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83-531: This is a region of rolling plains and eroded plateaus, with a humid subtropical climate in the south and humid continental climate in the north. It is notable for its extensive karst limestone, which comprise the caves at Mammoth Cave National Park . This region includes a portion of what the U.S. Forest service calls the "Central Hardwood Forest". The region extends from southern Ohio , Indiana and Illinois through Tennessee and central Kentucky and into northern Alabama . Nearly 65% of Kentucky's territory

166-552: A Cfb / Cfa ( Oceanic climate / Humid subtropical climate ) borderline case. Western Georgia ( Batumi and Kutaisi ) in the Kolkheti Lowland and the northeast coast of Turkey ( Giresun ), have a climate similar to that of Gilan and Mazandaran in Iran and very similar to that of southeastern and northern Azerbaijan. Temperatures range from 22 °C (72 °F) in summer to 5 °C (41 °F) in winter and rainfall

249-824: A forest and a savanna. Common trees in this community include post oak ( Quercus stellata ), white oak ( Quercus alba ), southern red oak ( Quercus falcata ), black oak ( Quercus velutina ), and pignut hickory ( Carya glabra ). In more calcareous areas, common woodland trees include Shumard oak ( Quercus shumardii ), Chinquapin oak ( Quercus muhlenbergii ), and Carolina shagbark ( Carya carolinae-septentrionalis ). In more acidic dry woodlands there are stands of chestnut oak ( Quercus montana ) and Virginia pine ( Pinus virginiana ). In swampy fragipan flats, woodlands consist of willow oak ( Quercus phellos ), overcup oak ( Quercus lyrata ), pin oak ( Quercus palustris ), sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ), and blackgum ( Nyssa sylvatica ). The woodlands in this region contain

332-500: A highly pronounced summer peak, unlike other regions of this climate type. Drought can be severe and often catastrophic to agriculture in the Cwa zone. The only area where winter precipitation equals or even exceeds the summer rain is around the San'in region at the western coast of Japan, which during winter is on the windward side of the westerlies. The winter precipitation in these regions

415-782: A humid subtropical climate with a distinctively high amount of rainfall during summer. In France, the climate is found in parts of the Garonne Valley (city of Toulouse ) and in the Rhône Valley , including the cities of Lyon and Valence . Due to climate change, some cities on the Balkan peninsula and in the Pannonian Basin such as Belgrade , Novi Sad , Niš and Budapest are now just warm enough to be categorized as such. At 48°N , Bratislava , in Slovakia , lies on

498-518: A humid subtropical climate, generally in the form of hot and humid summers, and mild to cool winters. These areas, which include the Pampas , generally feature a Cfa climate categorization. At 38°S , the Argentine city of Bahía Blanca lies on the southern limit of the humid subtropical zone. The Cwa climate occurs in parts of tropical highlands of São Paulo state , Mato Grosso do Sul and near

581-520: A mean temperature above 10 °C (50 °F). While many subtropical climates tend to be located at or near coastal locations, in some cases, they extend inland, most notably in China and the United States , where they exhibit more pronounced seasonal variations and sharper contrasts between summer and winter, as part of a gradient between the hotter tropical climates of the southern coasts and

664-465: A more humid July. This is followed by the cooler but still hot and extremely humid monsoon season (August-September), where the region experiences heavy rains almost daily, with humidity usually above 90%. The autumn season (October-November), which immediately follows the monsoon and precedes winter, usually experiences a pleasant climate. Cities such as New Delhi , Dehradun , Lucknow , Kanpur and Patna , among others, exhibit this atypical version of

747-471: A reduction of bottomland hardwood forests by 70–95%, and only 0.02 percent of the original oak savannas remain. Although much of the area is forested, these forests tend to be highly fragmented and significantly altered by development, agriculture, and fire suppression. The forests are dominated primarily by oak and hickory species, but succession has filled the understory with maples and yellow poplar and blocking oak regeneration. In some areas, habitat

830-478: A result of these systems. As an example Lismore which lies in the centre of this zone, the annual rainfall can range from less than 550 millimetres (22 in) in 1915 to more than 2,780 millimetres (109 in) in 1950. As the continent does not have a large ocean to its east as the case in many other continents within the climate zone, humid subtropical climates in Europe are limited to relatively small areas on

