Weather and Climate in USA

Climate types in the USA:

I. Subtropical
1. Deserts and semi-deserts western part of Texas, South-west USA
2. Wet subtropical (Trade-wind coasts) South-eastern USA
3. Mediterranean California

II. Cool temperate

4. Temperate maritime North-west USA (OR, WA)
5. Temperate continental Central areas of USA (Great Plains)

III. Arctic climate

6. Arctic climate Alaska

7. Mountain climate mountains over 2000m in altitude

Rocky Mountains; Cascade Range; Sierra Nevada; Appalachian Mountains

The weather in USA is influenced by five air masses

1. Continental polar
2. Maritime polar
3. Maritime tropical
4. Continental tropical
5. Arctic
The air masses with a strong influence on the weather are: the continental polar and maritime tropical.

Severe weather conditions

a. Hurricane strong tropical cyclones which bring high winds and torrential rain. They occur late in
summer and early autumn. They affect the Southeast and the East coasts of the USA.

b. Tornadoes twisters. They result from the mixing of cold Arctic air and warm Gulf air that reaches
the interior of the continent.

c. Blizzards snow storms, the result of high winds and low temperatures. Usually occur in mountainous
regions.

d. Chinook a warm, dry wind blowing down the eastern side of the Rockies. It occurs suddenly,
accompanied by a rapid rise in temperature. Because of its drying effect, it can cause avalanches and
forest fires.

e. Droughts common mostly in Intermontane Basins and in the western part of the Great Plains because
the mountains parallel to the West coast prevent the moist air from the Pacific.

f. Floods associated with hurricanes, long periods of rain, and the sudden melting of snow in the
mountains.