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79-536: With a mild and generally warm and temperate climate, Ghormach features a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csa ) under the Köppen climate classification . The average temperature in Ghormach is 14.9 °C (58.8 °F), while the annual precipitation averages 356 mm (14.0 in). August is the driest month with no rainfall, while March, the wettest month, has an average precipitation of 85 mm (3.3 in). July

158-465: A dry summer climate , described by Köppen as Cs , is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typically have dry summers and wet winters, with summer conditions being hot and winter conditions typically being mild. These weather conditions are typically experienced in the majority of Mediterranean-climate regions and countries, but remain highly dependent on proximity to

237-424: A 40 mm (1.6 in) level. The third letter indicates the degree of summer heat: " a " represents an average temperature in the warmest month above 22 °C (72 °F), while " b " indicates the average temperature in the warmest month below 22 °C (72 °F). There is a "c" with 3 or less months' average temperature above 10 °C (50 °F), but this climate is rare and is very isolated. Under

316-867: A Csb climate because of its location inside the Alborz mountains . Winters in this zone are rainy and can be mild to chilly. Some locales in this zone experience some amount of snowfall, while others do not. Csb climates are found in northwestern Iberian Peninsula (namely Galicia and the Norte region and west coast of Portugal ), in coastal Northern California , in the Pacific Northwest (namely western Washington , western Oregon and southern portions of Vancouver Island in British Columbia ), in central Chile , in parts of southern Australia and in sections of southwestern South Africa . A few locations close to

395-456: A Mediterranean climate are near large bodies of water, temperatures are generally moderate, with a comparatively small range of temperatures between the winter low and summer high unlike (the relatively rare) dry-summer humid continental climates (although the daily diurnal range of temperature during the summer is large due to dry and clear conditions, except along the immediate coastlines). Temperatures during winter only occasionally fall below

474-594: A century of intensive agriculture. Much of the Overberg in the southern Cape of South Africa , was once covered with renosterveld , but has likewise been largely converted to agriculture, mainly for wheat . In hillside and mountainous areas, away from the urban sprawls , ecosystems and habitats of native vegetation are more sustained and undisturbed. The fynbos vegetation in the South-western Cape in South Africa

553-586: A climate bordering on Csc and is known as a "climatic anomaly" due to abnormally warm temperatures despite its latitude located above 67°N latitude. [REDACTED] Media related to Mediterranean climate at Wikimedia Commons Oceanic climate An oceanic climate , also known as a marine climate or maritime climate , is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as Cfb , typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool to warm summers and cool to mild winters (for their latitude), with

632-873: A few highland areas of Tasmania , and the Australian and Southern Alps . This type of climate is even found in very remote parts of the New Guinea Highlands . The classification used for this regime is Cfc. Temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) and below −20 °C (−4 °F) are rare. In the most marine areas under this regime, temperatures above 20 °C (68 °F) are extreme weather events, even during summer. Small areas in Yunnan, Sichuan ; parts of Bolivia and Peru ; and parts of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania have summers sufficiently short to be Cwc with fewer than four months over 10 °C (50 °F). This

711-661: A few kilometres inland. Occasionally also termed the "cool-summer Mediterranean climate", this subtype of the Mediterranean climate ( Csb ) is less common and experience warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 22 °C (72 °F) during its warmest month and as usual an average in the coldest month between 18 and −3 °C (64 and 27 °F) or, in some applications, between 18 and 0 °C (64 and 32 °F). Also, at least four months must average above 10 °C (50 °F). Cool ocean currents, upwelling and higher latitudes are often

790-544: A mean temperature below 0 °C (32 °F) (or −3 °C [27 °F]), depending on the isotherm used). Regions in the Americas with this climate are influenced by the dry-summer trend (though briefly) that extends considerably poleward along the west coast, as well as the moderating influences of high altitude and relative proximity to the Pacific Ocean. These conditions maintain an unusually narrow temperature range through

