Major changes in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and similar matters occurring over several decades is known as .

The answer is climate change.

Explanation:

Climate change can be defined as the significant changes that are related to the measures of climate which take place for an extended period. Climate change is characterized by the presence of important changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns that take place over several decades.

Our Earth is warming and the increase of global temperatures is also related to changes in weather and climate. Many places have experienced some changes in rainfall, which produces more floods, or intense rain, as well as there, have been severe heat waves. The planet's oceans and glaciers have also been affected by this problematic.  

answer; (d) one tectonic plate plunges beneath another; (most common,convergent boundaries)

conformal maps greatly distort _sizes_ of continents in higher latitudes.

the answer is sizes.