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For a given annual mean temperature, would you rather live in a coastal climate (little temperature variation year round) or a continental climate (large swing in temperature between summer and winter)?
I'd rather live in a coastal climate at a low latitude as this would ensure comfortable temperatures year-round. But I'd prefer a more continental climate at higher latitudes (say, over 40 degrees from the equator) as this would allow for warm to hot weather during summer and plenty of snow during winter for skiing, etc.
Also, I think continental climates tend to have higher sunshine hours and lower humidity (ceteris paribus, correct me if I'm wrong).
For a given annual mean temperature, would you rather live in a coastal climate (little temperature variation year round) or a continental climate (large swing in temperature between summer and winter)?
I'd rather live in a coastal climate at a low latitude as this would ensure comfortable temperatures year-round. But I'd prefer a more continental climate at higher latitudes (say, over 40 degrees from the equator) as this would allow for warm to hot weather during summer and plenty of snow during winter for skiing, etc.
Also, I think continental climates tend to have higher sunshine hours and lower humidity (ceteris paribus, correct me if I'm wrong).
I quite like the higher diurnal range of being slightly inland from the coast, which I am., but not enough so.
Right on the coast can also be feral with winds, storms etc.
A true continental climate (by Oz standards), eg Griffith or Dubbo in central NSW, gets too many extremes to be pleasant.
Probably 50k's from the coast is ideal.
While many coastal climates (Temperate Oceanic - Do) like New Zealand, Northwest Europe (London, Ireland...etc) , the American Pacific Northwest...etc tend to have smaller annual ranges of temperatures...they are also pretty poor climates for those who seek any type of sunny, warm, or dry weather. Most coastal climates with a prevailing onshore flow above 40 N/S can have a great amount of “dripping weather” – lol. In the USA , the Pacific Northwest is known for this.
A lower latitude continental climate (between 38 -41 N/S) might have better overall weather, if you want sunshine, with some modest cold (30/60 days with highs in the 2 to 5 C range), and occasional modest snowfall in winter... and long hot summers, though they would be humid in most cases. Coastal continental climates in the 36 -39 latitude range are a good middle ground between the cloudy/cool Temperate Oceanic climates (Do) and hot/sunny Humid Subtropical Climates (Cf). In Asia a city like Yokohama or in the USA a city like Wilmington, Delaware is a good example.
However, once you get much north of 42 - 44 latitiude and/or inland away from the coast....be prepared for long cold, and in many cases snowy winters. There is alot of sun in winter however. Anything north of 40 latitude in the central and eastern half of the USA tends to be cold with alot of snow in winter. On the East Coast, NYC is about on the line.
Then there are climates like western Upstate New York (and much of the rest of the Great Lakes) which have the worst of both worlds: Very cloudy in the winter and cold. Some parts almost as cloudy as the Pacific Northwest.
I want plenty of summer days at 30+ C/86+ F,
but I think I'd be safe with "coastal" if it's less than 30 degrees from the equator.
Continental wouldn't be bad either,
provided it's south of the 37th parallel in North America,
or probably less than 40 degrees from the equator elsewhere.
Perfect continental year's annual range: -7 C to 42 C (20 F-108 F)
Perfect coastal year's annual range: -2 C to 37 C (28-98 F)
(coldest that I would probably still like )
For a very maritime climate, non-tropical,
a good annual range would be annul lows from 4-9 C (40's F) and annual highs from 31-33 C (88-93 F)
Last edited by ColdCanadian; 07-01-2010 at 06:43 AM..
Coastal all the way for me.. my biggest beef with Continental climates especially at the middle latitudes is that there is too much temperature fluctuation in winter... I like climates to be very stable and preferably warm.. hence why I like equatorial climates which are both...but if I had to live outside the tropics, I would only live in a coastal climate.. as you can still at least get the stability in temperature...
