Mild Midlatitudes Climates (C )
Monday, July 6, 2026 8:42 AM
This climate zone is also known as the temperate (mild) climate region
- Some of the most populated parts of the world in this region are between 30-60 degrees N & S
○ From North America, Europe/Asia southward to the Gulf of Mexico & the southern coast
of the Mediterranean to the deserts of central Asia & China. In other words, this is the
region where the girth of North America & Eurasia lies
- In the Southern Hemisphere, where there is less land, this climate type is confined to smaller
areas of New Zealand, the south coast of Australia, parts of South America & South Africa
○ It lies in an area of fast changing weather conditions & air mass contrasts. This is the
meeting ground of tropical & polar air that create fronts. The mild midlatitude climate
region is divided into 3 types based on precipitation seasonality & summer temperatures
1. Mediterranean (Csa, Csb)
- Location
○ The Mediterranean climate is located in the lower midlatitudes (30-35 degrees N+S),
where subtropical high pressure are strong in summer & shift southward, frontal low
pressure systems dominate. The 5 places in the world classified as Mediterranean
climates: The Mediterranean Sea, in coastal California (from San Diego to San Francisco),
central Chile, on the southwestern tip of Africa & in southern Australia.
○ All climatologists agree these are the best climates in the world to live in! A densely
populated & economically prosperous region.
- Temperatures
○ This temp is moderated by the nearby presence of water. There is not a great diurnal or
seasonal temperature range, this climate is influenced by the shift of the subtropical high
pressure belt into this region (30-35 degrees N + S) during the summer bringing clear,
sunny skies. Summer days are warm & nights are cool, due to cloudless skies. Average
winter temps are mild b/c of the influence of the water in this coastal climate region
- Precipitation
○ The characteristics of the Mediterranean climate is the dry summer & wet winter annual
precipitation pattern. No other climate type w/ a seasonal rainfall pattern is characterized
by a dry summer (they have dry winters). Dry summers are due to the influence of high
pressure. The shift of the direct ray from the sun into the Northern Hemisphere also
causes the other wind & pressure belts to migrate northward
○ This is when high pressure belt shifts into the lower midlatitudes to bring clear, dry
conditions to this region. When belts shift southward in fall & winter, the Westerlies shift
into this region & pull unlike air masses together to create frontal precipitation. Mostly all
precipitation (75%) in this climate type comes in winter
2. Humid Subtropical (Cfa, Cwa)
- This east-coast counterpart of the Mediterranean climate
○ Location: Eastern sides of continents (& immediate interiors) the same latitudes as
Mediterranean climate (30-35 degrees N+S). Some major areas of the world in this climate
region are: The "old south" of the US (SE U.S.), eastern China, southern Japan, South
America (Uruguay & Brazil) & eastern Australia
○ Temperature
§ This climate region experiences warm/hot & humid summers due to maritime tropical
(mT) air influencing the summer humidity, the high sun & daylight hours of heat. The
long summer heat & humidity is one of the most notable characteristics of the humid
subtropical climate. Winters are cool to cold due to the influence of continental polar
(cP) air masses. Locations farther inland in this region have larger temp ranges due to
the effects of land on temp change (continentality)
○ Precipitation:
§ Receiving 35-65''/year & evenly distributed. Winter rain is caused by fronts, often the
same storms that bring winter rain to Mediterranean regions. The summer
precipitation is caused by convectional precipitation from heating, the warm water
supplies sufficient vapor to produce humid conditions & great amounts of
precipitation during the warm season. There is also hurricane threats in U.S., Asia &
Australia w/ warm ocean waters
3. Midlatitude Marine West Coast (Cfb,Cfc)
This climate has the strongest maritime influence of all the climate regions
- Location: This climate is located in the midlatitudes, along the west coasts. A region that is
often backed by high mountains (The Pacific Northwest). This is a climate type found in
southern Chile, the Pacific NW of the U.S., Europe, eastern Australia (an exception to the west
coast location of this climate type) & all of New Zealand
- Temperature: The marine influences keep the temps mild. The Westerlies bring maritime polar
(cold, humid) (mP) air masses into this region, which further provides a maritime influence, it’s
a mild climate, cool in the summer & mild in winter
- Precipitation: This climate type experiences precipitation all year round; some places receive
100+ inches in a year! There are 2 main causes of all the precipitation:
1. Orographic precipitation is abundant due to mountains on the coast of some of these
locations & when a sea breeze hits these mountains, it forces the air to rise, cool &
condensate to form clouds and rain
2. Precipitation is also frontal when the Westerlies pull unlike air masses together in this
middle latitude meeting grounds of unlike air masses
Monday, July 6, 2026 8:42 AM
This climate zone is also known as the temperate (mild) climate region
- Some of the most populated parts of the world in this region are between 30-60 degrees N & S
○ From North America, Europe/Asia southward to the Gulf of Mexico & the southern coast
of the Mediterranean to the deserts of central Asia & China. In other words, this is the
region where the girth of North America & Eurasia lies
- In the Southern Hemisphere, where there is less land, this climate type is confined to smaller
areas of New Zealand, the south coast of Australia, parts of South America & South Africa
○ It lies in an area of fast changing weather conditions & air mass contrasts. This is the
meeting ground of tropical & polar air that create fronts. The mild midlatitude climate
region is divided into 3 types based on precipitation seasonality & summer temperatures
1. Mediterranean (Csa, Csb)
- Location
○ The Mediterranean climate is located in the lower midlatitudes (30-35 degrees N+S),
where subtropical high pressure are strong in summer & shift southward, frontal low
pressure systems dominate. The 5 places in the world classified as Mediterranean
climates: The Mediterranean Sea, in coastal California (from San Diego to San Francisco),
central Chile, on the southwestern tip of Africa & in southern Australia.