869-509: A product and reflection of the cool ocean adjacent to them. In the autumn, winter, and early spring, when the polar jet stream is most active, the frequent passing of marine weather systems creates the frequent fog, cloudy skies, and light drizzle often associated with oceanic climates. They are typically found poleward of Mediterranean climates , except in Australia where they are poleward of both such climates and humid subtropical climates due to

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948-561: A relatively narrow annual temperature range and few extremes of temperature. Oceanic climates can be found in both hemispheres generally between 40 and 60 degrees latitude, with subpolar versions extending to 70 degrees latitude in some coastal areas. Other varieties of climates usually classified together with these include subtropical highland climates , represented as Cwb or Cfb , and subpolar oceanic or cold subtropical highland climates , represented as Cfc or Cwc . Subtropical highland climates occur in some mountainous parts of

1027-612: A result of their location, these regions tend to be on the cool end of oceanic climates, approaching polar regions . Snowfall tends to be more common here than in other oceanic climates. Subpolar oceanic climates are less prone to temperature extremes than subarctic climates or continental climates , featuring milder winters than these climates. Subpolar oceanic climates feature only one to three months of average monthly temperatures of at least 10 °C (50 °F). As with oceanic climates, none of its average monthly temperatures fall below -3.0 °C (26.6 °F) or 0 °C depending on

1106-540: A season earlier than at the Dead Sea . In the Holy Land no rain at all falls in summer but early rains may come in autumn. The majority of the regions with Mediterranean climates have relatively mild winters and very warm summers. However, winter and summer temperatures can vary greatly between different regions with a Mediterranean climate. For instance, in the case of winters, Funchal experiences mild to warm temperatures in

1185-682: A strict air-mass sense, not oceanic: they are affected by southerlies directly from the Mediterranean, and polar intrusions from Siberia. Yet their position near the Black Sea makes them too wet in summer to be Mediterranean , too mild during winter to be humid continental , and not hot enough in summer to be humid subtropical ; therefore Köppen classifies them as oceanic. Despite their anomalous position, however, their temperatures, around 4–5 °C (39–41 °F) in winter and 20–22 °C (68–72 °F) in summer, are not wholly atypical for European oceanic climates. Some Eastern European regions such as

1264-597: A yearly cycle in which abiotic (environmental) controls of stream populations and community structure dominate during floods, biotic components (e.g. competition and predation) controls become increasingly important as the flood discharge declines, and environmental controls regain dominance as environmental conditions become very harsh (i.e. hot and dry); as a result, these communities are well suited to recover from droughts , floods , and fires . Aquatic organisms in these regions show distinct long-term patterns in their structure and function, and are also highly sensitive to

1343-425: Is a climate variety, often grouped together with oceanic climates, which exists in some mountainous or elevated portions of the world in either the subtropics or tropics. Despite the latitude, the higher elevations of these regions mean that the climate shares characteristics with oceanic climates. Subtropical highland climates with uniform rainfall ( Cfb ) usually have rainfall spread relatively evenly throughout

1422-463: Is below 18 °C (64 °F). Without their elevation, many of these regions would likely feature either humid subtropical or tropical climates. This type of climate exists in parts of east, south and southeastern Africa , interior southern Africa and elevated portions of eastern Africa as far north as Ethiopia and of western Africa (west region of Cameroon) up to the southwestern Angola highlands also share this climate type. It also exists in

1501-571: Is climatically Mediterranean , some parts of Southern Europe also have oceanic climates. However, these instances of the climate are highly variable, and often somewhat anomalous. The north coast of Spain , the western Azores off the coast of Portugal are too wet in summer to be Mediterranean, and too mild in summer to be humid subtropical , though they often have winter means above 9 °C (48 °F), unusual for European oceanic climates. Another anomalous case can be found in northwestern Turkey, including northern Istanbul . These places are, in

1580-424: Is closely associated with Mediterranean climate zones, as are unique freshwater communities, though vegetation native to the Mediterranean climate zone can also be found in the approximate nearby climate zones, which usually tend to be the humid subtropical , oceanic and/or semi-arid zones, depending on the region and location. Particularly distinctive of the climate are sclerophyll shrublands, called maquis in

