Added: 04/29/2006 |
Ocean Influenced Territories - Maritime ClimateEveryone knows that almost two-thirds of the total earth's territory is covered by the globe oceans. Being a unique scientific laboratory it possesses great amount of information nearly in all existing sciences. Much of the knowledge gained from the seas has implications not only for the pure sciences, but for applied sciences and technology as well.
In addition the globe oceans play a significant role not only in science but have an impact on climate formation. The oceans influence climate over long and short time-scales forming the landscapes and therefore changing the climatic conditions.
The oceans and the atmosphere are tightly linked and together form the most dynamic component of the climate system. Changes in such external factors as the sun's energy, the distribution of various plant species, or the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in its turn can change the atmosphere-ocean system, namely temperature and circulation patterns.
The oceans play a critical role in storing heat and carbon. When the earth's surface cools or is heated by the sun, the temperature change is greater and faster over the land than over the oceans. Oceans have an ability to retain the warmth much longer in comparison with the land that explains why maritime climate is less extreme than continental one, with smaller day-night and winter-summer differences.
The ocean's waters are constantly being moved about by powerful currents. These currents influence the climate by transporting heat. The displaced water can then warm or cool the air and, indirectly, the land over which this air blows.
All these aspects of ocean influence can be best of all seen on the example of the west coast climate (also called maritime climate or oceanic climate). The west coast or maritime climate is exactly what its name describes. This climate can be best observed on the west coast of mid-latitude climates. This kind of climate can be characterized as utterly humid through most of the year. The location and distribution of maritime climate is mostly influenced by the mountain systems.
Being influenced by the mountain system, maritime climate can be found along a relatively narrow strip of coastal Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and southern Alaska in North America while in northwest Europe it extends further inland. This climate is also found on the southeast coast Australia and New Zealand.
Distinguishing characteristics of this type of climate are temperature and precipitation. The marine west coast is well-known for its mild summers and winters. Hence, an annual temperature range is rather small. Being situated on the west coast of a continent in the mid-latitudes territories this climate is subjected to the constant west winds and, as a result a constant influx of oceanic air can be observed here throughout the year.
The mild temperatures are the result of the ocean. It's especially obvious in those areas where a warm ocean current borders the continent, like the North Atlantic Drift's effect on north-western Europe. With the further movement inland temperature range increases.
Except mild temperature range another feature of maritime climate is heavy cloud cover and high level of humidity through much of the year. The best example of the mentioned humidity is the marine west coast climate of North America.
Windward is forced to rise up by the maritime polar air masses. Western slope, in its turn, creates significant cloud cover and precipitation. Concerning the west coast territories, the maritime climate here is greatly influenced by cyclonic activity embedded in the Western areas. Due to frequent cyclonic storms, these west coast locations are subjected to prolonged periods of rain, drizzle and fog.
Some areas receive more than 100 inches of precipitation in a year, an amount that rivals the rainy tropics.
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