1. II. Climate Regions A. Wind and Water – 1. Because Europe is farther north than the United States, you might think it has a colder climate. a) In fact, Europe enjoys a milder climate. – 2. The North Atlantic Current carries warm waters from the Gulf of Mexico toward Europe. a) Winds from the west pass over this water and carry more warmth to Europe. b) These westerlies, are a major influence on warming the European climate.

2. II. Climate Regions – 3. Other wind patterns also affect the climate of Europe. a) Warm winds from Africa contribute to the high temperatures in southern Europe. b) Blustering winds in Asia lower temperatures in much of Eastern Europe. – 4. The water surrounding Europe also affects the region’s climate. a) Coastal areas tend to have a more moderate climate. B. Climate Zones

3. II. Climate Regions – 1. Most of Europe falls into three main climate zones – marine west coast, humid continental, and Mediterranian. a) Smaller climate zones are subarctic, tundra, highland, steppe, and humid subtropical. C. Marine West Coast – 1. Much of northwestern and central Europe has a marine west coast climate. a) This climate has two features, one of which is mild temperatures.

4. II. Climate Regions b) Countries like Iceland and the UK have milder weather and longer growing seasons than eastern Canada which falls on the same latitude. – 2. Although temperatures stay mild, differences do exist across the region. a) Proximity to the ocean determines the differences in temperature from season to season. – 3. The second feature of the marine west coast climate, besides mild temperatures, is abundant precipitation. a) Autumn and early winter. b) Some mountains cast rain shadows on regions.

5. II. Climate Regions – 4. Forests thrive in much of Europe’s marine west coast climate zone. a) Some forests consist of deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in the fall. b) Coniferous trees, also called evergreens, grow in cooler areas. c) Coniferous trees dominate in Norway, Sweden, and parts of eastern Europe. – 5. Many people still earn their living working in forest-related industries. D. Humid Continental

6. II. Climate Regions – 1. Eastern Europe and some areas of northern Europe have a humid continental climate. a) Cool, dry winds from the Arctic and Asia give this zone cooler summers and colder winters than the west coast of Europe. – 2. Because of drier winds, the humid continental zone gets less rain and snow than the marine west coast zone. a) Low lying areas are wet and marshy. b) Supports mixed forests with conifers in the northern area.

7. II. Climate Regions E. Mediterranean – 1. The Mediterranean zone includes much of southern Europe. a) July = 83°F to 98°F and very dry. – 2. Pace of life seems to slow down in the summer. a) August vacations – 3. Winters in the Mediterranean zone are mild and wet. a) Average temperatures are in the 50s F, and rainfall averages 3-4 inches per month. – 4. Mountains of southern Europe affect the Mediterranean climate zone.

8. II. Climate Regions a) The mountains of the Pyrenees and the Alps block chilly winds from reaching Spain and Italy. b) rain shadows – eastern slopes are dry while western slopes are wet. – 5. In southern France, the lack of a mountain barrier allows a cold, dry wind to blow in from the north. a) This wind known as the mistral, occurs in winter and spring. b) It also creates waves, making southern France a popular place for wind surfing. – 6. Countries in the Mediterranean climate zone are affected by hot, dry winds from Africa to the south.

9. II. Climate Regions a) In Italy, these winds are called siroccos. b) They pick up moisture on the Mediterranean Sea and make it uncomfortably humid in southern Europe. c) Because of the lack of rainfall, the plants that grow in southern Europe have to be drought resistant. d) Low lying shrubs and grasses and the olive trees and grapevines that the region is known for. F. Subarctic and Tundra – 1. Farther north, Europe has two zones of extreme cold. a) The subarctic zone covers parts of Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

10. II. Climate Regions b) Evergreens grow here in low altitudes. c) The tundra zone, vast treeless plains near the North Pole, is found in the northern reaches of these countries and in Iceland. d) Summers = 40°F, winter = -25°F. e) Only low shrubs and mosses can grow here. – 2. Because of the Earth’s tilt, the sun shines up to 20 hours in the summer and spring and it is reversed in the fall and winter. G. Highland

11. II. Climate Regions – 1. The highland zone is found in the Alps and Carpathians where the climate is generally cool to cold. a) Temperature and precipitation vary from place to place depending on three factors: wind direction, orientation to the sun, and altitude. – 2. Sturdy trees add to the highland zone, but they grow only so far up the mountainsides. a) The stop line for trees on a mountainside is called the timberline. H. Other Climate Zones

12. II. Climate Regions – 1. The steppe zone includes the southern part of the Ukraine. a) Much like prairies with shorter grass. b) Not dry enough for deserts, but not wet enough for forests. – 2. A small sliver of land north of the Adriatic Sea falls into the subtropical zone. a) Hot, wet summers and mild, wet winters. I. Climate Change – 1. Most scientists agree that the world’s climate is growing warmer.

13. II. Climate Regions – 2. People debate whether the global warming is just part of nature’s cycle or is instead related to human activities. – 3. People also debate what this means for the planet.