1659-507: Is famed for its high floral diversity , and includes such plant types as members of the Restionaceae , Ericas (Heaths) and Proteas . Representatives of the Proteaceae also grow in Australia, such as Banksias . The palette of California native plants is also renowned for its species and cultivar diversity. This subtype of the Mediterranean climate ( Csa ) is the most common form of

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1738-594: Is found in parts of coastal Iceland , the Faroe Islands , upland/mountainous parts of Scotland and Northern England , northwestern coastal areas of Norway (most of Lofoten , Vesterålen , warmest part of Tromsø reaching to 71°N on some islands), uplands/highlands in western Norway, the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and northern parts of the Alaskan Panhandle , the southwest of Argentina and Chile , and

1817-406: Is higher, steppe climates tend to prevail, but still follow the basic pattern of the Mediterranean climates. Irregularity of the rainfall, which can vary considerably from year to year, accentuates the droughts of the Mediterranean climate. Rain does not fall evenly, nor does the rain arrive at the same time or within the same intervals. In Gibraltar , for instance, rain starts falling nearly half

1896-649: Is in South Africa from Mossel Bay on the Western Cape coast to Plettenberg Bay (the Garden Route ), with additional pockets of this climate inland of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal coast. It is usually warm most of the year with no pronounced rainy season, but slightly more rain in autumn and spring. The Tristan da Cunha archipelago in the South Atlantic also has an oceanic climate. Although oceanic climate

1975-400: Is more frequent and commonplace in the subpolar oceanic climates due to the colder weather in those locations. Overall temperature characteristics of the oceanic climates feature cool temperatures and infrequent extremes of temperature. In the Köppen climate classification , oceanic climates have a mean temperature of 0 °C (32 °F) or higher (or −3 °C (27 °F) or higher) in

2054-695: Is rare in Asia, subtropical highland climates and cold subtropical highland climates can be found in parts of Southwestern China , and the Himalayan regions of the northern Indian subcontinent . The oceanic climate is prevalent in the more southerly parts of Oceania . A mild maritime climate is in existence in New Zealand. In Australia, the climate is found in Tasmania , southern half of Victoria and southeastern New South Wales (southwards from Wollongong ). Some parts of

2133-594: Is the hottest month of the year with an average temperature of 27.0 °C (80.6 °F). The coldest month January has an average temperature of 2.7 °C (36.9 °F). An International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) soldier (a Norwegian national ) was killed in Ghormach on January 25, 2010. This Badghis Province , Afghanistan location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( / ˌ m ɛ d ɪ t ə ˈ r eɪ n i ən / MED -ih-tə- RAY -nee-ən ), also called

2212-686: The Grand Banks of Newfoundland , is thought to greatly modify the climate of northwest Europe. As a result of the North Atlantic Current , west coast areas located in high latitudes like Ireland, the UK, and Norway have much milder winters (for their latitude) than would otherwise be the case. The lowland attributes of western Europe also help drive marine air masses into continental areas, enabling cities such as Dresden , Prague , and Vienna to have maritime climates in spite of being located well inland from

2291-800: The Guiana Shield , The highest elevations of the Brazilian Highlands , and due to variations in rainfall and temperature patterns in some places of the Tropical Andes in Bolivia, Perú, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. Most of Yunnan and mountainous areas across Southeast Asia , parts of the Himalayas , parts of Sri Lanka , and parts of the Hawaiian Islands of Maui and Hawaii . In the Caribbean , only

2370-547: The Köppen climate classification , "hot dry-summer" climates (classified as Csa ) and "cool dry-summer" climates (classified as Csb ) are often referred to as just "Mediterranean". Under the Köppen climate system, the first letter indicates the climate group (in this case temperate climates). Temperate climates or " C " zones average temperature above 0 °C (32 °F) (or −3 °C (27 °F)), but below 18 °C (64 °F), in their coolest months. The second letter indicates

