Meteorologists are fond of saying that the atmosphere is not a linear system because a local climate depends upon so many area-specific and short-term factors. Snow accumulations and vegetation play a role, as do geographic factors such as mountains, deserts and bodies of water. Slight variations in any of these elements can result in very different local climates.
研究大氣科學的人最喜歡說「大氣並非線性系統」，因為一地氣候的形成，夾雜太多區域與短期因素，雪量、植被、緯度，與沙漠、高山、湖泊等地形變化，其中一點微小因素加入，就會出現兩樣結果。