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102-639: The climate ranges from subtropical to transitional continental and mountainous. The highest temperature recorded in Bulgaria occurred here: it was 45.2 °C (113.4 °F; 318.3 K) at Sadovo in 1916. The main rivers of the region are the Maritsa and its tributaries. Notable cities include Plovdiv , Burgas , Stara Zagora , Sliven , Haskovo , Yambol , Pazardzhik , Asenovgrad , Kardzhali , Dimitrovgrad , Kazanlak and Smolyan . Northern Thrace has an area of 42,073 km. The Ottoman Empire created

204-552: 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

306-614: A concentrated belt that stretches east–west except in East China where it is tilted east-northeast over Korea and Japan. The seasonal rain is known as Meiyu in China, Jangma in Korea, and Bai-u in Japan, with the latter two resembling frontal rain. The onset of the summer monsoon is marked by a period of premonsoonal rain over South China and Taiwan in early May. From May through August,

408-410: A dominant westerly component and a strong tendency to ascend and produce copious amounts of rain (because of the condensation of water vapor in the rising air). The intensity and duration, however, are not uniform from year to year. Winter monsoons, by contrast, have a dominant easterly component and a strong tendency to diverge, subside and cause drought. Similar rainfall is caused when moist ocean air

510-622: A few sub-systems, such as the Indian Subcontinental Monsoon which affects the Indian subcontinent and surrounding regions including Nepal, and the East Asian Monsoon which affects southern China, Taiwan , Korea and parts of Japan. The southwestern summer monsoons occur from June through September. The Thar Desert and adjoining areas of the northern and central Indian subcontinent heat up considerably during

612-500: 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

714-782: 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

816-518: 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

918-547: A low pressure system known as a monsoon trough develops over South-East Asia and Australasia and winds are directed toward Australia. In the Philippines, northeast monsoon is called Amihan . The East Asian monsoon affects large parts of Indochina , the Philippines , China, Taiwan , Korea, Japan, and Siberia . It is characterised by a warm, rainy summer monsoon and a cold, dry winter monsoon. The rain occurs in

1020-520: 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

1122-464: A more even temperature, while land temperatures are more variable. During warmer months sunlight heats the surfaces of both land and oceans, but land temperatures rise more quickly. As the land's surface becomes warmer, the air above it expands and an area of low pressure develops. Meanwhile, the ocean remains at a lower temperature than the land, and the air above it retains a higher pressure. This difference in pressure causes sea breezes to blow from

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1224-465: 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

1326-478: 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

1428-491: 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

1530-453: 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

1632-538: 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

1734-646: A weakening of the Leeuwin Current (LC). The weakening of the LC would have an effect on the sea surface temperature (SST) field in the Indian Ocean, as the Indonesian Throughflow generally warms the Indian Ocean. Thus these five intervals could probably be those of considerable lowering of SST in the Indian Ocean and would have influenced Indian monsoon intensity. During the weak LC, there

1836-593: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 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

1938-567: 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

2040-452: 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

2142-666: Is directly of "cyclonic" (i.e., monsoon-driven) origin (as opposed to " local convection "). The effects also extend westwards to the Mediterranean, where however the impact of the monsoon is to induce drought via the Rodwell-Hoskins mechanism . Around September, with the sun retreating south, the northern landmass of the Indian subcontinent begins to cool off rapidly, and air pressure begins to build over northern India. The Indian Ocean and its surrounding atmosphere still hold their heat, causing cold wind to sweep down from

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2244-642: 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

2346-477: 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

2448-677: 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

2550-533: Is lifted upwards by mountains, surface heating, convergence at the surface, divergence aloft, or from storm-produced outflows at the surface. However the lifting occurs, the air cools due to expansion in lower pressure, and this produces condensation . The monsoon of western Sub-Saharan Africa is the result of the seasonal shifts of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the great seasonal temperature and humidity differences between