913-903: A rich sun-loving herbaceous layer, with many species of goldenrod ( Solidago ), sunflower ( Helianthus ), and aster ( Symphyotrichum ). The flat surfaces of the Interior Low Plateaus historically contained extensive areas of open prairie. This community was concentrated in the areas of the Mitchell Plain and Pennyroyal Plain with smaller areas of prairie in the Nashville Basin and Highland Rim . Early settlers describe these areas as nearly treeless expanses, containing Greater prairie chicken and herds of Bison. Today, some prairie remains in areas that are managed by controlled burns, or other forms of tree removal such as powerline and roadside clearings. Dry prairies are

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996-491: A summer peak especially where storms reaching the level of monsoons are well developed, as in Southeast Asia and South Asia . Other areas have a more uniform or varying rainfall cycles but consistently lack any predictably dry summer months unlike Mediterranean climates (which lie at similar latitudes but, in most continents, on opposite coasts). Most summer rainfall occurs during thunderstorms that build up due to

1079-453: A tendency toward dry conditions in winter with rain increasing in spring, with December or January often the driest months. Humid subtropical climates are found in a sizable portion of South America. The climate extends over a few states of southern Brazil, including Paraná , into sections of Paraguay , all of Uruguay and central Argentina (Pampas region). Major cities such as São Paulo , Buenos Aires , Porto Alegre and Montevideo , have

1162-538: A tropical savanna, or Aw , climate. Annual rainfall within Australia's humid subtropical climate zone can reach as high as 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in coastal locations and is generally 1,000 millimetres (39 in) or above. The most intense 2-3 day rainfall periods that occur in this coastal zone however are the outcome of east coast lows forming to the north of a large high pressure system , there can be great variation in rainfall amounts from year to year as

1245-567: Is also found in the narrow coastal sections of southern and eastern South Africa , primarily in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces. South Africa's version of this climate features heavy oceanic influences resulting in generally milder temperatures. This is particularly evident in its winters when temperatures do not drop as low as in many other regions within the humid subtropical category. In East Asia , this climate type

1328-452: Is also known as warm temperate climate in some climate classifications. Under the Köppen climate classification , Cfa and Cwa climates are either described as humid subtropical climates or warm temperate climates. This climate features mean temperature in the coldest month between 0 °C (32 °F) (or −3 °C (27 °F)) and 18 °C (64 °F) and mean temperature in

1411-642: Is even heavier than in Caspian Iran, up to 2,300 millimetres (91 in) per year in Hopa (Turkey). These climates are a Cfb / Cfa ( Oceanic climate / Humid subtropical climate ) borderline case. In North America, humid subtropical climates are found in the American Gulf and lower East Coast states, including Alabama , Arkansas , Florida , Georgia , Louisiana , Mississippi , North Carolina , Oklahoma , South Carolina , Tennessee , and Texas . On

1494-477: Is found in the southeastern quarter of mainland China from Hong Kong north to Nanjing, the northern half of Taiwan , southern and central Japan ( Kyushu , Shikoku and half of Honshu ), and the most southern regions of Korea (the south and east Central and Southern Gyeongsang Province and Jeju island ). Cities near the equatorward boundary of this zone include Hong Kong and Taipei ; while Tokyo , Busan - Pohang - Gangneung of Korea and Qingdao are near

1577-677: Is generally not as high here as in other continents within this climatic zone. The Po Valley , in Northern Italy , including major cities such as Milan , Turin , Bologna , and Verona , has a humid subtropical climate, featuring hot, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms; winters are foggy, damp and chilly, with sudden bursts of frost. Places along the shores of Lake Maggiore , Lake Lugano , Lake Como ( Como and Verbania in Italy and Lugano and Locarno in Switzerland ) have

1660-581: Is located. The Central Basin was caused by an uplifting which produced a dome known as the Nashville Dome . The Nashville Dome is evidenced by the underlying rock strata that all dip downward away from Nashville. The uplifting of the Nashville Dome fractured overlying strata, making it more easily eroded, and thus the "dome" resulted in a "basin". Uplifted strata in the center of a geological dome have higher potential erosive energy than

