Temperate climate

In geography, the temperate climates

(sometimes tepid climates) of Earth
occur in the middle latitudes (40° to
60° N/S of Equator), which span
between the tropics and the polar
regions of Earth.[1] These zones
generally have wider temperature
ranges throughout the year and more
distinct seasonal changes compared to
tropical climates, where such
variations are often small.

In temperate climates, not only do

latitudinal positions influence An updated Köppen–Geiger climate map of temperate climates
temperature changes, but sea currents,
prevailing wind direction,
continentality (how large a landmass
is), and altitude also shape temperate
climates.

The Köppen climate classification

defines a climate as "temperate" when
the mean temperature is above −3  °C
(26.6 °F) but below 18 °C (64.4 °F) in
the coldest month. However, other
climate classifications set the minimum
at 0 °C (32.0 °F).[2][3]

The different geographical zones of the world. The temperate zones,

Contents in the sense of geographical regions defined by latitude, span from

either north or south of the subtropics (north or south of the yellow
Zones and climates dotted lines, at 35 degrees north or south) to the polar circles.
Subtropics
Humid subtropical (Cfa)
and monsoon
subtropical (Cwa)
Mediterranean (Csa,
Csb)
Subtropical highland
(Cfb, Cwb)
Middle latitudes
Oceanic (Cfb)
Subpolar zone
Subpolar oceanic (Cfc,
Cwc, Csc)
Human aspects
Demography, fauna and
flora
Agriculture
Urbanization
Misconceptions
See also
References

Zones and climates

The north temperate zone extends from the Tropic of Cancer (approximately 23.5° north latitude) to the
Arctic Circle (approximately 66.5° north latitude). The south temperate zone extends from the Tropic of
Capricorn (approximately 23.5° south latitude) to the Antarctic Circle (at approximately 66.5° south
latitude).[4][5]

In some climate classifications, the temperate zone may be divided into several smaller climate zones, based
on monthly temperatures, the coldest month, and rainfall. These include humid subtropical climate,
Mediterranean climate, oceanic, and continental climate.

Subtropics

These are the climates that are typically found toward the more equatorial portion of the temperate zone
between 23.5° and 35° north or south, and thus are far more influenced by the tropics than any other
temperate climate type, usually having warmer temperatures over the year, longer summers and mild, short
winters. Freezing precipitation is uncommon in this portion of the temperate zone.

On the winter solstice within this range of latitude, the sun still rises to an altitude of between 31.5 and 43
degrees above the horizon respectively thus contributing to the warmer winters however it does not quite
reach the zenith (directly overhead) on the summer solstice hence the definition of being within the
temperate zone.

Humid subtropical (Cfa) and monsoon subtropical (Cwa)

Humid subtropical climates generally have long, hot and

humid summers with convective showers in summer and a
peak seasonal rainfall in the hottest months. Winters are
normally mild in the humid subtropics, and warm ocean
currents normally are found in coastal areas with humid
subtropical climates. This type of climate is normally located
along leeward lower east coasts of continents such as in
southeast and central Argentina, Uruguay and south of Brazil,
the southeast portions of East Asia, the southern United Regions where the humid (Cfa) and dry-
States, South Africa, Ethiopia, and eastern Australia. In some winter subtropical (Cwa) climates are
areas with a humid subtropical climate (most notably found.
southeast China and North India), there is an even sharper
wet-dry season, called subtropical monsoon or Cwa. In these regions, winters are quite dry and summers
have very heavy rainfall. Some Cwa areas in southern China reported more than 80% of annual
precipitation in the 5 warmest months (southwest monsoon).

Mediterranean (Csa, Csb)

Mediterranean climates, opposite to the humid subtropical

and monsoonal climates, have a dry summer, with rainfall in
the winter and cooler months. They occur mostly at the
western edges and coasts of the continents and are bounded
by arid deserts on their equatorward sides that cause the dry
season of summer, and oceanic climates to the poleward
sides that are influenced by cool ocean currents and air Regions where the dry-summer subtropical
masses that bring the rainfall of winter. The five main or Mediterranean climates (Csa, Csb) are
Mediterranean regions of the world are the Mediterranean found.
Basin in northwestern Afro-Eurasia, coastal California in the
United States, the southwest of Australia, the Western Cape
of South Africa and the south and southwestern coast of Chile.

