Axial precession makes seasonal contrasts more extreme in one hemisphere and less extreme in the other. Currently perihelion occurs during winter in the Northern Hemisphere and in summer in the Southern Hemisphere. This makes Southern Hemisphere summers hotter and moderates Northern Hemisphere seasonal variations.

Is global warming caused by precession?

Most of this drift is a result of global warming, not a cause! There has been a redistribution of mass as the Greenland ice sheet has melted and been redistributed in the oceans. At the same time the axis of the Earth is moving relative to the stars. There is a 25,800-year precession of the axis of the Earth.

Does Earth's orbit affect climate?

The Earth's orbit

When the Earth is closer to the Sun, our climate is warmer and this cycle also affects the length of the seasons.