2652-498: Is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscillation of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) between its limits to the north and south of the equator. Usually, the term monsoon is used to refer to the rainy phase of a seasonally changing pattern, although technically there is also a dry phase. The term is also sometimes used to describe locally heavy but short-term rains. The major monsoon systems of

2754-491: 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

2856-593: Is the possibility of reduced intensity of the Indian winter monsoon and strong summer monsoon, because of change in the Indian Ocean dipole due to reduction in net heat input to the Indian Ocean through the Indonesian Throughflow. Thus a better understanding of the possible links between El Niño , Western Pacific Warm Pool, Indonesian Throughflow, wind pattern off western Australia, and ice volume expansion and contraction can be obtained by studying

2958-583: 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

3060-464: 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

3162-453: 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

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3264-828: 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,

3366-622: The Eemian interglacial, suggests that they had an average duration of around 64 years, with the minimum duration being around 50 years and the maximum approximately 80 years, similar to today. A study of marine plankton suggested that the South Asian Monsoon (SAM) strengthened around 5 million years ago. Then, during ice periods, the sea level fell and the Indonesian Seaway closed. When this happened, cold waters in

3468-756: The Hadley circulation during boreal winter. It is associated with the development of the Siberian High and the movement of the heating maxima from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere. North-easterly winds flow down Southeast Asia, are turned north-westerly/westerly by Borneo topography towards Australia. This forms a cyclonic circulation vortex over Borneo, which together with descending cold surges of winter air from higher latitudes, cause significant weather phenomena in

3570-623: The Himalayas and Indo-Gangetic Plain towards the vast spans of the Indian Ocean south of the Deccan peninsula. This is known as the Northeast Monsoon or Retreating Monsoon. While travelling towards the Indian Ocean, the cold dry wind picks up some moisture from the Bay of Bengal and pours it over peninsular India and parts of Sri Lanka . Cities like Chennai , which get less rain from

3672-455: 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

3774-778: 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

3876-785: The Sahara and the equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The ITCZ migrates northward from the equatorial Atlantic in February, reaches western Africa on or near June 22, then moves back to the south by October. The dry, northeasterly trade winds , and their more extreme form, the harmattan , are interrupted by the northern shift in the ITCZ and resultant southerly, rain-bearing winds during the summer. The semiarid Sahel and Sudan depend upon this pattern for most of their precipitation. The North American monsoon ( NAM ) occurs from late June or early July into September, originating over Mexico and spreading into

3978-683: The South China Sea led to a timing of the monsoon beginning 15–20 million years ago and linked to early Tibetan uplift. Testing of this hypothesis awaits deep ocean sampling by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program . The monsoon has varied significantly in strength since this time, largely linked to global climate change , especially the cycle of the Pleistocene ice ages. A study of Asian monsoonal climate cycles from 123,200 to 121,210 years BP, during

4080-668: 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

4182-618: The return of the westerlies ) is the result of a resurgence of westerly winds from the Atlantic, where they become loaded with wind and rain. These westerly winds are a common phenomenon during the European winter, but they ease as spring approaches in late March and through April and May. The winds pick up again in June, which is why this phenomenon is also referred to as "the return of the westerlies". The rain usually arrives in two waves, at

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4284-704: The Asian monsoon has been linked to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau after the collision of the Indian subcontinent and Asia around 50 million years ago. Because of studies of records from the Arabian Sea and that of the wind-blown dust in the Loess Plateau of China, many geologists believe the monsoon first became strong around 8 million years ago. More recently, studies of plant fossils in China and new long-duration sediment records from

4386-704: The EASM grew in strength, but it has been suggested to have decreased in strength during Heinrich events . The EASM expanded its influence deeper into the interior of Asia as sea levels rose following the LGM; it also underwent a period of intensification during the Middle Holocene, around 6,000 years ago, due to orbital forcing made more intense by the fact that the Sahara at the time was much more vegetated and emitted less dust. This Middle Holocene interval of maximum EASM