Subtropical highland (Cfb, Cwb)

These are variants of the subtropical climates found in high

altitude plateaus or montane systems either in the tropics or
subtropics, they have characteristically mild temperatures
year-round, featuring the four seasons in the subtropics and
no marked seasons in the tropics, the latter usually remaining
mild to cool through most of the year.

Middle latitudes Regions where oceanic climates (Cfb, Cfc,

Cwb, Cwc) are found.
These climates occur in the middle latitudes, between
approximately 23.5° and 66.5° north, and 23° and 66.5°
south, and are the ones with the most equal influence from the equator and the poles, and the most
prototypical temperate climates with the typical distinct four-season pattern. In these the temperatures
remain relatively cool through most of the year, as opposed to mild and warm in the subtropics and cold in
the subpolar zone.

Oceanic (Cfb)

The oceanic climates are created by the onshore flow from the cool high latitude oceans to their west. This
causes the climate to have cool summers and cool (but not cold) winters, and relative humidity and
precipitation evenly distributed along the year. These climates are frequently cloudy, and are fairly milder
both in winter and summer in comparison to other temperate climates. Annual rainfall is spread throughout
the entire year. Regions with this climate include Northwestern Europe, Northwestern North America,
southeastern and southwestern South America, southeastern Australia and most of New Zealand.

Subpolar zone
These are temperate climates that compared to the subtropics are on the poleward edge of the temperate
zone. Therefore, they still have four marked seasons including a warmer one, but are far more influenced
by the polar zones than any other but the very polar climates (tundra and ice cap climate).

Subpolar oceanic (Cfc, Cwc, Csc)

Areas with subpolar oceanic climates feature an oceanic climate but are usually located closer to polar
regions. As a result of their location, these regions tend to be on the cool end of oceanic climates. Snowfall
tends to be more common here than in other oceanic climates. Subpolar oceanic climates are less prone to
temperature extremes than subarctic climates or continental climates, featuring milder winters than these
climates. This variant of an oceanic climate is found in parts of coastal Iceland, the Faroe Islands, parts of
Scotland, northwestern coastal areas of Norway such as Lofoten and reaching to 70° north on some islands,
uplands near the coast of southwestern Norway, the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and northern parts of the
Alaskan Panhandle, some parts of Southern Argentina and Chile (though most regions are still classified as
continental subantarctic), and a few highland areas of Tasmania, and the Australian and Southern Alps / Kā
Tiritiri o te Moana. This type of climate is even found in the very remote parts of the Papuan Highlands in
Indonesia. Cfc is the categorization for this regime. Even in the middle of summer, temperatures exceeding
20 °C (68 °F) are exceptional weather events in the most maritime of those locations impacted by this
regime. In some parts of this climate, temperatures as high as 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit)
have been recorded on rare occasions, while temperatures as low as 20 degrees Celsius (4 degrees
Fahrenheit) have been recorded on rare occasions.

Human aspects

Demography, fauna and flora

The vast majority of the world's human population resides in temperate zones, especially in the northern
hemisphere, due to its greater mass of land.[6] The biggest described number of taxa in a temperate region is
found in southern Africa, where some 24,000 taxa (species and infraspecific taxa) have been described, but
the native fauna and flora of this region does not have much cultural importance for the majority of the
human population of the world that lives in the Temperate Zones of the Northern Hemisphere, only
environmental importance.[7]

Agriculture

Farming is a large-scale practice in the temperate regions (except for boreal/subarctic regions) due to the
plentiful rainfall and warm summers, because most agricultural activity occurs in the spring and summer,
cold winters have a small effect on agricultural production. Extreme winters or summers have a huge
impact on the productivity of agriculture.[8]