1743-549: Is now quite rare in the Inner Bluegrass due to logging by early European settlers. Its destruction was so rapid and complete, that mid-20th century ecologists mistook the successional state of the Bluegrass as its natural condition. Sun-loving species such as hackberry ( Celtis occidentalis ), black cherry ( Prunus serotina ), black walnut ( Juglans nigra ), and white ash ( Fraxinus americana ) now dominate much of

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1826-554: Is plentiful in North America's humid subtropical climate zone – but with significant variations in terms of wettest/driest months and seasons. Much of the interior South , including Tennessee, Kentucky, and the northern halves of Mississippi and Alabama, tends to have a winter or spring (not summer) precipitation maximum. Closer to the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, there is a summer maximum, with July or August usually

1909-660: Is threatened by urbanization and invasive species such as non-native privet , honeysuckle , garlic mustard and kudzu . Significant natural areas in the ecoregion include: Mammoth Cave National Park; the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area of Tennessee and Kentucky; Hoosier National Forest and Yellowwood State Forest in southern Indiana ; the Edge of Appalachia Preserve in Ohio ; and

1992-652: Is usually produced by low-pressure systems off the east coast that develop in the onshore flow from the Siberian high. Summer rainfall comes from the East Asian Monsoon and from frequent typhoons . Annual rainfall is generally over 1,000 millimetres (39 in), and in areas below the Himalayas can be much higher still. Humid subtropical climates can also be found in the Indian subcontinent , predominantly in

2075-464: Is usually three inches or less. However, for the majority of the winter here, temperatures remain above or well above freezing. At the northernmost limits of this zone, cities such as New York City , Philadelphia , Baltimore , Washington, D.C. , and Louisville typically see snowfall during the winter, with occasional heavy snowstorms. Still, average temperatures during a typical winter hover just above freezing at these locations. Precipitation

2158-718: Is within the Interior Low Plateaus region, which encompasses an area from the western Appalachian Plateaus to the Tennessee River . It includes the Kentucky Bluegrass and Knobs regions , the Highland Rim and the Shawnee Hills . The underlying bedrock of the Interior Low Plateaus consists of sedimentary rocks such as limestone, sandstone, and shale. These date from the Ordovician period in

2241-453: The Andean highland in northwestern Argentina . These highland areas feature summer temperatures that are warm enough to fall outside the subtropical highland climate category. The humid subtropical climate zone predominantly lies in eastern Australia, which begins from the coastal strip of Mackay, Queensland and stretches down the coast to just south of Sydney , where it transitions into

2324-828: The Caucasus , in Azerbaijan and in Georgia wedged between the Caspian and Black seas and coastal ( Black Sea ) Turkey, albeit having more oceanic influence. Annual rainfall ranges from around 600 millimetres (24 in) at Gorgan to over 1,830 millimetres (72 in) at Bandar-e Anzali , and is heavy throughout the year, with a maximum in October or November when Bandar-e Anzali can average 330 millimetres (13 in) in one month. Temperatures are generally moderate in comparison with other parts of Western Asia. During winter,

2407-455: The Holdridge life zones classification, the subtropical climates have a biotemperature between the frost or critical temperature line, 16 to 18 °C (61 to 64 °F) (depending on locations in the world) and 24 °C (75 °F), and these climates are humid (or even perhumid or superhumid) when the potential evapotranspiration (PET) ratio (= PET / Precipitation) is less than 1. In

2490-778: The Kashmir Valley in India, where the primary precipitation peak occurs in March, not July or August). Further east, in highland areas with lengthier monsoons such as Nepal, seasonal temperature variation is lower than in the lowlands. In Southeast Asia , about 90% of the region has a tropical climate ; but humid subtropical climates can also be seen here, such as in Northern Vietnam (including Hanoi ). Southeast Asian locations with these climates can feature cool temperatures, with lows reaching 10 °C (50 °F) during

2573-503: The Nashville Basin and Bluegrass region , up to the Carboniferous Period in the Shawnee Hills . The Interior Low Plateaus lie at the southern edge of the glacial boundary. Unlike the till plain to the north, the underlying bedrock is generally close to the surface, and the topography of an area depends on how resistant the underlying bedrock is to erosion. More resistant sandstones have resulted in hillier areas such as

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2656-520: The Shawnee Hills in southern Illinois . Humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a temperate climate type characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° and are located poleward from adjacent tropical climates, and equatorward from either humid continental (in North America and Asia) or oceanic climates (in other continents). It

