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I would only caution that folks overseas forget how large the USA – and even Califorina is. The Mediterranean areas of coastal California is always thought of as right around San Diego and maybe to southern LA regions. In truth, from San Diego to at least Santa Barbara (a distance of at least 225 miles – further than the distance from Nice to Montpellier, France) a classic Mediatteran climate prevails.
This is Santa Barbara – 100 miles north of Los Angeles and 225 miles north of San Diego:
Always? By who? The Mediterranean areas of California extend much further north. San Diego isn't a classic Mediterranean climate, it's borderline semi-arid or just semi-arid. As for the photo, it's hard to get a sense of the native vegetation, I can tell palm trees survive but otherwise?
Always? By who? The Mediterranean areas of California extend much further north. San Diego isn't a classic Mediterranean climate, it's borderline semi-arid or just semi-arid. As for the photo, it's hard to get a sense of the native vegetation, I can tell palm trees survive but otherwise?
They do...but my guess is that someone from the Mediterranean region of southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Greece), and the north African rimlands would think that areas San Luis Obispo look more "temperate" and less Mediterranean. I've traveled this route a few times - there is no doubt a change in the feel of the SOCAL coast from north of SLO and south of SLO. Most native Califorina's even consider the line between "warm CA" and "cool CA" to occur around Morro Bay.
They do...but my guess is that someone from the Mediterranean region of southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Greece), and the north African rimlands would think that areas San Luis Obispo look more "temperate" and less Mediterranean. I've traveled this route a few times - there is no doubt a change in the feel of the SOCAL coast from north of SLO and south of SLO. Most native Califorina's even consider the line between "warm CA" and "cool CA" to occur around Morro Bay.
On the coast. But by daytime temps, (nighttime temps are warmer in Sicily because the Mediterranean is cooler) the Bay Area away from the coast isn't too different from southern Italy.
Mediterranean climates are easy to define by temps and rainfall pattern alone, but there is also a "feel" aspect to it as well. Lots of places feel or look Mediterranean even if they aren't.
I think that what Nei was trying to show with the photos, even if they looked like the epitome of an oceanic climate, to me.
The Pacific Northwest west of the Cascades has an oceanic/ mediterranean fusion climate. It is very mediterranean in the summer with comfortable temperatures and warm but not hot or humid weather. The winter is rainy and cool but the mountains and rain make it warmer than it would normally be at this latitude. Spring and fall are some gradient in between. One of the best climates in the US if you ask me, also microclimates abound so it's easy to find your own little slice of heaven. I would call it more oceanic overall due to the predominate cloud cover. I think there are a lot of arguments over what is considered oceanic/ med based on that there is always some sort of gradient with these climates. That seems to be the case with the US West Coast since SoCal is very arid/ Med, while southeast Alaska is extremely oceanic. Therefore, the PNW is the happy medium. We have a very similar climate to northern Portugal/ Spain, and western France. However, I think the PNW gets more of a extended dry, sunny period in the summer than your typical Euro oceanic climate where the rainfall is pretty consistent month to month (e.g. London, Paris) more like the eastern US.
I drove down to Roseburg, OR over the summer and you can tell that the vegetation starts transitioning there into a much more Mediterranean influence than places north like Seattle and Portland.
No climate classification I've ever seen has grouped places such as Seattle with Cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles. I would say that that while Portland and Seattle do have a distinct summer dry season, that they do not have a true Mediterranean climate even though Seattle and Portland have some qualities of a Mediterranean climate, they are technically classified as a west coast oceanic/maritime climate, much like western Europe is classed as.
I'd regard palm trees, 19C winters and sunshine as more evocative of the Mediterranean than 5C drizzly wet gloomy muck.
"Mediterranean climate" is just a name. Forget your images of the Mediterranean sea.
And anyway, have you ever been to the mediterranean basin during the winter months? If you think "19C winters and sunshine" is what you'll find, you are mistaken.
Last edited by unobtainium; 12-01-2013 at 04:49 AM..
Well I guess since there is no such thing as a typical Oceanic rainfall pattern, it makes sense that the PNW is just another spin on Oceanic climates.
It makes a lot of sense when you look at plant species and ecosystems. IMO people pay too much attention to stereotypes here and don't have enough knowledge of ecosystems, which really tell you what's going on with the climate.
Here's a picture of a garry oak ecosystem on southern Vancouver Island (typical PNW Csb zone):
And here's one from Parksville (just a bit north). Notice the evergreen Manzanita bushes in the foreground and the evergreen Pacific madrone trees with cinnamon bark - these are California natives and are a sign that you're in a very mild, dry-summer climate:
More madrone and manzanita, near Cameron Lake, even further north but in a microclimate with very warm, dry summers:
And one more, this one near Nanoose, also on Vancouver Island. Here's a rare native cactus, the brittle prickly pear:
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Having spent time in both places, it's absurd to think that the UK and the Pacific Northwest (or at least these rain shadow areas of the PNW) are supposed to be in the same climate zone.
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