Variations in Canada’s Climate

Modified by Ms. Duff

SJH

Canada has many types of climates but they have been simplified into 4 major ones:

Dry Climates (Canada does have deserts)

Warm/ Moist Climates Cool/ Moist Polar Climates (Guess where?? )

Dry Climates amount of evaporation &

transpiration may be greater than amounts of precipitation

some are warm, and some are cool (annual temp. less than 18ºC)

they generally have little rain and a huge daily temperature range.

Osoyoos, British Columbia

Canada's driest climate & only desert lowest rainfall, highest temperatures, and

warmest lakes.

Located in the middle of the Southern Okanagan wine country fine wines match any wines from anywhere in the world.

Rainfall in Osoyoos

Average rainfall of less than 20 cm per year.

Not much growth, and desert plants and animals of this area are found nowhere else in Canada.

This ‘Pocket Desert’ is part of a network of deserts that extend southward to the Sonoran Desert in Mexico

Vegetation in Osoyoos

In fact, the plants and animals here are the same as those found in the higher elevations of the Mexican portion of this desert.

Looks like a desert but….

Spruce Wood Provincial Park, Manitoba:

Spirit Sands -4 km2 of sand (was originally 6500 km2!)-deposited by glacial movement

-wind-patterned sand, cacti, and high temperatures make it tempting to call it a desert-BUT too much precipitation

Warm, Moist Climates(Maritime/Marine West Coast)

warm, humid summers and mild winters

in Humid Middle Latitude Climates land/water differences play a large part

Cool, Moist Climates(Temperate continental)

over 70% of Canada warmest version (humid with

warm summers) Subarctic zone (short, cool

summer & only 1-3 months over 10ºC)

found in the interior regions of large land masses

total precipitation is not very high and seasonal temperatures vary widely.

Polar Climates

very cold and dry

Tundra zone and Ice Cap area

permanent ice and tundra are always present

only about four months of the year have above freezing temperatures

Polar Climates (cont.)(High Latitude Climates)

• Subarctic• Tundra• Ice Cap

Elements of Climate

L.O.W.E.R.N• Latitude (sunshine)• Ocean Currents• Winds &Air Masses• Elevation:• Relief• Nearness to Water

Bibliography

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/climate.htm Canadian Identity (p.31-37) http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/

uwsp_lectures/climates_toc.html http://www.worldclimate.com/