The cold climates have a warm summer and a cold winter. These climates are typical of large continents. Summers have an average temperature above 10°C. On the other hand, winters have an average temperature below 0°C. These climates are the D climate types in the Koppen system.
Cold Climates
Cold climates are found on large land masses. The land masses warm up or cool down rapidly with the change of seasons. This results in large temperature changes from the summer to the winter months.
The cold climates are found in the northern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere has large continents. They are located from the northeastern USA to Canada. Similarly, they are found from eastern Europe to southwestern Russia.
The two major types of cold climates are the continental and boreal climates.
Continental Climates
The continental climates range from 30°N to 50°N latitude. They exist in North America, Eastern Europe and Asia. Summer temperatures are warm (over 20° C). However, winter temperatures can drop to nearly -40° C.
Various types of vegetation communities exist in this climate. They range from forests to grasslands. One distinctive type of community is the deciduous forest. These forests have a seasonal life cycle and lose their leaves during colder months. The leaves return during the warmer months.
Boreal Climates
The boreal climate is located from 50° to 70° latitude. It is located in the northern latitudes of North America and Asia. The summer is short with mild temperatures.
Winters, on the other hand, are very long and cold. Winters range from five to seven months long. During this season, average temperatures are below freezing. They may even drop to below -40° C.
Precipitation is low throughout the year. Vegetation consists mostly of evergreen conifers. This forest type is the taiga. The taiga is the largest type of forest community on the planet.
Summary
The cold climates are compared below.
Table of the Cold Climate Types
| Cold Climate Type | Summer Conditions | Winter Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Continental | Warm summer | Cold winter |
| Boreal | Short and mild summer | Long and cold winter |
Reflections
Vocabulary
- continental
- deciduous
- taiga
Notes
- The cold climates have mild summers and very cold winters.
- Continental climates often have a mix of different vegetation types.
- Boreal climates have long winters and taiga (evergreeen conifer) vegetation.
Bibliography
- About the Atmosphere
- Continental Climate, Enviropedia.
