Why can't this forum agree what subtropical means? (temp, days, locations)
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I think the main features of a subtropical climate are: 1) Latitude (25°-35°), resulting in long winter daylight 2) Transition between the 4 temperate seasons scheme and the 2 hot tropical seasons scheme. Winter temperatures and winter activity of plants and animals are generally only a natural consequence of these two main conditions. Climates with 6 months of hot temperatures (such as Florida, South Carolina) are subtropical, because it means that the other 3 seasons are very short and going further south, towards south Florida, you gradually have only 2 tropical seasons. Cool oceanic climates of high latitudes are just the opposite of subtropical, they're transitional to polar climates, which have long dark winters and short cool summers with very long daylight. So is Washington DC more subtropical-like than Glasgow? Yes.
Cool oceanic climates of high latitudes are just the opposite of subtropical, they're transitional to polar climates, which have long dark winters and short cool summers with very long daylight. So is Washington DC more subtropical-like than Glasgow? Yes.
What about mid latitude Oceanic climates though? Is Washington DC more subtropical than Melbourne or Auckland? No, I think not.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the one thing that all tropical, subtropical and temperate with subtropical leaning places have in common is that they have WET summers and DRY winters?If I looked at a temperature chart for a place and saw it had DRY summers and WET winters, I personally would automatically dismiss it as being tropical/subtropical or temperate with subtropical leaning.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the one thing that all tropical, subtropical and temperate with subtropical leaning places have in common is that they have WET summers and DRY winters?If I looked at a temperature chart for a place and saw it had DRY summers and WET winters, I personally would automatically dismiss it as being tropical/subtropical or temperate with subtropical leaning.
So then somewhere like LA or San Diego doesn't have subtropical temperatures?
So then somewhere like LA or San Diego doesn't have subtropical temperatures?
I'd consider LA and San Diego to have mediterranean climates.
In Australia, I'd consider Adelaide to be mediterranean, Brisbane subtropical, Cairns/Darwin tropical, Melbourne temperate (with mediterranean leanings), Sydney temperate (with subtropical leanings).
I live mid North Coast and we are still temperate - just below subtropical. I tend to think of the subtropic zone starting where the vegetation starts looking tropical.
What I did notice is that when one looks up "subtropics", it refers to the zones surrounding the tropics but subtropical as an actual climate zone seems more to refer to "humid subtropical climate".
So LA and San Diego are in the subtropics but they don't have subtropical climates.
So maybe that's where the confusion is - not all places in the subtropics have subtropical climates. Even then some places are considered subtropical when they are actually temperate.
The answer is clear. "Subtropical" needs to be more finely divided. Highs could be 70 F and sunny in Southern Texas but 30 F (Very Rare, but it does happen) and cloudy in Southern NJ during the winter. Yet, both locations are classified as subtropical.
Why do you consider Melbourne to have Mediterranean leanings? It's monthly rainfall totals varies by only small amounts during the year. It's rainfall distribution is almost the perfect example of what Cfb rainfall is said to be.
The answer is clear. "Subtropical" needs to be more finely divided. Highs could be 70 F and sunny in Southern Texas but 30 F (Very Rare, but it does happen) and cloudy in Southern NJ during the winter. Yet, both locations are classified as subtropical.
The opposite is possible is well, even though it isn't common.
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