Sec 3-1 Climate Regions of the United States

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Sec 3-1 Climate Regions of the United States

• Within temperate zone there are many different
  climates.
• There are 6 major climate regions based on
  temperature and precipitation.

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Mediterranean Climate Region

• Along narrow coast of California
• Winter Cyclones moist polar air masses bring
  heavy precip. Temps are cool.
• Summer Almost no rain. Temps only slightly
  higher than winter.

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Mediterranean Climate Region (Cont.)

• Two basic types of plants
• Dense growth of shrubs stunted trees
• Scattered oak and olive trees w/ground cover of
  grasses
• Irrigation has helped crops citrus, grapes
  (Napa Valley), peaches, vegetables, rice, cotton,
  alfalfa

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Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia
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Marine West Coast Climate Region

• Northwest Coast of U.S.
• Rainy Climate
• Moist air from Pacific Ocean rises, cool,
  releases precip. On west slopes of Cascade Mts.
• Mild winters, cool summers
• Temp. range small due to moderating effect of
  Pacific Ocean

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Marine West Coast Climate Region(Cont.)

• Plants forests of cedar, spruce, redwood and
  fir trees
• Trees contribute to economy lumber, paper
  furniture

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Coastal Oregon

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Moist Continental Climate Region

• Northern portion of U.S. from Midwest to Atlantic
  coast
• Continental polar air masses flowing south
  across regions produce very cold winters
• In summer, trop. air masses flowing north produce
  high temps.

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Moist Continental Climate Region (Cont.)

• Moderate amt. of precip. throughout year
• In summer, marked increase throughout all region
• In winter, decrease in prec. from place to place

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Moist Continental Climate Region (Cont.)

• Plants
• In some sections, broad-leaved and needle-leaved
  trees
• Other sections, once covered with tall grasses
• Farms have replaced most of forests and grassland

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Moist Continental Climate Region (Cont.)

• Commercial agriculture primary occupation
• Incl. all of Corn Belt
• Eastern half of Wheat Belt
• Soybeans next impt. crop
• Hogs, poultry beef cattle major part of economy

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Moist Continental Climate

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Moist Subtropical Climate Region

• Southeastern U.S.
• Summers hot w/ave. precip. higher than in winter
• Similar to those in a tropical climate zone
• Maritime trop. air masses moving inland from
  tropical zone influence summer climate

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Moist Subtropical Climate Region(Cont.)

• Winters cool mild
• Mixing of polar air masses w/maritime trop. air
  masses cause temps to drop below freezing
  occasionally severe frost in northern areas
• Late summer, early fall - hurricanes common
  along coast
• Spring summer - tornadoes common in western
  part

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Moist Subtropical Climate Region(Cont.)

• Plant life
• Forests of broad-leaved needle-leaved trees
  oak, chestnut pine
• River of Grass Florida Everglades home to
  herons, egrets, alligators, crocodiles, manatees

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Moist Subtropical Climate Region(Cont.)

• Major crops
• Cotton used to be major crop, still grown
• Citrus fruits Florida
• Peaches peanuts Georgia
• Sugar cane Mississippi
• Rice Louisiana

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Moist Subtropical Climate

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Desert Steppe Climate Regions

• Western interior of U.S.
• Two regions have similar climates
• Begin just east of mountain ranges along west
  coast end in central Midwest (Great Plains)

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Desert Steppe Climate Regions (Cont.)

• Low Precipitation
• Have lowest amt. of precip. of any climate region
  in U.S. Steppe slightly more
• Due to location far inland
• High mountain ranges block most of maritime air
  masses
• In winter, dry continental polar air masses
  further reduce precip.

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Desert Steppe Climate Regions(Cont.)

• Harsh conditions but many plants
• Cactus, yucca, sagebrush
• In steppe (due to more prec.) shorter grasses
  scattered forests of needle-leaved trees

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Desert Steppe Climate Regions (Cont.)

• Grazing for beef cattle and sheep impt.
• Overgrazing can be a problem due to dry
  conditions
• Led to Dust Bowl of the 1930

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A steppe in Western Kazakhstan in early spring

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Windbreaker trees on the southern Siberian
steppe, winter

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Highlands Climate Region

• Located in mountain areas
• Climate varies with latitude and elevation
• Generally temp. is low
• The higher the elevation the lower the temp.
• Ave. precip. increases with elevation

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Highlands Climate Region (Cont.)

• Forestry major industry (fir pine) of Western
  U.S.
• Also used as summer grazing grounds for
  livestock,esp. sheep which are transported from
  the Great Plains

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Highlands Climate