El Continental weather It is defined by having a versatile climate model, this type of climate occurs in the middle latitudes where temperatures are not moderated by any body of water such as the sea or the ocean and the outstanding wind blows from above.
What is the Continental Climate?
Climate can be specified as the general long-term weather condition, such as the influence of air, temperature, wind, precipitation, as well as Temperature and Humidity that originate in a specific area, there are various elements that have to do with the climate of a territory, the most significant of which is latitude.
Places adjacent to the equator are exposed to more sunlight and are much warmer compared to those adjacent to the poles, other factors that affect climate include altitude, terrain, and bodies of water and their currents, climates are They classify according to the average and typical range of different variables, especially precipitation and temperature.
The Koppen climate classification is the representation of the most used climatic ordination, according to the Koppen classification, there are five main types of climate labeled from A to E, which are:
- Tropical
- dry
- temperate
- Continental
- Polar
Parent types are broken down into child types that have:
- continental humid climate
- Rain forest
- Paradise
- Monsoon
- Oceanic
- Desert
- Estepario
- Summer
Features
El Continental weather It is characterized by a moderate amount of precipitation, concentrated mainly in the warmer months, precipitation stemming from the frontal cyclone and conventional showers during the summer months when maritime tropical air pushes north behind the retreating polar front.
Spring
It is the season of the year between winter and summer through which temperatures gradually increase, in general, it is specified in the northern hemisphere as developing from the vernal equinox, spring temperature is the transition from cold to summer heat, occurs only in middle and high latitudes, near the equator, temperatures change little during the year, spring is very short in the polar regions.
In many cultures, spring has been celebrated with rites and festivals that revolve around its importance in food production, in European languages, the concept of spring is associated with the planting of crops, during this time of year, all plants, including cultivated ones, begin to grow again after winter dormancy.
Animals are also highly affected, coming out of their winter dormancy or hibernation and beginning their nesting and breeding activities, and birds migrate poleward in response to warmer temperatures.
Summer
Summer is the hottest season of the year and occurs specifically between spring and autumn, temperatures through this stage differ depending on the location on Earth, the regions near the equator are much hotter than those located near the poles.
This is because, due to the curve of the Earth, these places receive the most sunlight, according to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program, the areas around the Earth's poles also have ice, which reflects many of the sun's rays.
The summer equinox happens when the sun crosses over the equator, this happens due to the tilt of the Earth, when the seasons are established in the position of the Earth in relation to the sun, it is called astronomical summer, in the northern hemisphere, the astronomical summer occurs around June XNUMX, the North Pole is diagonal at the largest angle to the sun at this instant.
Fall
Autumn is one of the four main seasons that marks the transition from summer to winter, in autumn, the length of daylight becomes noticeably shorter and the temperature cools considerably, one of its main features is the shedding of the leaves of deciduous trees.
Although leaf color change occurs wherever deciduous trees are found, colored autumn foliage is seen in various regions of the world, fall is the beginning of the harvest season for many plants, and crops are gathered by both humans and animals. and pack them up for next winter.
The leaves of the leafy trees mature and change color in the fall and begin to fall off the trees, certain trees, such as weeping willows, shed all their leaves to survive the freezing winter months, the trees begin to reproduce already spread its seeds that remain dormant in the soil throughout the winter and begin to flower around spring.
Animals such as bears and lemurs eat and accumulate body fat to use as a source of energy during their hibernation in winter, autumn is also the season of migration of some birds towards the equatorial regions.
Winter
It is the coldest season of the year, it occurs between autumn and spring, it is associated with falling temperatures and freezing weather, but its impact and timing change depending on the location, the further an area is from the equator, the colder the temperatures that experiment.
Temperatures in the equatorial regions remain relatively constant despite the changing seasons, this is because, due to the curve of the Earth, the equatorial areas get more sunlight, according to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program.
