Question

Describe the Mediterranean climate zone. Where is it found, what is the weather like, and why is this climate zone important to the economies of the US and Canada? (Site 1)

Answer 1

The Mediterranean weather is found on the Western coasts of continents, mostly between 30 and 43 degrees north and south of the equator. This type of weather is characterized by rainy winters and dry summer months. Areas that have this weather have traditionally been ideal for the cultivation of wheat, vine and olive. Cities in the United States that have this weather include San Francisco and Los Angeles, and California is therefore a large producer of these crops.

Answer 2

 During summer, regions of Mediterranean climate are dominated by subtropical high pressure cells, with dry sinking air capping a surface marine layer of varying humidity and making rainfall impossible or unlikely except for the occasional thunderstorm, while during winter the polar jet stream and associated periodic storms reach into the lower latitudes of the Mediterranean zones, bringing rain, with snow at higher elevations. The majority of the regions with Mediterranean climates have relatively mild winters and very warm summers. As in every climatologic domain, the highland locations of the Mediterranean domain can present cooler temperatures in winter than the lowland areas, temperatures which can sometimes prohibit the growth of typical Mediterranean plants.