Final answer:
Weather is the short-term atmospheric conditions, whereas climate is the long-term average of these conditions over years or decades.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary difference between weather and climate is the timescale over which they occur and are measured. Weather refers to the short-term atmospheric conditions, such as temperature, wind, and rain, in a specific place at a specific time. Climate, on the other hand, is the average of these conditions over a much longer period—typically years or decades. Thus, weather can change rapidly, and it's what you experience from day-to-day, while climate is more about long-term patterns that can be predictable. For example, you might expect to wear shorts in Florida during the summer because the climate is generally hot and wet, but on a specific day, you could experience a cool, dry spell—that's the weather not matching the typical climate.