1. Long-term weather patterns: This includes average temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, and other weather variables measured over a long period (typically 30 years or more).
2. Climate variability: This encompasses the natural fluctuations and changes in climate patterns over time. These can be caused by factors like El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), volcanic eruptions, and solar variations.
While these two categories are helpful for understanding climate, it's crucial to remember that climate is a dynamic system influenced by various factors like geography, altitude, ocean currents, and human activities.