2739-668: The humid continental zone due to colder winters. All these areas are subject to occasional, in some cases repeated snowfalls and freezes during winter. In Central Europe , a small area of humid subtropical climates are located in transitional areas between the oceanic and continental climates in areas where higher summer temperatures do not quite qualify it for inclusion in the Oceanic climate schema and mild winters do not allow their inclusion into continental climates. Average summer temperatures in areas of Europe with this climate are generally not as hot as most other subtropical zones around

2822-723: The Bluegrass region. Barrens are open treeless areas on slopes, often with shallow soil. These are found sporadically in the Outer Bluegrass, Inner Nashville Basin, Shawnee Hills, and in parts of the Highland Rim. It is unclear whether these communities rely on fire for their openness, or are maintained by soil conditions alone. They are usually dominated by short grasses such as little bluestem ( Schizachyrium scoparium ), and large showy forbs such as prairie dock ( Silphium terebinthinaceum ) and blazing star ( Liatris ). Barrens are particularity abundant and well-preserved in

2905-515: The Bluegrass region. These contain trees such as green ash ( Fraxinus pennsylvanica ) and swamp white oak ( Quercus bicolor ), along with many herbaceous plants that are considered regionally rare. This region contains the richest diversity of freshwater animals in North America. In particular, the Duck River in Tennessee is considered one of the top three most biologically rich rivers in

2988-693: The Eastern Highland Rim, at the edge of the Cumberland Plateau, these forests develop a more Appalachian character, and contain species such as eastern hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ), yellow buckeye ( Aesculus flava ), and cucumber magnolia ( Magnolia tripetala ). Acidic sandstone cove forests in the Shawnee Hills also contain more typically Appalachian species such as yellow birch ( Betula alleghaniensis ) and umbrella magnolia ( Magnolia tripetala ). Floodplain forests in

3071-576: The Florida peninsula, the humid subtropical climate gives way to the tropical climate of South Florida and the Florida Keys . Under Köppen's climate classification, this zone includes locations further north, primarily Virginia , Kentucky , the lower elevations of West Virginia , Maryland , Delaware , Washington, D.C. , southeastern Pennsylvania , central and southern portions of New Jersey , and Downstate New York . It can also be found in

3154-589: The Gulf of Mexico, such as Austin and San Antonio that border the semi-arid climate zone, generally see a peak of precipitation in May, a drought-like nadir in mid-summer and a secondary, if not equal, precipitation peak in September or October. Areas further south along South Texas ' Gulf Coast (Brownsville), which closely border tropical climate classification , typically have a strong September precipitation maximum, and

3237-498: The Highland Rim, and are dominated by grass of Parnassus ( Parnassia grandifolia ) and contain the federally-endangered Tennessee yellow-eyed grass ( Xyris tennesseensis ). Calcareous seeps are also found near glades in the Inner Nashville Basin. These communities often have extensive stands of sunnybells ( Schoenolirion croceum ) and other rare species. Calcareous seeps and swamp forest are also found sparingly in

3320-478: The Holdridge classification, the humid subtropical climates coincide more or less with the warmest Cfa and Cwa climates and the less warm humid tropical "Köppen" climates ( Aw , Am and Af ). Cfa : C = Mild temperate f = Fully humid a = Hot Summer Cwa : C = Mild temperate w = Dry Winter a = Hot Summer In Africa, humid subtropical climates are primarily found in

3403-796: The Interior Low Plateau remain relatively common, although many areas have been converted to agriculture. These forests are dominated by sugarberry ( Celtis laevigata ), boxelder ( Acer negundo ), silver maple ( Acer saccharinum ), and sycamore ( Platanus occidentalis ). Forests were particularly common in the uplands of the Inner Bluegrass region of Kentucky, which has naturally mesic conditions. These forests were dominated by sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ), bitternut hickory ( Carya cordiformis ), Ohio buckleye ( Aesculus glabra ), blue ash ( Fraxinus quadrangulata ), and chinquapin oak ( Quercus muhlenbergii ). This community

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3486-637: The Köppen, most of these locations would not be included in the humid subtropical grouping. The higher summer precipitation and poleward flow of tropical air-masses in summer are not present in Europe as they are in eastern Australia or the southern United States. Nashville Basin The Nashville Basin , also known as the Central Basin , is a term often used to describe the area surrounding Murfreesboro , Tennessee , in which Nashville

