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Okay, to be completely accurate it's only true for the midlatitudes where westerlies prevail and it's only true where there's a big enough continent to generate continental airmasses. That still covers most of the world's population, however..
Not to mention the circumpolar current to keep Antarctic waters out. If South America and the West Antarctic Peninsula were connected by land, all that cold water would flow up to South America and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field would expand from its Andean refuge across the whole Patagonian plain and dump cold air into the Parana valley like if it was a mini-Greenland.
Not to mention the circumpolar current to keep Antarctic waters out. If South America and the West Antarctic Peninsula were connected by land, all that cold water would flow up to South America and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field would expand from its Andean refuge across the whole Patagonian plain and dump cold air into the Parana valley like if it was a mini-Greenland.
True, but if the northern part of North America and Eurasia disappeared into the ocean and El Paso ended up on a north coast, it might be something like Eucla in Australia. Japan might be like New Zealand if neighbouring east Asia sank into the ocean.
Ie I don't think there's any "typical" arrangement of continents even though there is a tendency to see such a thing because of historical/cultural factors.
Okay, to be completely accurate it's only true for the midlatitudes where westerlies prevail and it's only true where there's a big enough continent to generate continental airmasses. That still covers most of the world's population, however..
That's only really two continents though (North America and Eurasia) out of five that could be said to have east and west coasts. Antarctica rotating around the south pole in its centre only really has a north coast. Perhaps the Atlantic coast of Africa and Eurasia could be treated as a single coast as the Strait of Gibraltar is very narrow, if you consider Africa to be far north enough.
In contrast the SH has three east coasts. Australia even has two separate 'west' coasts for climate purposes, one around Perth and another around Adelaide separated by a large south coast that doesn't have a good NH equivalent.
Basically, there are too few continents and their configuration is too random to talk about any being typical.
That's only really two continents though (North America and Eurasia) out of five that could be said to have east and west coasts. Antarctica rotating around the south pole in its centre only really has a north coast. Perhaps the Atlantic coast of Africa and Eurasia could be treated as a single coast as the Strait of Gibraltar is very narrow, if you consider Africa to be far north enough.
In contrast the SH has three east coasts. Australia even has two separate 'west' coasts for climate purposes, one around Perth and another around Adelaide separated by a large south coast that doesn't have a good NH equivalent.
Basically, there are too few continents and their configuration is too random to talk about any being typical.
Such a great post. It's so ridiculous to think that the southeast of North America is the archetypal subtropical continent just because European settlers happen to have lived there for 0.0002% of its lifespan.
Lol as if China and its climates haven't been preeminent throughout human history. You're being way too obvious with the trolling.
Even the history of China only spans about 0.004% of the age of the continent of Asia. Point being, for all but an infinitesimally small fraction of time has the climate been documented. So it's only the hubris coming from blind conceit about our place in the universe that makes us think the current climate of East Asia or Southeast North America is somehow representative of the way things should be.
Slide South Africa in second place there and we can close the thread.
I'd place South Africa first, as east coast climates there are generally warmer and less seasonal in temperature than Australian equivalents.
For example East London has an average low of 10.3 and high of 20.9 in the coolest month. Newcastle in Australia is 8.5 and 16.8C. Both are at about 32.5S
Durban has 10.5 and 22.6, Coffs Harbour 8.2 and 19.1C, at 29.5 and 30S
Probably because the interior of Southern Africa is smaller than Australia and more isolated from the coast by mountains.
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