2449-752: The Northern Hemisphere include parts of coastal Iceland , the coast of Norway north of Bodø , the Scottish Highlands , the mountains of Vancouver Island , and Haida Gwaii in Canada . In the Southern Hemisphere examples include extreme southern Chile and Argentina (such as Punta Arenas and Ushuaia ), the Tasmanian Central Highlands , and parts of New Zealand . Oceanic climates are not necessarily found in coastal locations on

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2528-710: The garrigue or maquis in the European Mediterranean Basin, the chaparral in California, the fynbos in South Africa , the mallee in Australia, and the matorral in Chile. Areas with this climate are also where the so-called "Mediterranean trinity" of major agricultural crops have traditionally been successfully grown ( wheat , grapes and olives ). As a result, these regions are notable for their high-quality wines, grapeseed/olive oils, and bread products. Under

2607-415: The subtropical ridge migrates towards the equator and leaves the area, making rainfall much more likely. As a result, areas with this climate receive almost all of their precipitation during their winter and spring seasons, and may go anywhere from four to six months during the summer and early fall without having any significant precipitation . In the lower latitudes, precipitation usually decreases in both

2686-425: The subtropics or tropics , some of which have monsoon influence, while their cold variants and subpolar oceanic climates occur near polar or tundra regions. Locations with oceanic climates tend to feature frequent cloudy conditions with precipitation, low hanging clouds, and frequent fronts and storms. Thunderstorms are normally few, since strong daytime heating and hot and cold air masses meet infrequently in

2765-893: The subtropics . It exists in both hemispheres between 35° and 60°: at low altitudes between Mediterranean , humid continental , and subarctic climates. Western sea breezes ease temperatures and moderates the winter, especially if warm sea currents are present, and cause cloudy weather to predominate. Precipitation is constant, especially in colder months, when temperatures are warmer than elsewhere at comparable latitudes. This climate can occur farther inland if no mountain ranges are present or nearby. As this climate causes sufficient moisture year-round without permitting deep snow cover, vegetation typically prospers in this climate. Deciduous trees are predominant in this climate region. However, conifers such as spruce , pine , and cedar are also common in few areas, and fruits such as apples , pears , and grapes can often be cultivated here. In

2844-592: The Andes in Northern Ecuador , Peru , Colombia , and Western Venezuela . The cold-summer subtype of the Mediterranean climate ( Csc ) is rare and predominantly found at scattered high-altitude locations along the west coasts of North and South America having a similar climate. This type is characterized by cool, dry summers, with less than four months with a mean temperature at or above 10 °C (50 °F), as well as with cool, wet winters, with no winter month having

2923-399: The Köppen classification, dry-summer climates ( Csa , Csb ) usually occur on the western sides of continents. Csb zones in the Köppen system include areas normally not associated with Mediterranean climates but with Oceanic climates, such as much of the Pacific Northwest , much of southern Chile , parts of west-central Argentina , and parts of New Zealand . Additional highland areas in

3002-662: The Mediterranean Basin, chaparral in California, matorral in Chile, fynbos in South Africa, and mallee and kwongan shrublands in Australia. Mediterranean vegetation shows a number of adaptations to drought , grazing , and frequent fire regimes. The small sclerophyllous leaves that characterize many of the perennial shrubs of this biome, help conserve water and prevent nutrient loss. The soils generally are of low fertility , and many plants have mutualistic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria . Aquatic communities in Mediterranean climate regions are adapted to

3081-506: The Mediterranean climate typically experience hot, sometimes very hot and dry summers. Winters can be mild, cool or chilly, and some cities in this region receive somewhat regular snowfall (e.g. Kermanshah ), while others do not receive any (e.g. Casablanca ). Csa climates are mainly found around the Mediterranean Sea , southern Australia, southwestern South Africa , sections of Central Asia , northern sections of Iran and Iraq ,