3569-1469: The Nashville Basin, although there are rare examples found in the Mitchell Plain, Pennyroyal Plain and Outer Bluegrass. Glades have a flora adapted to extreme dry conditions in the summer, and standing water in the spring. The glades of the Nashville Basin and Moulton Valley are considered a center endemism due to their large number of restricted species. Characteristic species of the Nashville Basin glades include Nashville glade cress ( Leavenworthia stylosa ), limestone fame-flower ( Phemeranthus calcaricus ), Nashville breadroot ( Pediomelum subacaule ), Gattinger's prairie clover ( Dalea gattingeri ), and Tennessee milk-vetch ( Astragalus tennesseensis ). Glades in other regions contain less endemism, and are characterized by species such as widow's-cross stonecrop ( Sedum pulchellum ), limestone skullcap ( Scutellaria parvula ), glade violet ( Viola egglestonii ), one-flower gladecress ( Leavenworthia uniflora ), and poverty dropseed ( Sporobolus vaginiflorus ). Glade remnants are common and well-preserved due to their undesirability for agriculture, and their largely edaphic nature. Many examples exist in Cedars of Lebanon State Park , as well as numerous other natural areas. The Interior Low Plateau has an abundance of sinkhole ponds in

3652-594: The Nepalese version of the climate generally does not feature the extreme hot spells that are commonplace for many other South Asian locations with this climate. In Nepal cities such as Kathmandu , Pokhara , Butwal , Birgunj and Biratnagar feature this iteration of the climate. In South Asia, humid subtropical climates generally border on continental climates as altitude increases, or on winter-rainfall climates in western areas of Pakistan and northwestern India (e.g. Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan or Srinagar in

3735-621: The Norman Upland and Crawford Upland in Southern Indiana, while softer limestones have already eroded down to gently rolling plains, like the Scottsburg Lowlands and Wabash Lowlands of southeast and southwest Indiana. The hillier parts of the Interior Low Plateaus are not mountain ranges, but dissected plateaus . The natural communities in this region are a matrix of forest, woodlands, and prairie. Today, much of

3818-744: The Sydney region ranges between 800 and 1,200 millimetres (31 and 47 in). There is usually a distinct summer rainfall maximum that becomes more pronounced moving northwards. In Brisbane, the wettest month (February) receives five times the rainfall of the driest month (September). Temperatures are very warm to hot but are not excessive: the average maximum in February is usually around 29 °C (84 °F) and in July around 21 °C (70 °F). Frosts are extremely rare except at higher elevations, but temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F) are not common on

3901-561: The area follow the course of the Cumberland River as it flows northwest toward Ashland City and Clarksville, Tennessee . The Central Basin is underlain primarily by limestone from the Ordovician Period . The Nashville Basin and a similar but smaller area surrounding Lexington , Kentucky referred to as the " Kentucky Bluegrass " area, are the two primary areas of this sort in the world. The Inner Basin of

3984-486: The area of Adams County, Ohio, which includes Adams Lake Prairie , Lynx Prairie , Chaparral Prairie , and others. Glades are areas of flat rock exposures of bedrock. In the Nashville Basin, glades are most often found in areas that were a matrix of barren and woodland communities. Although historically with a more open grassland border, many are now surrounded by dense thickets of redcedar ( Juniperus virginiana ) and redbud ( Cercis canadensis ). Glades are most common

4067-571: The bottoms of major rivers, such as the Cumberland River and Tennessee River. These are dominated by buttonbush ( Cephalanthus occidentalis ), and along the Tennessee River contain bald-cypress ( Taxodium distichum ). These sloughs were historically widespread, but dam construction and agricultural activity have destroyed most of them. A rare wetland type in this region is the calcareous seepage fen. These are found sparingly in

4150-464: The climate in India. In Pakistan, the cities of Islamabad , Sialkot , Gujranwala and Rawalpindi , among others, feature this weather pattern. Lahore overlaps between being humid subtropical and semi-arid . The annual precipitation in Peshawar is slightly less than required for this classification. In Bangladesh , cities like Rangpur , Saidpur and Dinajpur in the northern region feature