4488-601: The East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM) became stronger as the subarctic front shifted southwards. An abrupt intensification of the EAWM occurred 5.5 million years ago. The EAWM was still significantly weaker relative to today between 4.3 and 3.8 million years ago but abruptly became more intense around 3.8 million years ago as crustal stretching widened the Tsushima Strait and enabled greater inflow of

4590-576: 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

4692-454: The GDP and employs 70% of the population) is heavily dependent on the rains, for growing crops especially like cotton , rice , oilseeds and coarse grains. A delay of a few days in the arrival of the monsoon can badly affect the economy, as evidenced in the numerous droughts in India in the 1990s. The monsoon is widely welcomed and appreciated by city-dwellers as well, for it provides relief from

4794-589: 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

4896-478: 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

4998-436: 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. Monsoon A monsoon ( / m ɒ n ˈ s uː n / ) is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but

5100-445: The Late Holocene, significant glacial accumulation in the Himalayas still occurred due to cold temperatures brought by westerlies from the west. During the Middle Miocene , the July ITCZ, the zone of rainfall maximum, migrated northwards, increasing precipitation over southern China during the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) while making Indochina drier. During the Late Miocene Global Cooling (LMCG), from 7.9 to 5.8 million years ago,

5202-538: 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

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5304-402: The Pacific were impeded from flowing into the Indian Ocean. It is believed that the resulting increase in sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean increased the intensity of monsoons. In 2018, a study of the SAM's variability over the past million years found that precipitation resulting from the monsoon was significantly reduced during glacial periods compared to interglacial periods like

5406-422: The Southwest Monsoon first hits the Western Ghats of the coastal state of Kerala , India, thus making this area the first state in India to receive rain from the Southwest Monsoon. This branch of the monsoon moves northwards along the Western Ghats ( Konkan and Goa ) with precipitation on coastal areas, west of the Western Ghats. The eastern areas of the Western Ghats do not receive much rain from this monsoon as

5508-535: The Southwest Monsoon, receive rain from this Monsoon. About 50% to 60% of the rain received by the state of Tamil Nadu is from the Northeast Monsoon. In Southern Asia, the northeastern monsoons take place from October to December when the surface high-pressure system is strongest. The jet stream in this region splits into the southern subtropical jet and the polar jet. The subtropical flow directs northeasterly winds to blow across southern Asia, creating dry air streams which produce clear skies over India. Meanwhile,

5610-584: 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

5712-458: The air temperature remains relatively stable for two reasons: water has a relatively high heat capacity (3.9 to 4.2 J g K ), and because both conduction and convection will equilibrate a hot or cold surface with deeper water (up to 50 metres). In contrast, dirt, sand, and rocks have lower heat capacities (0.19 to 0.35 J g K ), and they can only transmit heat into the earth by conduction and not by convection. Therefore, bodies of water stay at

5814-445: The arrival at the Eastern Himalayas, the winds turns towards the west, travelling over the Indo-Gangetic Plain at a rate of roughly 1–2 weeks per state, pouring rain all along its way. June 1 is regarded as the date of onset of the monsoon in India, as indicated by the arrival of the monsoon in the southernmost state of Kerala. The monsoon accounts for nearly 80% of the rainfall in India. Indian agriculture (which accounts for 25% of

5916-533: The autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia in Northern Thrace in 1878. The region was annexed by the Principality of Bulgaria in 1885. The ethnic composition of the population of Eastern Rumelia . The population's ethnic composition in the Bulgarian provinces of Burgas , Haskovo , Kardzhali , Pazardzhik , Plovdiv , Sliven , Smolyan , Stara Zagora and Yambol . 42°15′00″N 26°00′00″E  /  42.2500°N 26.0000°E  / 42.2500; 26.0000 This Bulgaria location article

6018-507: The beginning of June, and again in mid- to late June. The European monsoon is not a monsoon in the traditional sense in that it doesn't meet all the requirements to be classified as such. Instead, the return of the westerlies is more regarded as a conveyor belt that delivers a series of low-pressure centres to Western Europe where they create unsettled weather. These storms generally feature significantly lower-than-average temperatures, fierce rain or hail, thunder, and strong winds. The return of

