CLIMATE OF ANGLO-AMERICA

The climate of Anglo-America is varied just as its land

forms. This is due to the differences in altitude and a range
of Geographical features e.g. valleys, mountain, plains etc.
Anglo-America embraces every climatic zone from tropical
rain forest climate to areas of permanent ice in the Central
Greenland, sub- Arctic and Tundra climate in North Canada
and North Alaska.

Semi-arid conditions are found in the interior regions

cut off by high mountain ranges from the rain bearing
western winds.

The tropical climate is found in the Southern tips of Florida

and the state of Hawaii but still here the climate varies
with the wind ward areas receiving more precipitation than
the lee ward areas.

The coastal areas of California have Mediterranean

climate ( warm, wet winters and calm, hot summers) while
coastal areas of Oregon and Washington have cool
temperate Oceanic climate/ maritime or marine climate

The state of Alaska is largely sub Arctic but with cool

oceanic climate in the south east and polar climate in the
north i.e. ever frozen.

The Gulf Coast and South Atlantic states have sub-

tropical climate with mostly mild winters and hot humid
summers.

Humid continental climate is experienced in the northern

half of the Great Plains, Great Lakes Region and New
England states (Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont). These areas
experience warm to hot summers, cold and often snow
winters.

The New England states especially of the coastal &

Island areas of the Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are
subject to the “Nor’easter.” (storms that bring very heavy
winds, rains, prodigious snow falls and damaging coastal
storms, topped by battering waves.)

The Great Lake states experience cold arctic air in

winter. When this cold air crosses warmer lake waters, it
at times results into very heavy “lake effects” e.g. creation
of snow especially on the western parts of the Michigan
lower peninsula and in the Buffalo, New York areas.

In the upper mid-west, and the northern plain states

i.e. North and South Dakota, Northern Illinois etc. the
temperatures may rise and fall rapidly, & the winds can be
extremely strong. This is a zone of air mass conflicts
involving warm air masses from the Gulf of Mexico,
clashing with cool to cold dry air from the north east and
with the occasional intrusion of hot and dry air from the
South West. These conflicts between the Canadian and the
Gulf air usually produce severe thunderstorms including
hailstorms especially on the Western plains and Tornados
particularly in May and June.

The Pacific North West, has temperate oceanic climate

which is wet and cool in the Autumn, Winter and Spring and
stable and drier in summer months especially July and
August. The wind ward side of the Olympics and Cascade
ranges experience Wet and cool climate but not as severe
as the interior north e.g. North Dakota and Minnesota. The
area experiences snow even at low elevation especially
when the pacific moisture interacts with the cold air from
the Western Canada e.g. Alberta, British Columbia, etc.

The Great Basin and the Columbian plateau

(Intermontane plateau) are arid and semi-arid regions with
high summer temperatures and very low precipitation. As a
result of the Rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada and Coastal
Ranges.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CLIMATE OF ANGLO

AMERICA

 Latitudinal location

This influences temperature as one moves away from the

equator. According to its location, Anglo America lies in the
temperate latitude zone therefore the sun’s rays strike the
ground at an angle which is much less than 90 degrees.

As a result, insolation is low hence a sharp decrease in

temperatures especially in December and January.

The northern most regions of the continent are in darkness

for 4-5 days hence no insolation when the sun is in the
southern hemisphere

However, in July, most regions in the north are in sunlight

for 4-5 because the sun is above the horizon.

The difference in insolation results into differences in

seasons of winter and summer. These differences in
seasons have an impact on temperature, rainfall, humidity
and cloud cover.

 Altitude

This influence both temperatures and rainfall. Temperature

reduce/drop with increase in altitude. The Appalachian
Mountains have extremely cold temperatures on their tops
and surrounding areas while the low land areas experience
relatively warm temperatures.

Some peaks are permanently covered with snow and

glaciers while other peaks are covered with snow during
winter.

Besides presence of relief like the Rocky Mountains

stretching from north to south have an influence on rainfall
where the moist winds from the Pacific Ocean rise and
condense hence heavy rainfall on the windward side, on the
western slopes in Phoenix, Sacramento etc.

However, the winds having the lost moisture on the western

side of the mountains blow to eastern slopes as dry wind
[chinook winds] hence little/ low and un reliable rainfall or
no rainfall at all which has discouraged agriculture and the
rise of irrigation farming in the great basin and high plains of
USA.

 Presence of a variety of air masses each with special

characteristics of temperature, rainfall and humidity.
- Air mass refer to large volumes of air with similar
temperatures and humidity.
- Air masses move due to changing pressure conditions.
- When two air masses meet, they cause sudden changes
in weather such as a rise or fall in temperature and
often precipitation

There 4 types of Air masses

-Continental Polar; cool and dry
-Maritime Polar; cool and moist
-Continental Tropical; warm and dry
-Maritime Tropical; warm and moist

AIR MASSES IN ANGLO-AMERICA

-The Polar continental air mass originates from the tundra
region and blows causing cold dry winters in northern
Canada.