4233-589: The coast. North of the Cfa climate zone there is a zone centred upon Rockhampton which extends north to the Köppen Cwa classified climate zone of the Atherton Tablelands region. This region has a very pronounced dry winter period, with often negligible rainfall between June and October. Winter temperatures generally only fall slightly below 18 °C (64 °F), which would classify the region as

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4316-612: The coastal areas can receive snowfall, which is usually of a short duration. In Rasht , the average temperature in July and August is around 25 °C (77 °F) but with near-saturation humidity , whilst in January and February it is around 7 °C (45 °F). The heavy, evenly distributed rainfall extends north into the Caspian coastal strip of Azerbaijan up to its northern border but this climate in Azerbaijan is, however,

4399-537: The colder continental climates to the north and further inland. As such, the climate can be said to exhibit somewhat different features depending on whether it is found inland, or in a maritime position. In a humid subtropical climate, summers are typically long, hot and humid. A deep current of tropical air dominates the humid subtropics at the time of high sun, and daily intense (but brief) convective thundershowers are common. Monthly mean temperatures in winter may be mild or slightly above freezing. Rainfall often shows

4482-499: The coldest limit of climates classed as humid subtropical. Snowfall varies greatly in this climate zone. In locations at the southern limits of this zone and areas around the Gulf Coast , cities such as Orlando , Tampa , Houston , New Orleans , and Savannah rarely see snowfall, which occurs, at most, a few times per generation. In Southern cities farther north or inland, such as Atlanta , Charlotte , Dallas , Memphis , Nashville , and Raleigh , snow only occasionally falls and

4565-435: The cooler, oceanic climates. From Newcastle , approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) northeast of Sydney, the Cfa zone would extend to inland New South Wales , excluding the highland regions (which have an oceanic climate), stretching towards Dubbo to the northwest and Wagga Wagga to the south, ending at the New South Wales / Victoria border ( Albury-Wodonga ). To note, these places would have characteristics of

4648-455: The east of Nashville and about eighty miles to the south, near the Tennessee– Alabama state line. Travelers leaving Nashville in a northerly or easterly direction will soon begin the climb up the escarpment that marks the bordering geographic / geologic province , the Highland Rim and further eastwards, the Cumberland Plateau . The southern edge of the Highland Rim is more distant and somewhat less pronounced. The only downhill routes leaving

4731-465: The flattest terrain and most limestone-derived soil chemistry is located to the south and east of Nashville, primarily in the counties of Marshall , Rutherford , Wilson , and Bedford . Here also are seen the horse farms somewhat reminiscent of the Kentucky Bluegrass region. Supposedly the underlying rock weathers to a soil particularly suited to the growing of the sorts of grasses most favored by horses. Limestone glades (or cedar glades ), located to

4814-449: The high elevations of Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and Sierra Madre Oriental. Despite being located at higher elevations, these locations have summers that are too warm to qualify as a subtropical highland climate. Guadalajara 's climate is a major example of this. Outside of isolated sections of Mexico, the southernmost limits of this climate zone in North America lie just north of South Florida and around southern coastal Texas. Cities at

4897-432: The intense surface heating and strong subtropical sun angle. Weak tropical lows that move in from adjacent warm tropical oceans, as well as occasional tropical cyclones often contribute to summer seasonal rainfall peaks. Winter rainfall (and occasional snowfall, especially near the poleward margins) is often associated with large storms in the westerlies that have fronts that reach down into subtropical latitudes. Under

4980-507: The karst regions of the Mitchell Plain, Pennyroyal Plain, and Highland Rim. These isolated communities were historically found within a matrix of wet prairie. These communities are often covered in swamp forest, and are dominated by swamp cottonwood ( Populus heterophylla ) and red maple ( Acer rubrum ). High-quality herbaceous examples have species with coastal plain affinities. Many of these communities have been destroyed due to drainage for agriculture. Emergent shrub sloughs are found along

5063-404: The lower Midwest, primarily in the central and southern portions of Kansas and Missouri and the southern portions of Illinois , Indiana and Ohio . In Mexico , there are small areas of Cfa and Cwa climates. The climate can be found in small areas scattered around the northeastern part of the country, in proximity to the Gulf of Mexico . Other areas where the climate can be found is in