6120-414: The behaviour of the LC during Quaternary at close stratigraphic intervals. The South American summer monsoon (SASM) is known to have become weakened during Dansgaard–Oeschger events. The SASM has been suggested to have been enhanced during Heinrich events. Monsoons were once considered as a large-scale sea breeze caused by higher temperature over land than in the ocean. This is no longer considered as

6222-475: The cause and the monsoon is now considered a planetary-scale phenomenon involving the annual migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone between its northern and southern limits. The limits of the ITCZ vary according to the land–sea heating contrast and it is thought that the northern extent of the monsoon in South Asia is influenced by the high Tibetan Plateau. These temperature imbalances happen because oceans and land absorb heat in different ways. Over oceans,

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6324-409: 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

6426-609: The climax of summer heat in June. However, the roads take a battering every year. Often houses and streets are waterlogged and slums are flooded despite drainage systems. A lack of city infrastructure coupled with changing climate patterns causes severe economic loss including damage to property and loss of lives, as evidenced in the 2005 flooding in Mumbai that brought the city to a standstill. Bangladesh and certain regions of India like Assam and West Bengal , also frequently experience heavy floods during this season. Recently, areas in India that used to receive scanty rainfall throughout

6528-411: 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

6630-443: 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,

6732-537: 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

6834-399: The colder months, the cycle is reversed. Then the land cools faster than the oceans and the air over the land has higher pressure than air over the ocean. This causes the air over the land to flow to the ocean. When humid air rises over the ocean, it cools, and this causes precipitation over the oceans. (The cool air then flows towards the land to complete the cycle.) Most summer monsoons have

6936-499: 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

7038-435: 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

7140-449: 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

7242-459: The hot summers. This causes a low pressure area over the northern and central Indian subcontinent. To fill this void, the moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean rush into the subcontinent. These winds, rich in moisture, are drawn towards the Himalayas . The Himalayas act like a high wall, blocking the winds from passing into Central Asia, and forcing them to rise. As the clouds rise, their temperature drops, and precipitation occurs . Some areas of

7344-432: 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

7446-454: 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

7548-488: 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

7650-513: The monsoon is not a simple response to heating but a more complex interaction of topography, wind and sea, as demonstrated by its abrupt rather than gradual withdrawal from the region. The Australian monsoon (the "Wet") occurs in the southern summer when the monsoon trough develops over Northern Australia . Over three-quarters of annual rainfall in Northern Australia falls during this time. The European Monsoon (more commonly known as

7752-486: 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,

7854-457: 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

7956-576: The north between approximately 8,000 and 4,000 BP, and most recently retreated southward once more between 4,000 and 0 BP. The January ITCZ migrated further south to its present location during the Middle Miocene, strengthening the summer monsoon of Australia that had previously been weaker. Five episodes during the Quaternary at 2.22 Ma ( PL-1), 1.83 Ma (PL-2), 0.68 Ma (PL-3), 0.45 Ma (PL-4) and 0.04 Ma (PL-5) were identified which showed

8058-590: 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

8160-662: 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,

8262-774: 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

8364-836: 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

8466-413: The ocean to the land, bringing moist air inland. This moist air rises to a higher altitude over land and then it flows back toward the ocean (thus completing the cycle). However, when the air rises, and while it is still over the land, the air cools . This decreases the air's ability to hold water , and this causes precipitation over the land. This is why summer monsoons cause so much rain over land. In

8568-609: The present day. The Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) underwent several intensifications during the warming following the Last Glacial Maximum, specifically during the time intervals corresponding to 16,100–14,600 BP, 13,600–13,000 BP, and 12,400–10,400 BP as indicated by vegetation changes in the Tibetan Plateau displaying increases in humidity brought by an intensifying ISM. Though the ISM was relatively weak for much of

