Oceanic climate 560047 225285112 2008-07-12T21:56:01Z Booshank 630293 /* Southern hemisphere */ [[Image:Koppen classification worldmap CfbCfc.png|250px|thumb|World map showing the oceanic climate zones.]] An '''oceanic climate''' (also called '''marine west coast climate''' and '''maritime climate''') is the [[climate]] typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of all the world's continents, and in southeastern [[Australia]]. Oceanic climates are characterized by a narrower annual range of [[temperature]]s than are encountered in other places at a comparable latitude, and do not have the extremely dry summers of [[Mediterranean climate]]s. Similar climates, at least in thermal range, are also found in tropical highlands even at considerable distance from any coastline. Generally, they fall into [[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfb'' or ''Cwb''. The narrow range of temperatures results not from proximity to a coastline but instead to the slight thermal range of temperatures between seasons characteristic of tropical lowlands; altitudes are high enough that such places have at least one month cooler than 18 °C and do not qualify for grouping in the true tropical climates. Unlike the norm in true oceanic climates, these moist highland tropical climates may have a marked winter drought, as in [[Mexico City]]. As with oceanic climates, winters are relatively warm and summers are comparatively cool, so the agricultural potential in both oceanic climates and moist tropical highland climates is practically identical. ==Precipitation== Precipitation is both adequate and reliable at all times of the year in oceanic climates, except in certain tropical highland areas, which would have tropical [[savanna]] or [[steppe climate|steppe]] climates (with a dry season in winter) if not for the high altitude making them cooler (Koppen ''Cwb''). The [[Pacific Northwest]] and south-central [[Chile]] is often considered as having an Oceanic climate, although the dry summers in parts of this area actually fit the [[Mediterranean climate]] (Koppen "Csb"). ==Temperature== Overall [[temperature]] characteristics vary among oceanic climates; those at the lowest latitudes are [[subtropical climate|subtropical]] from a thermal standpoint, but more commonly a [[mesothermal]] regime prevails, with cool, but not cold, winters and warm, but not hot, summers. Summers are also generally much cooler than in areas with a [[humid subtropical climate]]. Average temperature of warmest month must be less than 22 °C, and that of the coldest month warmer than -3 °C (Although American scientists prefer 0 °C in the coldest month). Poleward of the latter is a zone of '''subpolar oceanic''' climate (Köppen ''Cfc''), with relatively mild winters (coldest month warmer than -3) and cool summers and a summer season (average temperature at least 10 °C or 50 °F) of less than four months; examples of this climate include parts of coastal [[Iceland]] in the [[Northern Hemisphere]] and extreme southern [[Chile]] in the [[Southern Hemisphere]] (the fact that this form of climate exists in both hemispheres ruling out the use of such terms as [[subarctic climate|subarctic]] or [[boreal]] to denote it; even though these terms are used to refer to climates characterized by short summers, they are also synonyms for "northern" and therefore inappropriate). ==Additional information== The [[British Isles]] experiences a typically maritime climate, with prevailing south-westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean. The annual average temperature range in the [[UK]] is only about 10 °C. Although the west coast of [[Alaska]] experiences a maritime climate, the absence of an equally significant warm Pacific current in the upper-mid latitudes means that these regions are generally colder in winter, with more precipitation falling as snow. All mid-latitude oceanic climates are classified as [[humid]]. Some rainshadow climates with thermal régimes similar to those of oceanic climates but [[steppe]]-like (BSk) or even [[desert]]-like (BWk) scarcity of precipitation include lowland valleys of [[Washington (state)|Washington]] and [[Oregon]] to the east of the [[Cascade Range]], [[Patagonia]] in southern [[Argentina]], and the [[Atacama Desert]] in northern Chile. Another example are coastal areas in southeast [[Western Australia]]. ==Countries/Regions with mild maritime climate== * Northern and southwest [[France]] * The [[Netherlands]] * [[Belgium]] * Western [[Germany]] * Western [[Switzerland]] (Lowland areas) * Northwest [[Spain]] (often as ''csb'') * Northern [[Portugal]] (often as ''csb'', too) * [[Andorra]] * Southwest [[Norway]] * Parts of [[Denmark]] * [[Ireland]] * [[Great Britain]] * [[New Zealand]] * [[Tasmania]], [[Australia]] * Southern parts of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] and [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]] * Coastal areas of southwestern [[South Australia]], [[Australia]] (as ''csb'') * Western areas of the south coast of [[Western Australia]] * Central [[Argentina]] * Southern and central [[Chile]] (''as csb'') * Western parts of [[Oregon]] and [[Washington]] ([[U.S.A.]]) and [[British Columbia]] ([[Canada]]) (as ''csb''; ''cfb'' in most of British Columbia) * Northwest [[California]] (as ''csb'') and the mildest coastal areas of the [[Alaska]]n panhandle ([[U.S.A.]]) * Mountainous locations in some tropical countries (e.g. [[Indian subcontinent]], [[Latin America]], southern and central [[Africa]]; often as ''cwb'') * Some mountainous areas across [[southern Europe]] * Parts of [[Himalayas]] The 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm (freeze line) or the -3 °C (26.6 °F) isotherms (persistent snow line) are the possible lines dividing the oceanic and the warm summer humid continental (''Dfb'') climates, in between which are the following regions: * Eastern [[Germany]] * [[Luxembourg]] * [[Liechtenstein]] * Western [[Poland]] * Eastern [[Switzerland]] and parts of [[Austria]] * Western [[Alps]] between 700 and 1000 meters. * Central and Eastern [[Alps]] between 500 and 800 meters. * Southern [[Sweden]] * Fjord areas inland from the coast of southwest [[Norway]] and parts of the southeast coast of [[Norway]] * Much of [[Denmark]] * Southern coastal areas of the [[Alaskan Panhandle]] * Most of the [[Czech Republic]] * Parts of western [[Slovakia]] * Northwest [[Romania]] * Most of [[Hungary]] * [[Slovenia]] * Parts of [[Bosnia-Herzegovina]] * Mountainous areas across [[southern Europe]] * [[Himalayas]] * Some southern coastal areas of [[New England]] ==Notable cities with oceanic climates== Notable cities which have oceanic climates include: ===Africa=== * [[Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape|Port Elizabeth]], [[South Africa]] * [[Tristan da Cunha]] * [[Addis Ababa, Ethiopia]] '''Cwb''' * [[Nairobi]], [[Kenya]] '''Cwb''' Note that the latter two locations are high-altitude locations in the tropical areas that would be in savanna (Aw) or steppe (BSHw) zones except for high altitude. ===Europe=== * [[Amsterdam]], [[Netherlands]] * [[Bergen]], [[Norway]] * [[Berlin]], [[Germany]] * [[Bilbao]], [[Spain]] * [[Bordeaux]], [[France]] * [[Bratislava]], [[Slovakia]] * [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]] * [[Cardiff]], [[Wales]] * [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]] * [[Dublin]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] * [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]] * [[Glasgow]], [[Scotland]] * [[Gothenburg]], [[Sweden]] * [[Grenoble]], France * [[Hamburg]], Germany * [[London]], [[England]] * [[Ljubljana]], [[Slovenia]] * [[Paris]], France * [[Prague]], [[Czech Republic]] * [[San Sebastián]], Spain * [[Sarajevo]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] * [[Vienna]], [[Austria]] * [[Vigo]], Spain '''csb''' * [[Wrocław]], [[Poland]] ===North America=== * [[Mexico City]], [[Mexico]] '''cwb''' * [[Portland, Oregon]], [[United States|USA]] '''csb''' * [[Prince Rupert, British Columbia]], [[Canada]] * [[Seattle, Washington]], USA '''csb''' * [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]], Canada * [[Victoria, British Columbia]], Canada '''csb''' ===Central America=== * [[Guatemala City, Guatemala]] '''cwb''' Note that these locations have moist tropical highland climates. ===South America=== * [[Curitiba]], [[Brazil]] * [[Mar