3160-448: The Mediterranean climate, therefore it is also known as a "typical Mediterranean climate". As stated earlier, regions with this form of a Mediterranean climate experience average monthly temperatures in excess of 22.0 °C (71.6 °F) during its warmest month and an average in the coldest month between 18 and −3 °C (64 and 27 °F) or, in some applications, between 18 and 0 °C (64 and 32 °F). Regions with this form of

3239-507: The Pacific portions of the United States and Chile, extreme west areas of Argentina, around Cape Town in South Africa, parts of Southwest and South Australia , and parts of Central Asia . They tend to be found in proximity (both poleward and near the coast) of desert and semi-arid climates , and equatorward of oceanic climates . Mediterranean climate zones are typically located along

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3318-424: The aforementioned parallels; however, in most cases oceanic climates parallel higher middle latitude oceans. The polar jet stream , which moves in a west to east direction across the middle latitudes, advances low pressure systems, storms, and fronts. In coastal areas of the higher middle latitudes (45–60° latitude), the prevailing onshore flow creates the basic structure of most oceanic climates. Oceanic climates are

3397-431: The average annual precipitation must not exceed 900 mm (35 in), as well as satisfying Köppen's precipitation requirements. [Chile] has four months of winter, no more, and in them, except when there is a quarter moon, when it rains one or two days, all the other days have such a beautiful sunshine that is not necessary to resort to fire. The summer is so temperate, with delicious airs, that man can go all day under

3476-434: The cold current has a stabilizing effect on the surrounding air, further reducing the chances for rain, but often causing thick layers of marine fog that usually evaporates by mid-day. Similar to desert climates, in many Mediterranean climates there is a strong diurnal character to daily temperatures in the warm summer months due to strong solar heating during the day from sunlight and rapid cooling at night. In winter,

3555-570: The coldest month, compared to continental climates where the coldest month has a mean temperature of below 0 °C (32 °F) (or −3 °C (27 °F)) in the coldest month. Summers are warm but not hot, with the warmest month having a mean temperature below 22 °C (72 °F). Poleward of the latter is a subtype of it, the subpolar oceanic climate (Köppen Cfc ), with long but relatively mild (for their latitude) winters, and cool and short summers with average temperatures of at least 10 °C (50 °F) for one to three months. Examples in

3634-544: The east, and (in some locations) summers become hotter. The line between oceanic Europe and Mediterranean Europe normally runs west to east and is related to changes in precipitation patterns and differences to seasonal temperatures; although intrusions of polar air, remnants of marine air-masses, and higher summer precipitation can create oceanic climates in Eastern Europe and transcontinental regions as far south as 40°N. The oceanic climate exists in an arc spreading across

3713-608: The exposed areas of the High Atlas , some mountainous areas across southern Europe , mountainous sections of North America , including parts of the southern Appalachians and the Central America Volcanic Arc . In South America , it can be found mainly in temperate mountainous areas in the Tropical Andes , Venezuelan Coastal Range , the highest elevations of Serra do Mar in Southeastern Brazil , and tepuis of

3792-557: The freezing point and snow is generally seldom seen. Summer temperatures can be cool to very hot, depending on the distance from a large body of water, elevation, and latitude, among other factors. Strong winds from inland desert regions can sometimes boost summer temperatures up, quickly increasing the risk of wildfires . Notable exceptions to the usual proximity from bodies of water, thus featuring extremely high summer temperatures and cooler winters, include south-eastern Turkey and northern Iraq ( Urfa , Erbil ), surrounded by hot deserts to

3871-817: The hottest month, the average temperature is below 22 °C (72 °F), and at least four months feature average temperatures higher than 10 °C (50 °F). The average temperature of the coldest month must not be colder than −3–0 °C (27–32 °F), or the climate will be classified as continental. The average temperature variations in the year are between 10–15 °C (50–59 °F), with average annual temperatures between 6–13 °C (43–55 °F). Rain values can vary from 50–500 cm (20–197 in), depending on whether mountains cause orographic precipitation . Frontal cyclones can be common in marine west coast regions, with some areas experiencing more than 150 rainy days annually, but strong storms are rare. Cfb climates are predominant in most of Europe except