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5146-426: The margins of the Mediterranean and Black Sea basins. Cfa zones are generally transitional between the Mediterranean climate zones along the coast and oceanic and humid continental zones to the west and north where rainfall in the warmer months is too high for a Mediterranean classification, while temperatures (either in the summer and/or winter) are too warm to qualify as oceanic or humid continental. Summer humidity

5229-435: The monsoon variant ( Cwa ), where rainfall peaks at the monsoon season. Closely resembling the climate patterns of neighboring Northern Indian plains , this region shows a distinct three season pattern- relatively dry and very hot summer (March- early June), extremely wet, cooler Monsoon season (June- September), and mild, foggy winter (Late October- February). Humid subtropical climates can also be found in Nepal . However,

5312-406: The months of December, January, and February. Unlike a good portion of East Asian locations with this climate however, most of Southeast Asia seldom experiences snowfall. These areas tend to feature hot and humid summers and cool and wet winters , with mean temperatures varying between 25 and 30 °C (77 and 86 °F) in summer. Although humid subtropical climates in Asia are mostly confined to

5395-444: The most common remnant in this region, due to their unsuitability for agriculture and resistance to succession. They are dominated by Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) and Aristida purpurascens (three-awn grass). Mesic prairies are rarer, and are dominated by very tall grasses such as Indian grass ( Sorghastrum nutans ), big bluestem ( Andropogon gerardi ), and plume grass ( Erianthus alopecuroides ). Wet prairies are

5478-482: The north-east of Spain ( Huesca ), West Macedonia in Greece ( Kozani ). Along the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria ( Varna ), coast of Romania ( Constanța and Mamaia ), Sochi, Russia and Crimea , have summers too warm (>22 °C (72 °F) mean temperature in the warmest month) to qualify as oceanic, no freezing month, and enough summer precipitation and sometimes humid conditions, where they would be fit to be classed under Cfa , though they closely border

5561-437: The northern boundary. The influence of the strong Siberian anticyclone in East Asia brings colder winter temperatures than in the humid subtropical zones in South America, and Australia. The 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm reaches as far south as the valleys of the Yellow and Wei rivers, roughly latitude 34° N . At Hainan Island and in Taiwan, the climate transitions from subtropical into tropical. In most of this region,

5644-448: The northern limit of the humid subtropical zone. The coastal areas in the northern half of the Adriatic Sea also fall within this climate zone. The cities include Trieste , Venice , and Rimini in Italy , Rijeka and Split in Croatia , Koper in Slovenia and Kotor in Montenegro . Other Southern European areas in the Cfa zone include the central valleys and coast of Catalonia of Girona and Barcelona in Spain , some on

5727-724: The northern regions. However, the humid subtropical climates exhibited here typically differ markedly from those in East Asia (and, for that matter, a good portion of the globe). Winters are typically cool to mild (sometimes reaching 0 °C (32 °F)), ranging from humid and foggy in December to dry in February. These winters are followed by a mild spring (March-April). Summers tend to be relatively longer and very hot, starting from mid-April and peaking in June, extending up to July with high temperatures often exceeding 40 °C (104 °F). Summers usually begin dry, complete with dust storms , traits typically associated with arid or semi-arid climates , before eventually transforming into

5810-492: The open prairie and savanna communities have been lost due to fire suppression and agriculture. However, oak-hickory woodlands remain relatively common, and mesic forest is abundant along riparian areas. Oak-hickory woodland is the most common natural community in the Interior Low Plateaus. It is the dominant natural community for many areas of rolling hills, including the Western Highland Rim, Shawnee Hills, and Outer Bluegrass. These woodlands represent an intermediate state between

5893-422: The rarest and most poorly-documented grassland type in this region. The few existing remnants have species such as gamagrass ( Tripsacum dactyloides ), prairie cordgrass ( Spartina pectinata ), and many rushes ( Juncus ) and sedges ( Carex ). Significant prairie remnants now remain at Ft. Campbell and Arnold Air Force Base , as well as in a few small nature preserves. Blackjack oak ( Quercus marilandica )

5976-457: The semi-arid and/or Mediterranean climates. Furthermore, the inland Cfa climates generally have drier summers, or at least summers with low humidity. Extreme heat is more often experienced in Sydney than in other large cities in Australia's Cfa zone, especially in the western suburbs , where highs over 40 °C (104 °F) are not uncommon. Frost is prevalent in the more inland areas of Sydney, such as Richmond . Average annual rainfall in

