Temperate Climates

Cool Temperate Western Maritime Climates don't you just love 'em? Well if you don't then, unless you're planning on emigration, you need to get used to them.

So where are they found?

- Well between 40 and 60 degrees North/South constitutes a temperate climate
- And being on the Western edge of a continent constitutes a maritime climate
- What determines how far inland the climate extends is based upon the relief of the land

There are three types of rainfall: - Orographic Rainfall
                                                         - Convectional Rainfall
                                                         - Frontal Rainfall

So what other countries are remarkably lucky to share the same climate as the wondrous UK?

- South West New Zealand
- Chile, the Andes block the climate from extending any further within the country
- Canada, Vancouver - the Rockies block the climate from extending any further
- Western Europe, quite a few countries share our climate because the climate doesn't get blocked until the Alps

What does a Cool Temperate Western Maritime Climate mean?

- Weather is changeable with no marked seasonal differences
- Plenty of cloud and precipitation all year round
- Extremes of temperature are rare
- Low annual temperature range
- Fairly strong winds
- Warm summers
- Mild winters

- Maritime climates are unique as they are unusual to what we'd expect on similar lines of latitude. For example the UK are on a similar latitude to Moscow yet we experience a vastly different climate.
       - The reason for this is due to the high specific heat capacity of water. Water takes longer to heat up and cool down than land, this means that summers are cooler than expected and winters are milder.


Any questions?