3950-755: The immediate west and northwest in transition for humid continental , the remainder of Cape Cod ) and northeastern Georgia both in the eastern United States . It is also found in the highest portions of the Brazilian state of Bahia and Roraima (in transition or strongly influenced for Cwb ), Brønnøy Municipality in Nordland at 65.28 °N ( Norway north-central coast), the provinces of Sabah (northeastern Malaysia ), and Baluchistan , Pakistan . Although there are more or less rare places associated with relatively isolated mountainous regions (e.g., North Oceania islands and China ). The subtropical highland climate

4029-673: The interior of northern California west of the Sierra Nevada , along the Wasatch Front in Utah , and inland areas of southern Oregon west of the Cascade Mountains . Southern California's coasts also experience hot summers due to the shielding effect of the Channel Islands . However, unshielded areas of that coastline can have warm-summer Mediterranean climates with hot-summer areas just

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4108-556: The isotherm used. Typically, these areas in the warmest month experience daytime maximum temperatures below 17 °C (63 °F), while the coldest month features highs slightly above freezing and lows near or just below freezing while keeping the average warm enough. It typically carries a Cfc designation, though very small areas in Argentina and Chile have summers sufficiently short to be Cwc with fewer than four months over 10 °C (50 °F). This variant of an oceanic climate

4187-432: The lowland areas, temperatures which can sometimes prohibit the growth of typical cold-sensitive Mediterranean plants. Some Spanish authors opt to use the term 'continental Mediterranean climate' ( Clima Mediterráneo Continentalizado ) for some regions with lower temperatures in winter than the coastal areas, but Köppen's Cs zones show no distinction as long as winter temperature means stay above freezing. Additionally,

4266-539: The north of Croatia and Serbia and some parts of the Czech Republic , also have oceanic climates; these are generally near the boundary for being humid continental . The line between oceanic and continental climates in Europe runs in a generally northwest to southeast direction. For example, western Germany is more impacted by milder Atlantic air masses than eastern Germany. Thus, winters across Europe become colder to

4345-792: The northeast, as global temperatures became warmer towards late 20th and early 21st century. They are the main climate type in New Zealand and the Australian states of Tasmania , Victoria , and southeastern New South Wales (starting from the Illawarra region). In North America, they are found mainly in Vancouver Island and neighbouring parts of British Columbia , as well as many coastal areas of southeast Alaska . There are pockets of this iteration of Cfb climates in South American countries, mostly in regions of southern Chile and Argentina, parts of

4424-644: The northeastern coast of Honshu , such as Mutsu, Aomori in Japan, feature this climate, which is rare in Asia due to the lack of a west coast in the middle latitudes. Île Amsterdam and Île Saint-Paul , both part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands , are located in the subtropics and have an oceanic climate (akin to Tristan da Cunha; see above). Temperate oceanic climates, also known as "marine mild winter" climates or simply oceanic climates, are found either at middle latitudes . They are often found on or near

4503-611: The northwestern coast of North America from the Alaskan panhandle to northern Washington . In addition, some east coast areas such as Block Island , Cape Cod , Martha's Vineyard , and Nantucket have a similar climate. And in the highlands of Central and South America with the variant Cfb. An extensive area of oceanic climates distinguishes the coastal regions of southern Chile and extends into bordering Argentina . The only noteworthy area of maritime climate at or near sea-level within Africa

4582-491: The ocean, altitude and geographical location. The dry summer climate is found throughout the warmer middle latitudes , affecting almost exclusively the western portions of continents in relative proximity to the coast. The climate type's name is in reference to the coastal regions of the Mediterranean Sea , which mostly share this type of climate, but it can also be found in the Atlantic portions of Iberia and Northwest Africa,