Urbanization

Temperate regions have the majority of the world's population, which leads to large cities. There are a
couple of factors why the climate of large city landscapes differs from the climate of rural areas. One factor
is the strength of the absorption rate of buildings and asphalt, which is higher than natural land. The other
large factor is the burning of fossil fuels from buildings and vehicles. These factors have led to the average
climate of cities to be warmer than surrounding areas.[8]
Misconceptions
"Temperate Climate" refers to climates between Polar and Tropical. However, there is a gradual change
from polar to tropical climates across the middle latitude temperate zones. Normally, in the northern
hemisphere, the northern portions of the temperate zone feature Boreal, Continental, and Oceanic climates,
while the southern portions of the temperate zone are often Mediterranean and humid subtropical climates.
These different climates all fall within the temperate zone which has a basic definition as being any climate
with a mean temperature above −3 °C (26.6 °F) but below 18 °C (64.4 °F) in the coldest month. Obviously
winter temperatures will be more mild in southerly portions and colder in the more northerly portions of the
northern temperate zone and vice versa in the southern temperate zone.

From a floristic standpoint, each of these climate zones have generally temperate vegetation. There is
however, an obvious change in flora from the far northern portions of the temperate zone (Boreal) to the far
southern portion (humid subtropical). Pines and conifers are endemic and more abundant in the northern
portion of the temperate, while palms may be endemic to far southern portions of the temperate zone.
Along with this, the humid subtropical climate may be wrongly separated from the Temperate group of
climates, and further associated with the Tropical climates, much because of its name, temperatures and the
vegetation found in Subtropical zones which can be somewhat similar to that of Tropical regions (For
instance the Atlantic Forest of Brazil is spread across both Temperate and Tropical zones of the country).
Additionally, both temperate and tropical species can be found side by side in the far southern portions of
the temperate zone (for example in central Florida), while subarctic species might be found growing in
northern portions of the continental zone (for example in Northwest Europe).

See also
Geographical zone
Habitat
Köppen climate classification
Middle latitudes
Polar circle
Subtropics

References
1. "Weather & Climate Change: Climates around the world" (https://web.archive.org/web/2016
0414115206/http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/weatherandclimatechange/climate/worldc
limates/temperate.asp). Education Scotland. Archived from the original (http://www.educatio
nscotland.gov.uk/weatherandclimatechange/climate/worldclimates/temperate.asp) on 14
April 2016.
2. "Latitude & Climate Zones" (https://enviroliteracy.org/air-climate-weather/climate/latitude-cli
mate-zones/). The Environmental Literacy Council. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
3. "Patterns of Climate" (http://www.weather-climate.org.uk/13.php). Weather-climate.org.uk.
Retrieved 15 July 2017.
4. McColltoll, R. W. (2005). Encyclopedia of World Geography, Volume 1. Facts on File Library
of World Geography. New York: Facts on File. p. 919. ISBN 0-816-05786-9.
5. "Solar Illumination: Seasonal and Diurnal Patterns" (https://www.encyclopedia.com/earth-an
d-environment/atmosphere-and-weather/atmospheric-and-space-sciences-atmosphere/dayli
ght). Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
 6. Cohen, Joel E.; Small, Christopher (24 November 1998). "Hypsographic demography: The
distribution of human population by altitude" (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC
24316). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
95 (24): 14009–14014. Bibcode:1998PNAS...9514009C (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/
1998PNAS...9514009C). doi:10.1073/pnas.95.24.14009 (https://doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.9
5.24.14009). PMC 24316 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC24316).
PMID 9826643 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9826643).
7. Germishuizen, Gerrit; Meyer, N. L., eds. (January 2003). Plants of Southern Africa: An
Annotated Checklist (http://planet.botany.uwc.ac.za/NISL/Biodiversity/Attachments/Plants%2
0of%20SA.pdf) (PDF). Strelitzia. Vol. 14. Pretoria: National Botanical Institute. ISBN 978-1-
919795-99-7.
8. Burroughs, William James (1999). The Climate Revealed. New York: Cambridge University
Press. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-521-77081-1.

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