6059-547: The southeastern quarter of the continent, there are two narrow areas along the coast of the Caspian Sea and Black Sea with humid subtropical climates. Summers in these locations are cooler than typical humid subtropical climates and snowfall in winter is relatively common, but is usually of a short duration. In Western Asia , the climate is prevalent in the Gilan , Māzandarān and Golestan Provinces of Iran , in parts of

6142-628: The southern part of the continent. The Cwa climate is found over a large portion of the interior of the Middle and Eastern African regions. This area includes central Angola , northeastern Zimbabwe , the Niassa , Manica and Tete provinces of Mozambique , the southern Congo provinces, southwest Tanzania , and the majority of Malawi , and Zambia . Some lower portions of the Ethiopian Highlands also have this climate. The climate

6225-483: The southernmost limits, such as Tampa and Orlando and along the Texas coast around Corpus Christi down toward Brownsville generally feature warm weather year-round and minimal temperature differences between seasons. In contrast, cities at the northernmost limits of the climate zone such as New York, Philadelphia and Louisville feature hot, humid summers and chilly winters. These areas have average winter temperatures at

6308-470: The surrounding strata, because they are physically higher. Erosion thus acts on the uplifted area at a greater rate than on the surrounding flat-lying area, creating a low area, i.e., a basin. This area is more correctly referred to as the "Central Dome" of Tennessee. Nashville is located in the northwestern portion of the Central Basin. The basin extends for approximately forty-five to sixty miles to

6391-471: The warmest month 22 °C (72 °F) or higher. However, while some climatologists have opted to describe this climate type as a "humid subtropical climate", Köppen himself never used this term. The humid subtropical climate classification was officially created under the Trewartha climate classification . In this classification, climates are termed humid subtropical when they have at least 8 months with

6474-696: The wettest month – such as in Jacksonville , Charleston , Mobile , New Orleans, and Virginia Beach. A semblance of a monsoon pattern (dry winters/wet summers) is evident along the Atlantic coast from the Chesapeake Bay region and the Outer Banks south to Florida. The seasonal monsoon is much stronger on the Florida peninsula, as most locations in Florida have dry winters and wet summers. In addition, areas in Texas that are slightly inland from

6557-537: The winter monsoon is very well developed, as such eastern Asian humid subtropical zones have a strong winter dry season and heavy summer rainfall. Only in inland areas below the Yangtze River and coastal areas between approximately the Huai River and the beginning of the coast of Guangdong is there sufficient winter rainfall to produce a Cfa climate; even in these areas, rainfall and streamflow display

6640-406: The woodlands include vireos and tanagers while mammals include Eastern gray squirrels , chipmunks , raccoons and opossums . The dominance of oak in this part of the pre-Columbian savannas of North America was due to frequent fires. The fire suppression policies since the 1930s have been a significant forest disturbance. Today there is very little intact habitat in this ecoregion, with

6723-434: The world, containing over 150 species of fish, 60 species of freshwater mussels, and 22 species of aquatic snails. The Green River in this region also harbors diversity of a similar scale. This high amount of freshwater mussel diversity is due to the limestone bedrock underlying much of the region. The limestone creates calcareous water that acts as a buffer against acidity, which helps the mussels in shell-building. Birds of

6806-627: The world. Urban examples include Bratislava , Budapest , and the Innere Stadt of Vienna . In the Azores , some islands have this climate, with very mild and rainy winters (>13 °C (55 °F)) and no snowfall, warm summers (>21 °C (70 °F)) but with no dry season during the warmest period, which means that they can neither be classified as oceanic , nor as Mediterranean , only as humid subtropical, as with Corvo Island . In many other climate classification systems outside of

6889-580: Was reportedly one of the few trees that could occasionally survive the annual wildfires in the prairies. Closed-canopy forests in this region are also naturally found in many areas, such as riparian zones, river bottoms, and dissected terrain. Mesic forests are often found in narrow stream gorges. These forests have a particularly rich diversity in spring wildflowers. They are dominated by sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ), beech ( Fagus grandifolia ), basswood ( Tilia americana ), northern red oak ( Quercus rubra ), and tuliptree ( Liriodendron tulipifera ). In

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