4661-743: The ocean. Oceanic climates in Europe occupy a large stretch of land, from Norway 's Atlantic coast, Ireland and the United Kingdom and southeast to some parts of Turkey . Western Europe is almost exclusively oceanic between 45°N to 54.913°N; including most of France (away from the Mediterranean), nearly all of Belgium , the Netherlands , Austria , most of Luxembourg , most of Denmark , western Germany , northwestern Switzerland , south coast and western areas of Norway north to Skrova and extreme southern Sweden . While most of Southern Europe

4740-812: The peaks in the highest mountain ranges have this climate (including the Blue Mountains in Jamaica and Cerro Maravilla in Puerto Rico ), with only Hispaniola 's Cordillera Central and Chaîne de la Selle having significant urban settlements under this climate zone, such as cities like Kenscoff in Haiti and Constanza in the Dominican Republic . Areas with subpolar oceanic climates feature an oceanic climate but are usually located closer to polar regions, with long but relatively mild winters and short, cool summers. As

4819-562: The precipitation pattern (" s " represents dry summers). Köppen has defined a dry summer month as a month with less than 30 mm (1.2 in) of precipitation and as a month within the high-sun months of April to September, in the case of the Northern Hemisphere and October to March, in the case of the Southern Hemisphere, and it also must contain exactly or less than one-third that of the wettest winter month. Some, however, use

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4898-575: The provinces of Chubut , Santa Cruz , and southeast Buenos Aires province in Argentina. In Western Asia , the climate can be found on the Black Sea coast of northern Turkey and Georgia , often transitional to humid subtropical . While Cfb zones are rare in Africa, one dominates the coastline of the Eastern Cape in South Africa . The climate subtype can also be found in Nantucket , Massachusetts (in

4977-519: The reason for this cooler type of Mediterranean climate. The other main reason for this cooler type is the altitude . For instance, Menton on the French coast has a Csa climate while Castellar, Alpes-Maritimes , the adjacent town just north of Menton, with an altitude between 100 and 1,382 m (328 and 4,534 ft), has a Csb climate instead. The village of Siah Bisheh in Northern Iran also has

5056-636: The recent effects of climate change . The native vegetation of Mediterranean climate lands must be adapted to survive long, hot summer droughts in summer and prolonged wet periods in winter. Mediterranean vegetation examples include the following: Many native vegetations in Mediterranean climate area valleys have been cleared for agriculture and farming. In places such as the Sacramento Valley and Oxnard Plain in California , draining marshes and estuaries combined with supplemental irrigation has led to

5135-419: The regions, but are more common in subtropical highland climates where these air masses meet more frequently due to the influence of hotter weather in the subtropics or tropics, especially in monsoon-influenced climates. In most areas with an oceanic climate, precipitation comes in the form of rain for the majority of the year. Most oceanic climate zones, however, experience at least one snowfall per year. Snowfall

5214-541: The shape of the continent. Only in Europe do they penetrate far inland, where they eventually transition into warm-summer humid continental climates ; in other continents, they are blocked by a large mountain range or limited by nearby oceans. The North Atlantic Gulf Stream , a tropical oceanic current that passes north of the Caribbean and up the East Coast of the United States to North Carolina , then heads east-northeast to

5293-419: The south and mountains to the north. Those places routinely experience summer daily means of over 30 °C (86 °F) and daily highs above 40 °C (104 °F), while receiving enough rainfall in winter not to fall into arid or semi-arid classifications. As in every climatologic domain, the highland locations of the Mediterranean domain can present cooler temperatures in the summer and winter than

5372-495: The south coast of England such as Weymouth and Portland just scrape into this climate classification due to very low rainfall in July. A trend towards slightly drier summers during the 1971–2000 climate average period, meant that this classification previously extended slightly further to include a few other weather stations in southern England, such as Bognor Regis and Teignmouth . Rarer instances of this climate can be found in relatively small and isolated high altitude areas of