While many coastal climates (Temperate Oceanic - Do) like New Zealand, Northwest Europe (London, Ireland...etc) , the American Pacific Northwest...etc tend to have smaller annual ranges of temperatures...they are also pretty poor climates for those who seek any type of sunny, warm, or dry weather. Most coastal climates with a prevailing onshore flow above 40 N/S can have a great amount of “dripping weather” – lol. In the USA , the Pacific Northwest is known for this.
A lower latitude continental climate (between 38 -41 N/S) might have better overall weather, if you want sunshine, with some modest cold (30/60 days with highs in the 2 to 5 C range), and occasional modest snowfall in winter... and long hot summers, though they would be humid in most cases. Coastal continental climates in the 36 -39 latitude range are a good middle ground between the cloudy/cool Temperate Oceanic climates (Do) and hot/sunny Humid Subtropical Climates (Cf). In Asia a city like Yokohama or in the USA a city like Wilmington, Delaware is a good example.
However, once you get much north of 42 - 44 latitiude and/or inland away from the coast....be prepared for long cold, and in many cases snowy winters. There is alot of sun in winter however. Anything north of 40 latitude in the central and eastern half of the USA tends to be cold with alot of snow in winter. On the East Coast, NYC is about on the line.
I agree, like my particular location averages about 15-18 inches of snow but Northwest of NYC you get into the higher amounts (double and higher than what my location averages). In the Winter the snowstorm prediction maps are always interesting (very colorful for all the different amounts), in a big storm we may start of with rain while NJ goes straight to heavy snow. Sometimes it's disappointing, like if it must be in the 30's I'd rather it snows than rains lol.
I prefer my coastal climate over both, we get the hot Summers but our Winters aren't as harsh as inland.
But idk, it's like Vancouver/Seattle/etc. vs Chicago/St. Louis/etc., both climates kinda suck imo. I'm torn because I hate the cold but I love the heat.
I'm pretty content living in a continental climate. The variety of weather is always interesting...although I could do without the heat. The elevation also plays an important role, as I am somewhere around 1000-1300 feet above sea level.
I like the cloudiness and relatively cool temperatures of some coastal climates, like the PNW. But I would prefer an area that also receives a lot of snow during the winter.
I agree, like my particular location averages about 15-18 inches of snow but Northwest of NYC you get into the higher amounts (double and higher than what my location averages). In the Winter the snowstorm prediction maps are always interesting (very colorful for all the different amounts), in a big storm we may start of with rain while NJ goes straight to heavy snow. Sometimes it's disappointing, like if it must be in the 30's I'd rather it snows than rains lol.
I prefer my coastal climate over both, we get the hot Summers but our Winters aren't as harsh as inland.
But idk, it's like Vancouver/Seattle/etc. vs Chicago/St. Louis/etc., both climates kinda suck imo. I'm torn because I hate the cold but I love the heat.
I have long thought that lower latitide coastal temperate continental climates (which are modified continental climates)…that are close to subtropical latitudes (36 - 39 N) really offer the best variety in climate you get in the USA at least. These climates are the best middle ground in terms of heat, cold, sun, rainfall, modest seasonal change…etc. Places like Ocean City, Maryland, Virginia Beach, VA, Cape May, NJ…etc fall into this zone.
These climates seem to offer the best of all the weather woes: Not too cold (like Upper Midwest/Great Lakes/Northern New England)…not constant searing heat for 6 months (like Azorina, Florida)…not cloudy all the time with cool summers (like the Pacific Northwest)…not nonstop hot/humid summers (like the Gulf/South Atlantic)…not too sunny and dry and stark/barren (Desert Southwest)…but not too rainy (like Pacific Northwest)…and finally, not the boredom of a climate like southern California. I have been seeing more and more retirement communities along the Atlantic seaboard between Virginia Beach and Cape May, NJ. I think the above reasons are why.
I find Myrtle Beach in August delightfully-moderate.
Half the days of my vacations in August I've never feel hot; sweat was scarce to non-existant.
Of the other half, 1/3 of the days I might have a light-sweat,
and 1/6th of the days I might have a heavy-sweat.
Does that mean I'm cold-blooded, or is the Carolina coast underrated?
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