8670-510: The region. Examples are the formation of a rare low-latitude tropical storm in 2001, Tropical Storm Vamei , and the devastating flood of Jakarta in 2007. The onset of the monsoon over Australia tends to follow the heating maxima down Vietnam and the Malay Peninsula (September), to Sumatra , Borneo and the Philippines (October), to Java , Sulawesi (November), Irian Jaya and northern Australia (December, January). However,

8772-510: 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

8874-547: 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

8976-628: 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

9078-483: 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

9180-559: The southwest United States by mid-July. It affects Mexico along the Sierra Madre Occidental as well as Arizona , New Mexico , Nevada , Utah , Colorado , West Texas and California . It pushes as far west as the Peninsular Ranges and Transverse Ranges of Southern California, but rarely reaches the coastal strip (a wall of desert thunderstorms only a half-hour's drive away is a common summer sight from

9282-562: The subcontinent receive up to 10,000 mm (390 in) of rain annually. The southwest monsoon is generally expected to begin around the beginning of June and fade away by the end of September. The moisture-laden winds on reaching the southernmost point of the Indian Peninsula , due to its topography, become divided into two parts: the Arabian Sea Branch and the Bay of Bengal Branch . The Arabian Sea Branch of

9384-546: The summer monsoon shifts through a series of dry and rainy phases as the rain belt moves northward, beginning over Indochina and the South China Sea (May), to the Yangtze River Basin and Japan (June) and finally to northern China and Korea (July). When the monsoon ends in August, the rain belt moves back to southern China. The rainy season occurs from September to February and it is a major source of energy for

9486-690: The sunny skies along the coast during the monsoon). The North American monsoon is known to many as the Summer , Southwest , Mexican or Arizona monsoon. It is also sometimes called the Desert monsoon as a large part of the affected area are the Mojave and Sonoran deserts . However, it is controversial whether the North and South American weather patterns with incomplete wind reversal should be counted as true monsoons. The Asian monsoons may be classified into

9588-713: The warm Tsushima Current into the Sea of Japan. Circa 3.0 million years ago, the EAWM became more stable, having previously been more variable and inconsistent, in addition to being enhanced further amidst a period of global cooling and sea level fall. The EASM was weaker during cold intervals of glacial periods such as the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and stronger during interglacials and warm intervals of glacial periods. Another EAWM intensification event occurred 2.6 million years ago, followed by yet another one around 1.0 million years ago. During Dansgaard–Oeschger events ,

9690-471: 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

9792-640: 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

9894-719: The wind does not cross the Western Ghats. The Bay of Bengal Branch of Southwest Monsoon flows over the Bay of Bengal heading towards north-east India and Bengal , picking up more moisture from the Bay of Bengal. The winds arrive at the Eastern Himalayas with large amounts of rain. Mawsynram , situated on the southern slopes of the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya , India, is one of the wettest places on Earth. After

9996-537: 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

10098-822: The world consist of the West African , Asian– Australian , the North American , and South American monsoons. The term was first used in English in British India and neighboring countries to refer to the big seasonal winds blowing from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea in the southwest bringing heavy rainfall to the area. The etymology of the word monsoon is not wholly certain. The English monsoon came from Portuguese monção ultimately from Arabic موسم ( mawsim , "season"), "perhaps partly via early modern Dutch monson ". Strengthening of

10200-627: 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

10302-604: The year, like the Thar Desert , have surprisingly ended up receiving floods due to the prolonged monsoon season. The influence of the Southwest Monsoon is felt as far north as in China's Xinjiang . It is estimated that about 70% of all precipitation in the central part of the Tian Shan Mountains falls during the three summer months, when the region is under the monsoon influence; about 70% of that

10404-586: Was associated with an expansion of temperate deciduous forest steppe and temperate mixed forest steppe in northern China. By around 5,000 to 4,500 BP, the East Asian monsoon's strength began to wane, weakening from that point until the present day. A particularly notable weakening took place ~3,000 BP. The location of the EASM shifted multiple times over the course of the Holocene: first, it moved southward between 12,000 and 8,000 BP, followed by an expansion to

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