5451-554: The subtropics also meet Cs requirements, though they, too, are not normally associated with Mediterranean climates. The same goes for a number of oceanic islands such as Madeira , the Juan Fernández Islands , the western part of the Canary Islands , and the eastern part of the Azores . Under Trewartha 's modified Köppen climate classification, the two major requirements for a Cs climate are revised. Under Trewartha's system, at least eight months must have average temperatures of 10 °C (50 °F) or higher ( subtropical ), and

5530-537: The sun. Poleward extension and expansion of the subtropical anticyclone over the oceans bring subsiding air to the region in summer, with clear skies and high temperatures. When the anticyclone moves Equator-ward in winter, it is replaced by traveling, frontal cyclones with their attendant precipitation. During summer, regions of the Mediterranean climate are strongly influenced by the subtropical ridge which keeps atmospheric conditions very dry with minimal cloud coverage. In some areas, such as coastal California ,

5609-408: The temperature and rainfall pattern for a Csa or even a Csb climate can exist as a microclimate in some high-altitude locations adjacent to a rare tropical As ( tropical savanna climate with dry summers, typically in a rainshadow region, as in Hawaii). These have a favourable climate, with mild wet winters and fairly warm, dry summers. The Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome

5688-448: The tropics, a subtropical highland climate typically features mild weather year-round. Temperatures there remain relatively constant throughout the year and snowfall is seldom seen due to warmer winters than most oceanic climates. Areas with this climate feature monthly averages below 22 °C (72 °F) but above either 0 °C (32 °F) or −3 °C (27 °F) depending on isotherm used. At least one month's average temperature

5767-674: The tropics, on Haleakalā Summit in Hawaii. In South America, Csc regions can be found along the Andes in Chile and Argentina. The town of Balmaceda, Chile is one of the few towns confirmed to have this climate. Small areas with a Csc climate can be found at high elevations in Corsica . In Norway, the small fishing village of Røstlandet , in Røst Municipality , above the Arctic Circle has

5846-414: The west coast of continents; hence another name for Cfb, "marine west coast climates". In addition to moderate temperatures year-round, one of the characteristics is the absence of a dry season. Except for Europe , this type of climate is confined to narrow bands of territory, largely in mid or high latitudes, although it can appear in elevated areas of continental terrain in low latitudes, e.g. plateaus in

5925-452: The western coasts of landmasses, between roughly 30 and 45 degrees north or south of the equator . The main cause of Mediterranean, or dry summer, climate is the subtropical ridge , which extends towards the pole of the hemisphere in question during the summer and migrates towards the equator during the winter. This is due to the seasonal poleward-equatorward variations of temperatures. The resulting vegetation of Mediterranean climates are

6004-527: The winter and summer due to higher evapotranspiration . Toward the polar latitudes, total moisture usually increases; for instance, the Mediterranean climate in Southern Europe has more rain. The rainfall also tends to be more evenly distributed throughout the year in Southern Europe, while in places such as Southern California , the summer is nearly or completely dry. In places where evapotranspiration

6083-410: The winter, with frost and snowfall almost unknown, whereas Tashkent has cold winters with annual frosts and snowfall; or, to consider summer, Seville experiences rather high temperatures in that season. In contrast, San Francisco has cool summers with daily highs around 21 °C (70 °F) due to the continuous upwelling of cold subsurface waters along the coast. Because most regions with

6162-543: The year for climate zones at such distances from coasts. In North America, areas with Csc climate can be found in the Olympic , Cascade , Klamath , and Sierra Nevada ranges in Washington, Oregon and California. These locations are found at high altitude nearby lower altitude regions characterized by a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csb ) or hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csa ). A rare instance of this climate occurs in

6241-571: The year, similar to other oceanic climates, but unlike these climates, they have a high diurnal temperature variation and low humidity, owing to their inland location and relatively high elevation. Subtropical highland climates with monsoon influence ( Cwb ) have distinctive wet summers and dry winters . In locations outside the tropics, other than the drying trend in the winter, subtropical highland climates tend to be essentially identical to an oceanic climate, with mild summers and noticeably cooler winters, plus, in some instances, some snowfall. In

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