○ All climatologists agree these are the best climates in the world to live in! A densely
populated & economically prosperous region.
- Temperatures
○ This temp is moderated by the nearby presence of water. There is not a great diurnal or
seasonal temperature range, this climate is influenced by the shift of the subtropical high
pressure belt into this region (30-35 degrees N + S) during the summer bringing clear,
sunny skies. Summer days are warm & nights are cool, due to cloudless skies. Average
winter temps are mild b/c of the influence of the water in this coastal climate region
- Precipitation
○ The characteristics of the Mediterranean climate is the dry summer & wet winter annual
precipitation pattern. No other climate type w/ a seasonal rainfall pattern is characterized
by a dry summer (they have dry winters). Dry summers are due to the influence of high
pressure. The shift of the direct ray from the sun into the Northern Hemisphere also
causes the other wind & pressure belts to migrate northward
○ This is when high pressure belt shifts into the lower midlatitudes to bring clear, dry
conditions to this region. When belts shift southward in fall & winter, the Westerlies shift
into this region & pull unlike air masses together to create frontal precipitation. Mostly all
precipitation (75%) in this climate type comes in winter
2. Humid Subtropical (Cfa, Cwa)
- This east-coast counterpart of the Mediterranean climate
○ Location: Eastern sides of continents (& immediate interiors) the same latitudes as
Mediterranean climate (30-35 degrees N+S). Some major areas of the world in this climate
region are: The "old south" of the US (SE U.S.), eastern China, southern Japan, South
America (Uruguay & Brazil) & eastern Australia
○ Temperature
§ This climate region experiences warm/hot & humid summers due to maritime tropical
(mT) air influencing the summer humidity, the high sun & daylight hours of heat. The
long summer heat & humidity is one of the most notable characteristics of the humid
subtropical climate. Winters are cool to cold due to the influence of continental polar
(cP) air masses. Locations farther inland in this region have larger temp ranges due to
the effects of land on temp change (continentality)
○ Precipitation:
§ Receiving 35-65''/year & evenly distributed. Winter rain is caused by fronts, often the
same storms that bring winter rain to Mediterranean regions. The summer
precipitation is caused by convectional precipitation from heating, the warm water
supplies sufficient vapor to produce humid conditions & great amounts of
precipitation during the warm season. There is also hurricane threats in U.S., Asia &
Australia w/ warm ocean waters
3. Midlatitude Marine West Coast (Cfb,Cfc)
This climate has the strongest maritime influence of all the climate regions
- Location: This climate is located in the midlatitudes, along the west coasts. A region that is
often backed by high mountains (The Pacific Northwest). This is a climate type found in
southern Chile, the Pacific NW of the U.S., Europe, eastern Australia (an exception to the west
coast location of this climate type) & all of New Zealand
- Temperature: The marine influences keep the temps mild. The Westerlies bring maritime polar
(cold, humid) (mP) air masses into this region, which further provides a maritime influence, it’s
a mild climate, cool in the summer & mild in winter
- Precipitation: This climate type experiences precipitation all year round; some places receive
100+ inches in a year! There are 2 main causes of all the precipitation:
1. Orographic precipitation is abundant due to mountains on the coast of some of these
locations & when a sea breeze hits these mountains, it forces the air to rise, cool &
condensate to form clouds and rain
2. Precipitation is also frontal when the Westerlies pull unlike air masses together in this
middle latitude meeting grounds of unlike air masses
