Continental climate: what is it?

A climate is defined by different meteorological data. Temperature and precipitation are decisive in the matter. They make it possible to define large climatic zones. Thus the continental climate is part of the family of temperate climates.

Even though it is a temperate climate, the continental climate is considered to be a brutal climate because of the large variations in temperature it experiences over the months. Thus they can drop to -20 ° C in winter and go up to 30 ° C in summer. In addition, the continental climate is relatively dry. Still in winter, when the precipitation falls rather below snow shape. It is rainier in summer and the thunderstorms are frequent. The winds blow there mainly during the winter.

Especially in the northern hemisphere

The continental climate, as its name suggests, reigns over the regions of the globe located away from the sea, on the continents. It is influenced by winds and precipitation coming from the interior of the continents. And the further away the coast, the more brutal the climate becomes with a climate even qualified as hypercontinental with thermal amplitudes of up to 100 ° C! It is found in mid-latitudes and mainly in thenorthern hemisphere. For the north-eastern quarter of France, we speak more of a semi-continental climate, because the oceanic influences remain present, even if the continental influences are clearly felt.

The vegetation that grows in a continental climate depends on its local characteristics. When temperatures are high in summer and precipitation falls in spring, steppes or meadows settle. When the winters are cold, but keep it short, we can find mixed forests. On the other hand, in regions where winters are longer, it is taiga who takes over.