subject: Mediterranean weather [print this page] Mediterranean weather Mediterranean weather
Mediterranean weather These regions are affected by the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea and that it why they have the Mediterranean weather. Due to the fact that it has very wet winters and dry summers, this weather is usually considered moderate, but there are of course exceptions. Although, this climate is also found in other places of the world like Central China, California, Southern parts of Australia and Western Cape, but is still called Mediterranean because of the similarities. Cities like Athens, Barcelona, Beirut, Marseille and Cape Town have this climate. The summers are most influenced by the subtropical high pressure cells, that are creating a layer of humidity which makes rain very unlikely. They are dry and hot, all year long except from the mid December to February. The temperatures can very high, even to 80 F, except in the coastal areas, for instance, in San Francisco and California, and the average warmest month doesn't go below 72F. The desert winds can raise summer temperatures which increases the risk of wildfire, but they do not reach high readings like in deserts. The temperatures vary, depending on the distance from the ocean or sheltered inland areas, that can have severe heat similar to those in deserts(some part of the Central Valley of California for example). The vegetations is very different thanks to the winter months though. The daily average rainfall over the summer months is 34mm, and it is also known to have high pressure zones. Mediterranean parts have temperatures sometimes falling to extreme degrees, which makes the winters mostly very cold. Winter precipitation increases closer to the equator, and the humidity rises toward the polar parts. It has a lot of rain falling during this time of the year, and the wind speeds increase often causing severe storms, and in the higher areas, mountains there can be snow because of wet conditions. An example of a very humid Mediterranean snow climate is Zubacki, the highest summit of Orjen in the Dinaric Alps in Montenegro. These parts receive all of their yearly rainfall during the winter. The Mediterranean biome is, of course, highly affected by this climate, forests, woodlands and scrubs. The biotic communities have adapted superbly to yearly cycles of floods, droughts and fires. The most distinctive are sclerophyll shrublands, called maquis in the Mediterranean region, fynbos in South Africa, matorral in Chile, chaparral in California and many other names in different parts of the world. Here are some examples of vegetation: Evergreen trees: pines, oaks, cypress Grasses: sedges, rushes, bunchgrasses Deciduous trees: sycamores, buckeyes Shrubs: myrtles, manzanitas, chamise Fruit trees: olives, walnuts, citrus Herbs: rosemary, lavender As we can see, this weather is very common for many parts of the world, though it is not entirely exact. But fortunately it is very mild and good for living.
