Final answer:
The hemisphere experiencing winter on Earth is tilted away from the sun due to Earth's axial tilt of 23.5°. This tilt changes the angle of sunlight, influencing daylight hours and temperature, which creates the seasons. Latitude plays a crucial role in the climate, with areas receiving more oblique sunlight during winter months, resulting in cooler temperatures.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the winter months, the hemisphere of Earth experiencing winter is tilted away from the sun. The reason for the changing seasons is not the variation in distance between Earth and the Sun, which is only about 3%, but rather the 23.5° tilt of the Earth's axis. In the winter, for example, the Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the Sun, leading to fewer hours of daylight and thus less direct sunlight, which causes cooler temperatures. Conversely, during the same period, the Southern Hemisphere tilts towards the Sun, experiencing summer with more direct sunlight and longer days.
Climate and latitude are interconnected due to Earth's axial tilt. As Earth orbits the Sun, the tilt results in different angles of sunlight hitting the surface, thus the variation in seasons. During winter, the sun's rays strike at a more oblique angle, causing sunlight to be reflected off the Earth's surface more in the higher latitudes, leading to colder climates.