooler dry season, moderated by the sea and the North Equatorial Current. Hurricanes form over warm ocean water above about 27 °C, between roughly 5° and 20° latitude, and require low wind shear and Coriolis effect; they bring storm surge, wind damage and flooding.
Concepts to master
Latitude, altitude, distance from the sea, ocean currents and prevailing winds as climate controls. Convectional rainfall, the water cycle, and the difference between weather hazards and climate change. Ecosystem terms: producers, consumers, decomposers, food chains, nutrient cycling, and the structure of tropical marine and coastal ecosystems (coral reef, mangrove, seagrass, pine forest).
Traps in questions
Do not say hurricanes form at the equator - Coriolis effect is zero there. Do not confuse weather with climate. In food chains, arrows show energy flow, not 'eaten by'. Remember that removing one species affects the whole chain.
Rule of thumb
When explaining any climate difference, use the mnemonic LACED: Latitude, Altitude, Continentality (distance from sea), ocean currents/prevailing winds, and Depressions or other local factors. State the factor, then the mechanism, then the result.