Temperate climate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes, which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout the year and more distinct seasonal changes compared to tropical climates, where such variations are often small; they usually differ only in the amount of precipitation.
In temperate climates, not only do latitudinal positions influence temperature changes, but various sea currents, prevailing wind direction, continentality and altitude also shape temperate climates.
The Köppen climate classification defines a climate as "temperate" C, when the mean temperature is above but below in the coldest month to account for the persistence of frost. However, some adaptations of Köppen set the minimum at. Continental climates are classified as D and considered to be varieties of temperate climates, having more extreme temperatures, with mean temperatures in the coldest month usually being below.
Zones and climates
The north temperate zone extends from the Tropic of Cancer to the Arctic Circle. The south temperate zone extends from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Antarctic Circle.In some climate classifications, the temperate zone may be divided into several smaller climate zones, based on monthly temperatures, the coldest month, and rainfall. These can include the subtropical zone, and the cool temperate zone.
Subtropical zone
These climates are typically found in the more equatorial regions of the temperate zone, between 23.5° and 35° north or south. They are influenced more by the tropics than by other temperate climate types, usually experiencing warmer temperatures throughout the year, with longer, hotter summers and shorter, milder winters. Freezing precipitation is uncommon in this part of the temperate zone.Humid subtropical (Cfa) and monsoon subtropical (Cwa) climates
s generally have long, hot and humid summers with frequent convective showers in summer, and a peak seasonal rainfall in the hottest months. Winters are normally mild and above freezing in the humid subtropics. Warm ocean currents are usually found in coastal areas with humid subtropical climates. This type of climate is normally located along leeward lower east coasts of continents such as in the Pampas region of South America, Northern Vietnam, the southeast portions of East Asia, southern and portions of the northeast and midwestern United States and portions of, South Africa, Ethiopia, and eastern Australia. In some areas with a humid subtropical climate, there is an even sharper wet-dry season, called a monsoon subtropical climate or subtropical monsoon. In these regions, winters are quite chilly and dry and summers have very heavy rainfall. Some Cwa areas in southern China report more than 80% of annual precipitation in the five warmest months.Mediterranean climates (Csa, Csb)
s have the opposite rainfall pattern to dry-winter climates, with a dry summer and wet winter. This climate occurs mostly at the western edges and coasts of the continents and are bounded by arid deserts on their equatorward sides that brings dry winds causing the dry season of summer, and oceanic climates to the poleward sides that are influenced by cool ocean currents and air masses that bring the rainfall of winter. The five main Mediterranean regions of the world are the Mediterranean basin in North Africa, Southern Europe, and West Asia, coastal California in the United States, the South and West states of Australia, the Western Cape of South Africa, and central Chile.Subtropical highland climates (Cwb, Cfb)
are climate variants often grouped together with oceanic climates found in some mountainous areas of either the tropics or subtropics. They have characteristically mild temperatures year-round, featuring the four seasons in the subtropics and no marked seasons in the tropics, the latter usually remaining mild to cool through most of the year. Subtropical highland climates under the Cfb classification usually have rainfall spread relatively evenly in all months of the year similar to most oceanic climates while climates under the Cwb classification have significant monsoon influence, usually having dry winters and wet summers.Middle latitude zone
These climates occur in the middle latitudes, between approximately 35° and 66.5° north and south of the equator. There is an equal climatic influence from both the polar and tropical zones in this climate region. Two types of climates are in this zone, a milder oceanic one and more severe seasonal continental one. Most prototypical temperate climates have a distinct four-season pattern, especially in the continental climate sector.Oceanic climates (Cfb)
s are created by the on-shore flow from the cool high latitude oceans to their west. This causes the climate to have mild summers and cool winters, and relative humidity and precipitation evenly distributed throughout the year. These climates are frequently cloudy and cool, and winters are milder than those in the continental climate.Regions with oceanic climates include northwestern Europe, northwestern North America, southeastern and southwestern South America, southeastern Australia and most of New Zealand.
Humid continental climates (Dfa, Dfb, Dwa, Dwb, Dsa, Dsb)
s are considered as a variety of temperate climates due to lying in the temperate zones, although they are classified separately from other temperate climates in the Köppen climate classification. In contrast to oceanic climates, they are created by large land masses and seasonal changes in wind direction. This causes humid continental climates to have severe temperatures for the season compared to other temperate climates, meaning a hot summer and cold winter. Precipitation may be evenly distributed throughout the year, while in some locations there is a summer accent on rainfall.Regions with humid continental climates include southeastern Canada, the upper portions of the eastern United States, portions of eastern Europe, parts of China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula.
Subpolar zone
These are temperate climates that compared to the subtropics are on the poleward edge of the temperate zone. Therefore, they still have four marked seasons including a warmer one, but are far more influenced by the polar zones than any other but the very polar climates.Subpolar oceanic and cold subtropical highland climates (Cfc, Cwc)
Areas with subpolar oceanic climates feature an oceanic climate but are usually located closer to polar regions. As a result of their location, these regions tend to be on the cool end of oceanic climates. 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 but still with similar summers. This variant of an oceanic climate is found in parts of coastal Iceland, the Faroe Islands, parts of Scotland, northwestern coastal areas of Norway such as Lofoten and reaching to 70° north on some islands, uplands near the coast of southwestern Norway, the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and northern parts of the Alaskan Panhandle, some parts of Southern Argentina and Chile, and a few highland areas of Tasmania, the Australian Alps and Southern Alps of New Zealand. This type of climate is even found in tropical areas such as the Papuan Highlands in Indonesia. Cfc is the categorization for this regime. Even in the middle of summer, temperatures exceeding 20°C are exceptional weather events in the most maritime of those locations impacted by this regime. In some parts of this climate, temperatures as high as 30°C have been recorded on rare occasions, while temperatures as low as have still been recorded on rare occasions.A cold variant of the monsoon-influenced subtropical highland climate similar to subpolar oceanic climates occurs in small areas in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan, and parts of the Altiplano between Bolivia, Peru and Chile, where summers are sufficiently short to be Cwc with fewer than four months over due to the high altitudes at these locations. El Alto, Bolivia is one of the few confirmed cities that features this variation of a cold subtropical highland climate.