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Mediterranean climates are all pretty low latitude. Most Mediterranean climates are fairly low altitude, and therefore usually pretty warm. The topography, however, is often rather hilly, so temperatures and exposures can vary in different locations.

Vegetation is often quite prevalent in Mediterranean climates, however is is usually not very large. This means that a good amount of sunlight is being absorbed, but not a massive amount.

All Mediterranean environments are close to a large body of water, in most cases, the Mediterranean sea. This, in turn, has a moderating effect on the climate, creating cooler days and warmer nights.

Almost no ocean currents actually make it into the Mediterranean sea, so therefore Mediterranean climates are rarely affected by them.

The Mediterranean can also be known as the dry summer subtropical climate. This climate has a dry summer and a wet winter. The droughts that occur in summer can and do affect the vegetation. These dry summers are due to the fact that there is a subtropical high. Then during the winter that subtropical shrinks, moves away and something different comes in that is called subpolar low. Subpolar lows are regularly associated with cyclone belts. The cyclonic circulation brings a lot of rain to the region. The rain is very needed, though can be dangerous when flooding occurs, creating landslides.

The Mediterranean is home to a variety of very unique plants that are hard to come by in any other part of the world. These include:

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Shown above is a graph of the temperature, dew point, and highs and lows from one year in Rome, a city in Italy that displays a very exemplary Mediterranean climate. Temperatures in Rome range from 71 °F to 51 °F.

There are quite a number of countries, states, provinces, and cities that with Mediterranean climates, but the most prominent Mediterranean countries are on the actual coast of the Mediterranean sea.

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France

France's climate is similarly mild, like Italy's, with cool winters and warm summers which become hot toward the coast. Aside from this, France receives the occasional cold, northern wind from time to time. Much of France's terrain is flat plains and gentle rolling hills, as well as tall, mountainous regions, like the Alps.

During the summer, Spain's

inland areas are warm and clear, while towards the coast they get cooler and cloudier. The winters in Spain are, in contrast, much colder.

Spain

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Italy juts directly out into the Mediterranean, meaning that, thanks to constant sea breeze, its climate is very mild. The exception is in the North, which is very much landlocked and suffers comparatively harsh winters.

Italy

One of the interesting characteristics about the Mediterranean climate is that precipitation in the Mediterranean is fairly rare, especially inland and in the winter. Droughts are not uncommon, but they have been much more common in recent years due to climate change

THE MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE

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By Ethan Reid, Nicole Fuller,

Landon Carpenter, and Taylor Underwood

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The Mediterranean area is contained within the North Ferrel Wind Cell. It is fed heat by warm Westerly winds, which make the climate a comfortable warm temperature.

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Cretan Date Palm

Phoenix theophrasti

One of the only two palm species in the Mediterranean, the Cretan date palm can grow up to ten meters tall (33 ft.). It sports a dense crown of long, spiky leaves which turn a silvery blue-green when mature.

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Argan Tree

Argania spinosa

The argan tree is native to Morocco and is well known for being very hardy, able to survive droughts, heat waves, and poor soil. Argans are characterized by a thorny exterior and twisted, gnarled trunk, which goats use for climbing. It is not uncommon to see goats perched at the top of an argan tree. Argan trees produce fruits that look like large olives. Each fruit contains a nut with an extremely hard shell. Goats eat these fruits and then leave the nuts, which are used by farmers to make oil.

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and orange in vibrant hues. Oriental sweet gums generally grow to a height of twenty feet.

The oriental sweet gum is native to Turkey. It sports star shaped leaves reminiscent of those of a maple tree. The tree grows mace-like fruit clusters when it comes into bloom. The sweet gum is said to be strikingly beautiful in the fall, when it’s leaves turn a variety of different colors like red, yellow,

Liquidambar orientalis

Oriental Sweet Gum

Thank you for watching our presentation on the Mediterranean climate!

We hope you enjoyed!

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(And, uh, learned stuff...)

"No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition!"

The Mediterranean climate

is characterized mainly

by it's close vicinity to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (with the exception of California.) The coastal regions are privileged with cool marine air and moderate winters from living so close to salt water. Mediterranean climates are generally between 31 to 40 degrees North and South of the equator.

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