Island Southeast Asia

Climate North America

By Jack Garrity

Book pages 121-125

A Varied RegionMuch of the United States and Canada experiences exactly the types of climate one might expect from the countries latitudes.

Two thirds of Canada and the U.S. state of Alaska lie in higher latitudes and experience long, cold winters and brief, mild summers.

Most of the continental United States and the southern one third of Canada lie within more temperate latitudes, where climate regions vary with elevation.

Northern ClimatesLarge parts of Canada and Alaska lie in a subarctic climate zone that average below 18C, winter temperatures of -57C (-70F) in some places.

Northern ClimatesConiferous forests thrive, these are part of the Taglia, which is the largest continuous forest on the planet

Northern ClimatesA high atmospheric pressure area over the Canadiansubarctic makes cold winds, bringing winter to the USA.

Northern ClimatesTundra lines the Arctic coastline

Northern ClimatesBitter winters and cool summers make it inhospitable for most plants, and few people live here.

inhospitable(of an environment) harsh and difficult to live in.

Northern ClimatesIn Greenland only grows sedge, cotton grass, and lichens.

Northern ClimatesIn Greenland only grows sedge, cotton grass, and lichens.

Northern ClimatesThe islands small ice-free areas have few trees, but some dwarfed birch, willow, and alder scrubs do survive.

Northern ClimatesFew people live in Greenland and the tundra.

Greenland/Population56,483 (2013)

Western ClimatesLatitude, elevation, ocean currents, and rainfall combine to make a variety of climates in the west.

Marine West CoastThe Pacific coast from California to Alaska has a marine wet climate

Marine West CoastThe mountains force the wet ocean air upward, where it cools and releases its moisture.

Marine West CoastParts of the region gets more than 100 inches (254 cm) of rain each year.

Marine West CoastConiferous forests, ferns, and mosses are common there.

Marine West CoastAncient redwood and sequoia forests thrive.

Marine West CoastSequoias are evergreens that live 1,200 -1,800 years or more, growing 115.5 m tall and 8.9 m in diameter.

Marine West CoastThese trees are also among the oldest living things on the planet.

Marine West CoastPrevailing winds gives little rain to Southern California, producing a mild Mediterranean climate.

Marine West CoastPrevailing winds gives little rain to Southern California, producing a mild Mediterranean climate.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsThe rain shadow effect gives the plateaus and basins between the Pacific Ranges and Rockies a hot and dry climate.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsMuch of the area has a steppe or desert climate.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsIncluding the Great Salt Lake Desert, Death Valley, the Mojave and the Chihuahuan Deserts.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsIncluding the Great Salt Lake Desert, Death Valley, the Mojave and the Chihuahuan Deserts.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsIncluding the Great Salt Lake Desert, Death Valley, the Mojave and the Chihuahuan Deserts.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsIncluding the Great Salt Lake Desert, Death Valley, the Mojave and the Chihuahuan Deserts.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsIncluding the Great Salt Lake Desert, Death Valley, the Mojave and the Chihuahuan Deserts.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsHere cacti and hardy wildflowers bloom in the brief spring rains.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsNext to these deserts, a steppe climate with a mixture of desert scrub.

Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsGrass lands (mid to southern) and coniferous forests (north) flourish with more rainfall.

Elevation Similar to South America, elevation, not latitude, produces a variety of climate zones and environments.

Elevation Similar to South Americas Tierra Fria, elevation gives the middle elevations a highland climate with coniferous forests.

Elevation Trees cannot grow above the tree line, similar to South Americas Tierra Helena and Nevada

Elevation In late winter and early spring, a warm, dry wind called the chinook blows down the eastern slopes of the Rockies, warming 1C for every 99 meters.

Elevation The chinook rapidly melts and evaporates the snow at the base of the mountains.

Interior ClimatesFar from oceans, the Great Plains a humid continental climate with bitterly cold winters and hot summers.

Interior ClimatesFar from oceans, the Great Plains a humid continental climate with bitterly cold winters and hot summers.

Interior ClimatesFar from oceans, the Great Plains a humid continental climate with bitterly cold winters and hot summers.

Interior ClimatesThe Great Plains benefit from moist winds that blow north along the Rockies from the Gulf of Mexico and south from the Arctic.

Interior ClimatesThe Great Plains benefit from moist winds that blow north along the Rockies from the Gulf of Mexico and south from the Arctic.

Interior ClimatesThe humid continental climate extends into southern Canada.

PrairiesPrairies ( naturally treeless expanses of Grasses) spread across the Great Plains.

PrairiesRainfall ranging from 10 to 30 inches (26 to 76 cm) waters tall prairie grasses, such as switchgrass and bluestem (1.8 to 3.7 m) high.

PrairiesIn the Great Plains, violent spring and summer thunderstorms called supercells spawn tornadoes, with winds reaching 300 miles (483 km) per hour.

PrairiesIn the Great Plains, violent spring and summer thunderstorms called supercells spawn tornadoes, with winds reaching 300 miles (483 km) per hour.

Eastern ClimatesThe humid subtropical climate of the southeasthas long, muggy summers and mild winters.

Eastern ClimatesDeciduous forests extend as far south as Louisiana, with lots of cleared farmland.

Eastern ClimatesWetlands and swamps like Floridas Everglades shelter a great variety of vegetation and wildlife.

Eastern ClimatesIn late summer and early autumn, hurricanesocean storms hundreds of miles wide with winds of 74 miles per hour (119 km per hour) can pound the regions coastlines.

Eastern ClimatesA humid continental climate extends from the northeastern United States into southeastern Canada.

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Eastern ClimatesIn Canada, a band of deciduous and mixed deciduous-coniferous forestland more than 1,375 miles (2,213 km) wide sweeps from Newfoundland into the subarctic Yukon Territory.

Eastern ClimatesIn Canada, a band of deciduous and mixed deciduous-coniferous forestland more than 1,375 miles (2,213 km) wide sweeps from Newfoundland into the subarctic Yukon Territory.

Eastern Climates

Eastern Climates

Eastern Climates

Eastern ClimatesIn the United States, deciduous forests continue grow at lower elevations into the south.

Eastern ClimatesIn winter, much of northern North America has blizzards .

Eastern ClimatesBlizzards have winds of more than 35 miles per hour (56 km per hour), with heavy blowing snow.

Eastern ClimatesSnow often closes roads and school in the winter.

Tropical ClimateNorth America has no tropical rainforest, the extreme tip of Florida has a tropical savanna.

End