CREATING A CLIMOGRAPH
WITH MICROSOFT EXCEL
by Anne Hoeper

 

1. Open Microsoft Excel

2. Open a new spreadsheet

3. In cell A1 type your name and period

4. In cell A3 type the name of your region and the word “data”

5. In cell A5 type January, move the cursor to the bottom right-hand corner of the cell until you see a black cross, hold down the left mouse button, drag down to fill to December

6. In cell B4 type “Monthly Precipitation: Inches”.  Highlight B3-B16 and click format on the tool bar at the top.  Go down on the new menu to “Column” and then to “Autofit Selection”

7. In cell D4 type “Average Temperature: Fahrenheit”.  Highlight D3-D16 and click format on the tool bar at the top.  Go down on the new menu to “Column” and then to “Autofit Selection”

8. Type in the data for your region.

9. Using the left mouse button, select all of the data from cell A3 to D16
10. Click on the chart      at the top of the page

11. Choose the “customs types” tab

12. Click on “Line – Column on 2 axes”

13. Click “next” at the bottom of the window

14. Choose series in “columns”.  There should be a dot in the circle in front of the word columns.

15. Click “next” at the bottom of the window

16. Click on the “title” tab.  In the box next to “chart title” type “the name of your region or country and Climograph”

17. Move to “Category (X) Axis” and type in “months”

18. Move to “Value (Y) Axis” and type in “inches”

19. Leave Second Category (X) axis blank.

20. Move to Second Value (Y) axis and type in “Fahrenheit”

21. Click on the “axes” tab

22. Under “Category (X) axis” and check “automatic”

23. Click on the “Legend” tab and check “bottom”

24. At bottom of window click on “next”

25. Choose “as object in”. There should be a dot in the circle in front of these words.

26. Click finish.

 

PART 2

1. Double click on the right (Y) axis. (the numbers)

2. In the “format axis” window, choose the “scale” tab

3. Set the minimum to “-20”

4. Set the maximum to “100”

5. Set the major units to “10”

6. Set the minor units to “2”

7. Click “OK” at the bottom of the window.

8. Double click on the left (Y) axis. (click on the numbers)

9. In the “format axis” window, choose the “scale” tab

10. Set the minimum to “-2”

11. Set the maximum to “10”

12. Set the major units to “2”

13. Do not change the minor units

14. Click “OK” at the bottom of the window.

15. Double click on “months” at the bottom of the chart

16. In the “format axis” window, choose the “alignment’ tab

17. Set the alignment to -90 (degrees) and click “OK” at the bottom

18. Go to the tool bar at the top and click on “view” and choose “header or footer”

19. In the header box, choose “none”

20. Click on “custom footer” box

21. Under “left section” type your name

22. Under “center section” type Geography Period (and your period #)

23. Under “right section” type the date

24. Click “OK” in the top right corner

25. Click “OK” in the bottom right corner

26. View your chart before printing.  Go to “file” on the top tool bar.  Go to print preview.  Raise your hand to show me your chart and when you have the OK from the teacher you may print it.  You may ONLY print it ONCE.

 

 

                        QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED USING YOUR CLIMOGRAPH

1. What months (if any) have temperatures below freezing? 
2. In which months might precipitation come in the form of snow?
3. What is the warmest month in your region?
4. Does your region have a dry season?  Why or why not?
5. When is it the best time to plant crops in your region?  Explain your answer.
6. Would you need to have seasonal changes of clothes?  What different types of clothing would you need?
7. Would you be able to find skiing in your region?  Ice skating?
8. Would you be able to find outdoor swimming pools?
9. Would the roofs in this region be flat or slanted?
10. Looking at your climograph, how can you tell which hemisphere (north or south) your region is in?
11. Add all of the average monthly precipitation.  What would be the average yearly precipitation?
12. Add all of the average temperatures.  What would be the yearly average temperature?