The winter you have various changes in the whole world, during the winter, several of the animals migrate, which means that they go to another area for a reasonable time, in general, the animals go south to more tropical parts during the winter.
Other animals go into hibernation during the winter, spending much of the season in a sleep-adjacent state. As many plants die or go dormant, animals accumulate food to help themselves in periods of need.
Cold winters can lead to life-threatening medical conditions like hypothermia, cold temperatures can also cause frostbite, skin and tissue frostbite, cold temperatures are only one factor when it comes to susceptibility to frostbite.
PREMIUM QUALITY
Climatic continentality is determined by large daily and annual air temperature amplitudes, hot summers and cold winters that are significantly higher than those observed in the oceans in the same geographic area.
The climate of mountainous regions in temperate latitudes, where the temperature regime and the amount of precipitation are very diverse, depending on the height above sea level, the exposure of the slopes and other features of the relief. Next, we show you what are the types of Continental weather:
Continentalized Mediterranean climate
When mentioning the Mediterranean climate, the first place that comes to mind is the region along the Mediterranean Sea, countries such as Italy and Greece, as well as the Continental climate in Spain are among those places that come to the mind of many, this is the region that shares the same climate name, as well as the climate itself, however, this is not the only place where the Mediterranean climate is found.
To better understand the Mediterranean climate and where it is located, this climate needs to be determined, this type of climate is specified by mild and humid winters and hot to hot and dry summers, it is not the temperature range that makes This weather is different.
There are several parts of the world that have temperature ranges equivalent to those found in Mediterranean climates, it is the rainfall pattern that differentiates the Mediterranean climate, very often, places with hot summers and mild winters absorb large amounts hot during the summer months, summers in Mediterranean climates are distinctly dry.
The location of Mediterranean climate regions depends on the influences of atmospheric pressure systems and ocean currents, Mediterranean climates outside the Mediterranean region are often found in places with high pressure systems.
Manchurian continental climate
The northeastern part of China, called Manchuria, has a markedly continental climate, with cold, dry winters, hot and rainy summers, the winter monsoon brings cold air masses from nearby Siberia, while the summer monsoon brings cold air masses from nearby Siberia. hot and humid south.
In fact, summer, from June to August, is the only season in which there are revealing rains, rains are very common also in May and September, although not abundant, rains, or rather snowfalls given the temperatures, are very insufficient in the long cold season.
humid continental climate
El Continental weather Humid is located over huge expanses in the temperate mid-latitudes, the Humid Continental Climate is determined by its inconstant weather patterns akin to cyclonic storms and its extensive temperature range due to its inland location on mid-distance continents.
The Humid Continental Climate is known for its unstable climatic situations due to its location in the mid-latitudes and the year-round influence of the polar front, this climate is found on the borderline between many different air masses, mainly polar and tropical.
The polar-type air masses collide with the tropical-type air masses, causing the less dense and more humid tropical air to rise, which produces precipitation, colliding along the polar front, these air masses rotate and swirl into large extra-tropical cyclones driven by the polar front jet stream high in the troposphere.
These huge systems generally wind their way across the surface from west to east, embedded in the prevailing wind flow of the westerly wind belt.
Arid continental climate
They are characterized by annual rainfall of less than 250 mm, small rains do not approve the birth and progress of full vegetation, therefore the territory of the arid climate regions is totally rocky or sandy.
Most of the months of the year are dry, the desert climate can be distinguished into the hot desert climate and the cold desert climate, the former have strong daily changes in temperature, the latter, on the other hand, have strong annual variations in temperature. temperature due to the distance from the sea and the presence of Mountains that prevent the arrival of humid air.
Location
Regions of the world that experience Continental Climate include much of North America, Central Russia, Canada, Siberia, and the northern states of the United States in particular exhibit large differences in average winter and summer temperatures of up to forty degrees Celsius. .
