Cold Temperate Climate

The cool temperate oceanic type of climate has rain all year with less extremes of heat or cold (D1). This climate is found in much of northwest Europe, New Zealand and coastal North America and is the current climate of the UK. Deciduous trees (which lose their leaves in winter) are found in the warmer areas, and coniferous trees (with needle-type leaves) are found everywhere.

Human settlement and agriculture tend to be more developed in the warmer parts of these regions. Changeable weather is characteristic of these areas and they are strongly influenced by large moving weather systems called depressions or 'lows', and anticyclones or 'highs'. As one of these systems passes over a particular location it produces a series of changing weather conditions. Frequent night time winter frosts and generally cold winters are common and can be severe in some areas further north or at altitude.

Cold continental climates or 'steppes' (D2) have warm summers and cold winters and occur mainly in the interior of large landmasses and continents. South of the cold forest belts in the northern hemisphere, winters in these areas are less severe and summers long enough to give a productive growing season. In the southern hemisphere the steppe climate is warmer with fewer extremes because of the lower latitudes and increased proximity to the sea. These areas are often productive agricultural areas particularly for cereal crops, but can be subject to drought and consequent crop failure. The 'steppe' climate is named after the vast plains or grasslands that cross Russia and the Ukraine, but applies also to the prairies of Canada and the United States as well as other parts of the world.

Warm Temperate Cold

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