Transcript Climate Regions: United States & Canada

Climate Regions:
United States & Canada


Northern Climates

Subarctic (widest temp. range!)
 Very cold winters
 2/3 of Canada

Tundra
 Bitter winters, cool summers
 Not many people live
here…why?
 It’s WAY TOO COLD!!!!!!

High pressure in Canada keeps
subarctic areas cold in the winter.
Also keeps central USA cold in the
winter.

Northern Climates: Affect on Vegetation
 Coniferous forests in
subarctic region
 Most plants cannot grow
in tundra; only lichens and
algae on rocks

Western Climates: Wide Variety!

Marine West Coast: 100+
inches of rain along Pacific
Coast (Alaska to California)

Deserts located in-between
Pacific Ranges & Rocky
Mountains

Affect on climate
 Latitude, elevation, ocean currents & rainfall can all effect
climate
 Ocean currents + wind from Pacific Ranges = Marine West
Coast climate along Pacific
 Rain-shadow effect produces deserts in-between Pacific
Ranges & Rockies
 High elevations (mountains) give a cooler, highland climate
 Chinook winds (a warm, dry wind in late winter & early spring)
blow in the Rocky Mountains and melts snow at the bottom of
the mountain—warmer spring & summer!

Western Climates: Vegetation

Marine West
Coast: coniferous
forests

Desert & steppe:
cacti &
wildflowers

Vegetation varies in
highlands; none above
timberline, the
elevation above which
trees cannot grow

Interior Climates
 Humid Continental
 Bitterly cold winters,
hot summers
 10-30 inches of rain a
year
 From central U.S.A.
(Great Plains) to
southern Canada

Interior Climates: Factors Affecting
Climate
 Supercells, or violent spring
& summer thunderstorms,
can produce tornadoes
 Moist winds from the Gulf
of Mexico gives this area
rainfall
  why there is no rain-
shadow effect from the
Rockies

Interior Climates: Affect on Vegetation
 Prairies, or naturally treeless expanses of grasses,
are found in the Great Plains

Eastern Climates
 Humid Subtropical: long &
muggy summers, mild winters
 Humid Continental also found
here

Factors Affecting Climate: Eastern
 Hurricanes can hit coastlines
(ocean storms with winds of
at least 74 mph)
 Blizzards hit places along the
Humid Continental climate
region in the winter.

Vegetation: Eastern Climates
 Deciduous forests around  Swamps & wetlands found in
Mississippi River (near
Louisiana) and in NE USA
Florida and Louisiana (humid
subtropical)

Tropical Climates
 Tropical Savanna
 Climate in the southern
tip of Florida
 Tropical Rain Forest
 Found in Hawaii and in
Puerto Rico (P.R. is not a
state, but the USA owns
it)

Factors Affecting Climate: Tropical
 The proximity (closeness) to the equator gives this region
warm temperatures year-round
 Hurricanes can also hit this region

Vegetation: LUSH!! (A lot)