Quote:
Originally Posted by french user
That is not the only effect, the french Atlantic sout-west in summer is actually significantly sunnier (even as north as Nantes) and warmer than the Atlantic Spain despite not having the protection of any moutains. In the case of France the 'moutain barrier' (Massif central, Alps) is largely openned (Rhone Valley and LAuragais plain) on Provence and Languedoc. Those mediterranean areas are connceted with large plains and valleys to the Atlantic (contrary to the case of Spain) but are even sunnier than many other mediterranean locations thanks to the mistral and tramontane winds mainly.
|
Yes, but I'm talking specifically about the C
ôte D'Azur coastline around Marseille and Cannes, which are much more sheltered than the upper Rhône valley, and less prone to winter fog, thanks to the Mistral/tramontane etc.... Your map clearly illustrates this massive difference between Lyon which only has around 2,000 hrs of sunshine, vs Marseille at over 2,800 hours.
As for Nantes vs the Bilbao coastline...I think the difference can be explained by the position of these cities relative to their area's topography and mountains. Bilbao is on the
windward side of the Cantabrian mountains, exposing it to orographic rain and clouds. Nantes is somewhat to the southeast of the mountainous/hilly Brittany peninsula, which provides it with some
limited shelter from Atlantic systems.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