In the United States, the Continental weather It is seen mainly in the northern states, encompassing Alaska and further south, in states such as California, Oregon and Arizona, these places that notice a Humid Continental Climate have four distinct seasons, with cold and snowy winter and warm to hot summer.
Average daily high temperatures range from -12°C to -1°C in winter to 21°C to 27°C in summer, the conflict between the Gulf and Canadian air often results in severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, especially in May and June, that month is usually the wettest month of the year, especially in the northern plains and north central states.
In South America, no major cities fall into the classification of a Continental Climate largely due to ocean influence, most parts of the continent fall within the oceanic climate zone, however some remote locations experience this. type of climate, the climate of Mendoza in Argentina is arid with continental characteristics.
The city receives most of its precipitation in the summer months (November to March), summers are generally hot and humid, while winters are cold and dry, the other areas of South America characterized by Continental Climate include the center and east of the capital, Santiago, and the interior of the Aysén region.
Flora
El Continental weather found mainly in the interior and eastern parts of a continent the hot summer and cold winter encourage the growth of various plants from plants to perennials and ground covers large parts of the climatic area were forested before the land was cleared for agriculture.
The forests within mainland landscape They are divided into coniferous and deciduous, some of the common plants in continental climate regions include silver maple, Carolina lupine and lavender, this area is also home to different types of animals including birds and snakes.
The Humid Continental Climate has mixed forests. Much of the climatic area was covered by forest before agricultural and human exploitation, the natural plant life of humid subtropical and other mid-latitude regions includes temperate forests.
They encourage the growth of diverse plant life, and many varieties of plants live in continental climates, from trees to perennials and ground covers.
maiden fern
It thrives in the filtered shade of the forests found in the Continental weather from the United States, prefers moist, lime-rich soils, and reaches a height of 18 inches tall with delicate fronds that grow on slender black stems, spreading slowly by underground roots or rhizomes, making them non-invasive.
Lavender
It is a short bushy herb, it has been used for generations in herbal remedies to treat insomnia and depression, this perennial herb is also known for its fragrance and is often used in soaps, shampoos and sachets, some of the best lavender comes from In the French region of Provence, which has a continental climate, the flowers are generally purple and bloom throughout the summer and into fall.
silver maple
It is a large tree, reaching up to 100 feet in height. The leaves are lobed and serrated, turning from green to yellow and burgundy in autumn before falling off the tree, the red flowers appearing in winter and blooming in early spring.
This tree thrives in various conditions, from full shade to full sun, chooses rich, moist soils that are slightly acidic, according to the University of Texas, this tree also tolerates needy soils, making it a good choice for areas where other trees they will not prosper.
Fauna
The large mammals in the Continental weather they tend to be herbivores that can take advantage of the grasses that grow in the prairies and the leaves that abound on the branches of deciduous trees such as oaks and maples.
Some of the most emblematic animal species of the humid continental zone are the small mammals that abound in the area in all seasons, squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, skunks and raccoons are native to the climate and survive eating grasses and insects and cleaning the carcasses of larger animals.
Wolves, coyotes and other wild dogs are often the most successful of these predators, although wolves are most commonly seen in the forested parts of the humid mainland, snakes are as common in the humid mainland as in other areas and can be Particularly successful in areas of long grass, lizards and frogs also inhabit the area, but water tends to be seasonally abundant in the humid continental.
Total adaptation
The animals have to be quite adaptable because the continental climate is often hit with harsh winters when arctic air brings what is known as Electric storm.
Bison, deer, antelope and horses are known to graze the prairies and migrate in search of fresh food when winters turn harsh, these animals often have long fur to protect against cold winters and shed to help control body temperature in the hottest months of summer.
threatened animals
El Continental weather is already contributing to the decline of South America's yellow-crested, blue-backed manatees and New Zealand's tuatara, a lizard-like reptile whose eggs produce females only when nests are cool, rising temperatures have led to fewer adult female reptiles, which has affected the future of entire populations.
