MARINE WEST COAST CLIMATE
(most measurements in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)
Marine West Coast climate is found between the Tropics and The Arctic Circle. This is a wet climate and some areas are extremely wet. This precipitation supports amazing vegetation. There would be more of this climate on the map above, but mountains (elevation) prevent the humid air from moving farther inland.
Where is Humid Marine West Coast Climate Usually Located?
Marine West Coast is usually located along the west coast of mid-latitude continents. Mid-latitude means midway between the tropics and the arctic/antarctic circle. Marine West Coast is influenced by the presence of mountains. This is why it covers more land in Europe than it does in North America--North America's mountains block the humid air from moving farther inland. The same is true in South America.
What Seasons Does Marine West Coast Climate Have?
The range of temperatures is fairly small compared to other climate types--this means the temperatures don't have major differences during different seasons. For this reason, Marine West Coast really has on 2 seasons: summer and winter.
What are the Temperatures like in Marine West Coast Climate?
This is a very mild climate, with few extremes in temperature. The coldest month rarely averages lower than 30 degrees and the warmest month averages about 72 degrees. The ocean keeps the air over the land cool in summer and warm in the winter. This creates a mild, but wet climate. This climate is similar to a Mediterranean climate because of the influence of ocean currents, but they are greatly different in the level of precipitation. Mountains are another factor that prevent this climate from moving beyond coastal areas on several continents.
How Much Precipitation Does Marine West Coast Climate Receive?
The amount of precipitation is different in different regions of this climate type. Some areas of Marine West Coast only get 30 inches of rain while others can receive as much as 98 inches! In some places it rains 150 days out of 365! Some regions, such as North America receive so much rain they have what are called "temperate rainforests". Temperate is a term that refers to the mid-latitude area--an area of moderate climates. The rain is a result of the warm moist air from warm ocean currents, which hits the cooler land and falls as rain. North American areas receive more rain than Europe (see map) because the mountains contain all the moisture at the coastal area in North America where as in Europe the rain slowly falls as it moves across the continent.
What Kinds of Vegetation (Plants) Does Marine West Coast Climate Have?
Usually, Marine West Coast climate areas receive regular rain that supports thick forests and a wide variety of plant life including evergreen trees (conifers) such as spruce, cedar, pine, redwood. Many species of ferns and grasses also grow in this area. North America's Redwood trees (Sequoia) are the tallest trees in the world. (See below) The high amount of precipitation and moderate temperatures results in these massive, beautiful trees.
This is a pictures of a Redwood tree forest.
This is a pictures of a car driving under a big hole in the base of a Redwood tree.
This is a picture of a fallen Redwood with a person standing in front of the stump
What Kinds of Animals Does Marine West Coast Climate Have?
The lush vegetation found in Marine West Coast climate provides food for a wide variety of birds such as eagles in North America and penguins in New Zealand. Mainly small mammals are found here, except for a few different species of bears in some areas.