del Plata]], [[Argentina]] * [[Castro, Chile|Castro]], [[Chile]] * [[Puerto Montt]], Chile * [[Valdivia, Chile]] '''csb''' The following have moist tropical highland climates: * [[Bogotá]], [[Colombia]] * [[Quito]], [[Ecuador]] * [[Sucre]], [[Bolivia]] '''cwb''' ===Asia=== * [[Thimphu, Bhutan]] '''cwb''' ===Oceania=== * [[Auckland]], [[New Zealand]] * [[Christchurch]], New Zealand * [[Dunedin]], New Zealand * [[Hobart]], [[Australia]] * [[Melbourne]], Australia * [[Sydney]], Australia * [[Wellington]], New Zealand ===Exceptions and borderline cases=== [[Porto]] and [[San Francisco]] have a temperature range characteristic of an oceanic climate but so little rainfall during summer that they must be considered part of a Mediterranean climate zone, despite their milder summer temperatures. ==Countries/Regions with subpolar oceanic climate== * Parts of coastal [[Iceland]] * [[Faroe Islands]] * Northwestern coastal areas of [[Norway]] reaching to 70°N on some islands * Southern islands of [[Alaska]] and parts of the [[Alaskan Panhandle]] * Far south of [[Chile]] and [[Argentina]] * Parts of the [[Andes]] and [[Himalaya]] (as ''cwc'') * Mountainous areas of [[Europe]], including highlands in [[Scotland]], southwestern [[Norway]] Some notable cities with the subpolar ''Cfc'' climate are: * [[Harstad]], [[Norway]] * [[Thorshavn]], [[Faroe Islands]] * [[Unalaska, Alaska|Unalaska]], [[Alaska]] (also known as Dutch Harbor) * [[Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego]], [[Argentina]] * [[Vestmannaeyjar]], [[Iceland]] * [[La Paz]], [[Bolivia]] '''cwc''' == Examples == ===Northern hemisphere=== {{climate chart|[[Seattle|Seattle, USA]] |2|8|130 |3|10|107 |4|12|97 |6|14|66 |8|18|46 |11|21|38 |13|24|20 |13|24|25 |11|21|41 |8|16|81 |4|11|150 |2|8|142 |float=left |clear=none |source=[http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/USWA0395] }} {{climate chart|[[London|London, United Kingdom]] |0.4|6.7|78.0 |0.5|7.1|51 |1.5|9.9|61 |3.4|12.6|54 |6.3|16.3|55 |9.3|19.6|57 |11.3|21.7|45 |10.9|21.4|56 |8.8|18.8|68 |6.4|15|73 |2.8|10.1|77 |1.3|7.7|79 |float=left |clear=none |source=[http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/u/UK03776.html] }} {{clear}} ===Southern hemisphere=== {{climate chart|[[Valdivia, Chile]] |11|23|66 |11|23|74 |9|21|132 |8|17|234 |6|13|361 |6|11|550 |5|11|394 |4|12|328 |5|14|208 |7|17|127 |8|18|125 |10|21|104 |float=left |source=[http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT001780] }} {{climate chart|[[Tsitsikamma|Tsitsikama, South Africa]] |17|23|77 |17|22|70 |16|21|81 |14|20|80 |12|19|86 |10|18|75 |10|17|78 |10|17|111 |11|17|66 |13|19|83 |14|20|78 |16|22|60 |float=left |clear=none |source=[http://www.weathersa.co.za/Climat/Climstats/TsitsikamaStats.jsp] }} {{climate chart|[[Sydney|Sydney, Australia]] |19|26|112 |19|26|113 |17|25|148 |14|23|121 |11|20|88 |8|17|128 |7|17|54 |8|18|90 |10|20|60 |13|22|79 |15|24|101 |18|26|81 |float=left |clear=none |source=[http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/a/AU94767000660370.html] }} {{climate chart|[[Aukland|Aukland, New Zealand]] |15|23|75 |16|24|65 |15|22|94 |12|20|105 |10|17|103 |8|15|139 |7|15|146 |8|15|121 |9|16|116 |11|18|91 |12|20|93 |14|22|91 |float=left |clear=none |source=[http://www.niwascience.co.nz/edu/resources/climate/] }} {{-}} ==See also== * [[Continental climate]] * [[Mediterranean climate]] * [[Polar climate]] ==External links== * [http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/climate_systems/marine_west_coast.html University of Wisconsin Stevens Point: Marine (Humid) West Coast Climate] * [http://www.epic.noaa.gov/epic/ewb/ EPIC Data Collection] On-line ocean observational data collection * [http://dapper.pmel.noaa.gov/dchart/ NOAA In-situ Ocean Data Viewer] Plot and download ocean observations * http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/Climate/Older/Maritime_Climate.html {{Koppen}} [[Category:Climate]] [[cs:Oceánské klima]] [[da:Kystklima]] [[de:Seeklima]] [[es:Clima oceánico]] [[fr:Climat océanique]] [[gl:Clima oceánico]] [[ko:서안 해양성 기후]] [[it:Clima oceanico]] [[lt:Jūrinis klimatas]] [[nl:Zeeklimaat]] [[ja:海洋性気候]] [[no:Maritimt 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