Climate & Vegetation of U.S. & Canada

1. Climate & Vegetation of U.S. & Canada Colder Climates-Arctic Coast of Alaska & Canada have tundra climate & vegetation. Winters are long and bitterly cold & summers are brief and chilly. The land is a huge, treeless plain. Vast forest of needle-leafed evergreens

2. Rocky Mountains & Pacific ranges have highland climate & vegetation. • Temperature & Vegetation vary with elevation & latitude.

3. Mountains influence temperature & precipitation of surrounding lower areas. • Generally the higher up you are the colder it is & there is less vegetation.

4. Moderate Climates • North central & northeastern U.S. & southern Canada have humid continental climates. • Cold winters & warm summers. • Climate & soil make this one of the world’s most productive agricultural areas, with an abundance of dairy products, grain, & livestock

5. From the Pacific coast of northern California to southern Alaska, the climate is Marine West Coast. • The climate is affected by the Pacific Ocean currents, the coastal mountains, & the prevailing westerlies (winds that blow from west to east in the middle of the latitudes)

6. Summers are moderately warm & winters are long and mild, but rainy and foggy

7. Milder Climates • Most southern states have a humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot & muggy and winters are mild & cool. • Moist air from the Gulf of Mexico bring rain during the winter. • Combination of mild temperature & rainfall provides a long growing season for a variety of crops.

8. Central & Southern coasts of California have a Mediterranean climate. • Summers are dry, sunny, & warm, while winters are mild & somewhat rainy. • Long growing season makes this a rich farming area for fruits & vegetables.

9. Dry Climates • Great Plains & northern parts of the Great Basin have semiarid climates. • Dry weather & only about 15 inches of rain per year. • Vegetation is mainly short grasses & shrubs

10. Southwestern states have a desert climate. • Weather is dry & hot. • Less than 10 inches of rainfall per year. • Cactus plants thrive here, but much of the area is barren rock or sand.

11. Tropical Climates • In the U.S. only Hawaii & southern Florida have tropical climates. • Islands of Hawaii have tropical wet climate that supports lush rain forests & temperature varies little from 70 degrees.

12. Southern Florida has a tropical wet & dry climate. Always warm but has wet & dry seasons. • Vegetation is mainly tall grasses & scattered trees like those in the Everglades-huge swampland that cover 4000 sq. miles.