-The Polar maritime from the Atlantic Ocean which leads to

cool temperatures and moderate to heavy rainfall in the
north eastern and north western coasts.

- Maritime Tropical air masses originate over the warm

waters of the tropics & the Gulf of Mexico which results into
damp conditions in the southern western parts of the
continent all the year around.

-Polar maritime from the arctic ocean from the extreme

north, blows southwards hence cold temperatures as a
result.

Ocean currents; these are continuous, directed movement of

sea /ocean water generated by a number forces acting upon
the water such as wind, breaking waves, differences in
water salinity etc.

Anglo America is washed by both warm and cold ocean

currents
 The cold Labrador current originates from the arctic
polar hence cold conditions.
 Fog – occurs commonly when the warm Gulf stream
water meets cold Labrador current. The warm current
cools, causing moist air to condense into fog at the
coastal areas between October and November which is
dangerous to human activities. For example fog
engulfed the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on
26thjan 2014
 The cold Californian current brings in cold conditions
along the western coast.
 The Northern Pacific drift from the Pacific Ocean
which transports warm conditions leading to heavy
rainfall.
 In addition, prevailing wind work hand in hand with the
ocean currents. when winds blow over cold ocean
currents, they carry similar conditions to the coastal
areas.
  The winds blowing over warm pacific currents carry
warm moist conditions over the coastal areas of
British Columbia, Northwest Canada, and Alaska
leading to heavy rainfall and rising temperatures.
 On the contrary wind that blow over cold currents
carry cold conditions to the coastal areas of Northeast
Anglo America.

Distance from the sea and proximity to water bodies

 In summer the land and the sea are heated up by the

sun but the land heats faster than the sea thus
developing hotter temperatures and reduced pressure
with high humidity compared to the sea and vice versa.
 In winter when the sun is in the southern hemisphere,
the sea retains its heat but the land constantly losses
its heat. This makes the coastal areas warmer in winter
than the main land and why coastal areas are not so
much affected by ice.
 Proximity to the water body account for the high
evaporation rate when the sun strikes the waters. This
makes the water above to develop warmer temperatures
which become unstable and rise condense and form
clouds and return to surface as conventional rainfall
which is received near large water bodies of Anglo
America. The rain fall totals decreases as one moves to
the interior lands.
 Vegetation; areas with dense vegetation experience high
evapo-transpiration leading to heavy rainfall like in British
Columbia which receives over 1500mm of rainfall however
rainfall total decrease in the desert zones due to scarce
vegetation e.g. the western interior of USA experiences
hot temperatures and low rainfall.

THE SOILS OF ANGLO AMERICA

There different types of soils in Anglo America and this

isn’t a surprise because of varied climate and vegetation

which are important elements in soil formation processes.

The soils include:

 Tundra soils

 Complex highland soils

  Alluvial soils

 Desertic soils

 Chernozemic soils [black colored soils containing a

high percentage of humus ie 7-15 and high

percentage of phosphoric acid, phosphorous and

ammonium. They are very fertile and produce high

yields. Found in the Prairies

 Podzolic soils: these are typical soils of coniferous

forests. They are divided into Red Yellow Podzolic

with higher amounts of iron and the Grey Brown

Podzolic which are affected by intensive

weathering of the upper soils creating grey soils.

The grey, brown, red, yellow chernozemic soils and alluvial

soils are the most significant to food and fiber production.

One of the most favored large regions of the world for

modern agriculture is the area from Ohio, west wards across

the state of Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. The fertility of the

grey brown podzolic soils merging with the chernozemic

soils, favorable topography, moderate growing season and

reliable rainfall combine to make this area one of the most

productive agricultural areas.

The chernozemic soils of US and Canada [Great Plains] are

also fertile in terms of nutrient content but less productive

because of limited precipitation and recurring droughts.

These soils are only neutralized by drought resistant crops

and grazing systems that are based on pasturage.

The red yellow podzolic have in many areas experienced

severe leaching, these soils require fertilizer application to

continue being productive.

For so many years, row crop production in hilly piedmont has

promoted severe erosional problems that have resulted into

abandonment of crop agriculture in many areas. These areas

have complex highland soils.

There are also exceptionally favorable soils in the south eg

black soils belts of Texas, Alabama, limestone valleys of

Appalachian. Alluvial Mississippi valley contains some of the

best soils of the US.

The soils of Anglo America were used destructively by early

settlers partly because the land was in abundancy which

enabled the settlers to continue cutting forests to open

areas for agriculture even before the 1930’s.

The over grazing and cropping subjected the soils to both

wind and soil erosion. Almost all the major agricultural areas

were affected by such activities and resulting impacts.

Since 1930s, soil conservation efforts have been

implemented which include removal of sub marginal land

from agriculture and using improved agricultural methods.