1. Solar Radiation: The sun emits energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation. This energy heats the Earth, but not uniformly. The equator receives more direct sunlight than the poles, leading to temperature differences. These temperature differences drive atmospheric and oceanic circulation.

2. Atmospheric Circulation: The atmosphere constantly seeks to balance temperature differences. Warm air rises at the equator and moves toward the poles, while cold air sinks at the poles and moves toward the equator. This creates large-scale circulation patterns like Hadley cells, Ferrel cells, and Polar cells. These patterns redistribute heat and moisture around the globe, causing weather changes.

3. Oceanic Circulation: Oceans also play a crucial role. They absorb solar radiation and redistribute heat through currents. Warm currents, like the Gulf Stream, transport heat from the equator towards the poles, moderating temperatures in those regions. Cold currents do the opposite. Ocean currents also affect precipitation patterns.

4. Earth's Rotation: The Earth's rotation causes the Coriolis effect, which deflects moving air and water. This deflection influences the direction of winds and ocean currents, further shaping weather patterns.

5. Air Masses: Large bodies of air with uniform temperature and humidity are called air masses. These air masses form over specific regions and then move, bringing their characteristics to new areas. When air masses collide, they create fronts, which are often associated with significant weather changes like storms and temperature shifts.

6. Local Geography: Mountains, valleys, and large bodies of water influence local weather patterns. For example, mountains can cause air to rise and cool, leading to increased precipitation on the windward side and a rain shadow on the leeward side.

7. Jet Streams: These are fast-flowing, narrow air currents in the upper atmosphere. Jet streams influence surface weather by steering storm systems and affecting temperature patterns.

8. Frontal Systems: Fronts are boundaries between different air masses.

• Cold Front: A cold air mass replaces a warmer air mass, often bringing brief, intense precipitation and a drop in temperature.
• Warm Front: A warm air mass replaces a colder air mass, usually bringing gradual precipitation and a rise in temperature.
• Stationary Front: A boundary between two air masses that are not moving, often resulting in prolonged periods of precipitation.
• Occluded Front: A complex front where a cold front overtakes a warm front, leading to complex weather patterns.

9. El Niño and La Niña: These are climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide. El Niño is characterized by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, while La Niña is characterized by cooler-than-average temperatures. These patterns can influence precipitation, temperature, and storm activity globally.
Source: NOAA El Nino and La Nina Explained

10. Climate Change: Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns are increasingly influenced by human-caused climate change, primarily through the emission of greenhouse gases. These changes can lead to more extreme weather events, altered precipitation patterns, and rising temperatures.
Source: EPA, Climate Indicators: Weather and Climate