Question

Give an account of the climate of North America.

Answer 1

1. The vast latitudinal extent from the Tropics to the Polar Regions makes the climate of North America as varied as that of Asia.
2. Unlike the Himalayas, the Rockies run north to south which do not form climatic barrier and do not prevent the icy winds from the Arctic region and penetrating the central plains which therefore have a very long cold winter and very short hot summer.
3. Precipitation occurs due to cyclonic storms.
4. The Arctic region is cold and mostly dry and has a very short summers and a very long bitterly cold winter.
5. As one proceeds southwards the short summers become warm but the winters are very cold.
6. The central plains have extreme climate from freezing conditions in winter to tropical heat in summer.
7. The South is usually warm all the year-round and the regions around the mouth of the Mississippi-Missouri and the Gulf Coast have summer rain from the North East Trades which blow on-shore in summer.
8. The warm moist South Westerlies not only bring rainfall to the North West coast and also keep it warm.
9. The warm Alaskan Current keeps the North West coast ice-free.
10. The State of California in USA has a Mediterranean Climate with moist winter and dry summers.