Climate of the United States
The climate of the United States is extremely diverse. It is dominated by several climate zones.
General
In the northern regions, from Washington State to Maine, a moderate, temperate climate can be established. The winters can chilly ( values below 0 ° C are not uncommon ) are - in summer it can, however, often lead to heat waves with temperatures above 35 ° C. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year; the winters are always accompanied by snowfall. The highest ever recorded in New York temperature was 43 ° C ( 108 ° F), the lowest contrast, only -26 ° C. The climate is changing, the further you can look to the south: it is still kühlgemäßigt in the north, it is called in the Southern States of subtropical climate - such as in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and large parts of Florida. The South Florida is, in involving its keys already tropical with a rainy and dry seasons. Since the state of California adjoins the Pacific Ocean, it is called in this zone and Mediterranean climate.
Temperatures
The temperatures of the United States are very diverse. In the north the winter freezing cold (around -10 ° C) and the summers can turn mild to hot ( 25 to 32 ° C). To the south, the winters are around 10 ° C rather mild and the summers (approx. 35 ° C) very hot. The desert regions of the States (eg California, Utah, Texas) daytime extreme ( 40 ° C ) in summer, but cool at night significantly ( approximately 19, 20 ° C). In winter it is even in the desert mostly cool ( 15 ° C during the day, some minus degrees at night). Winter temperatures in Salt Lake City make the environment of the city an ideal winter sports area.
Precipitation
In the temperate latitudes of the northern and central states of the rainfall throughout the year is evenly distributed. In California, for example, the summers are drier than the winter. In the subtropical areas of the southern summers are wetter than the winter.
Environmental disasters
The United States is repeatedly plagued by environmental disasters. Typical of California, for example, the earthquake area ( earthquake area) - in the south occurred ( hurricanes ), especially in the period from May to October some intense tropical storms.
Climates
The United States are divided into different climate zones:
- Continental cool climate in bordering areas north of Canada: the cool temperate regions are characterized by cold winters and moderate summers. Heat waves can not be excluded.
- Continental -cold temperate climate in the majority of all States, particularly in the northern and central governments: cool winters and warm to hot summers.
- Mediterranean climate in bordering the Pacific Ocean States, but especially in California and Hawaii: mild winters and warm summers, champion of precipitation in the winter.
- Highland alpine climate at higher elevations, but particularly in the area of the Rocky Mountains: single strip of highland climate extend across the higher elevations of California and Nevada as well as some surrounding states.
- Regen-/Trockenzeit-Tropenklima in South Florida.