Mediterranean climate

The Mediterranean type of climate occurs mainly in the lands around the Mediterranean Sea , as well as in some other parts of the world. The vast majority of Mediterranean climatic regions on earth can stretch for thousands of miles into arid regions if they are not faced with the humid climate . The climate got its name from the type of climate found around the Mediterranean basin . It is an important type of the Koppen classification characterized by dry summers and cold winters .

Definition

The Mediterranean climate is a type of temperate climate , in which you can find dry and very hot summers as well as winters with a large amount of rain and cold temperatures, it is a climate in which autumns and springs vary considerably in terms of their rain and temperature levels. It receives its name because it is a characteristic climate of the regions that are located near the Mediterranean Sea . The climate can also be found in different places around the planet, although in these cases it presents some variations .

Characteristics of the Mediterranean climate

The main characteristics of the Mediterranean climate are the following:

• Their summers are hot and very dry .
• It has cold and wet winters .
• More than half of the regions that have this type of climate are near the Mediterranean Sea .
• They stretch for thousands of miles unless stopped by a mountain or when faced with wet weather .
• It is drier than humid subtropical climates .
• It is found approximately between 30 and 45 degrees north and south of the Equator .
• It is associated with the five subtropical high pressure belts that the oceans have.

Types

The types of Mediterranean climate are:

• Typical Mediterranean : it has hot and dry summers, wet and rainy winters.
• Continentalized Mediterranean : its rainfall varies depending on the location, mild winters, hot summers or cold winters and mild summers.
• Mediterranean with oceanic influence : it presents characteristics of the oceanic climate, milder summers and rainy winters.
• Dry Mediterranean:  a transition between a Mediterranean climate and a desert climate, with aridity for most of the year.

Landscape

Evergreen leaves abound , its low-rise trees, woody trunk and small leaves, a large number of thorny bushes and steppes are found in the landscape .

Mediterranean climate fauna

Its fauna is very abundant and varied and you can find all kinds of animals such as bears, foxes, squirrels, goats, etc. They mainly inhabit forests or thickets and inhabit mammals , birds , amphibians , fish and invertebrate animals .

Flora

In this climate we can find Mediterranean forests and scrub biomes , it is also possible to find sclerophyllous scrub like in California, Chile , South Africa and Australia . You can find evergreen , deciduous , fruit trees , shrubs , grasses , herbs .

Crops

You can find ornamental type trees such as mimosa, silk tree and cherry. Some fruit trees such as the fig tree, the almond tree and the olive tree. The cacti and succulents are very common in the area. The main crops are wheat, grapes and olives , vegetables , fruits and tropical crops .

Temperature

Regions with a Mediterranean climate have cool winters and very hot summers . The temperatures that occur during winter and summer can differ from one place to another and their temperatures during winter fall below freezing on very few occasions so that snow fall is not observed. In summer temperatures range from mild and very hot , depending on the closeness you have a body of water , its elevation and latitude .

Precipitation

During the summer there is no type of precipitation due to the high subtropical pressure that the area presents. During winter, there can be periodic storms, thunderstorms and heavy rains. These rains occur during winter and spring. Rain is generally more evenly distributed throughout the year in southern Europe .

Where is it located

The Mediterranean climate is characteristic of areas near the Mediterranean Sea , but it is also found in other areas of the planet, with some variations in temperatures. It can be found throughout much of California in the United States , in some parts of Western and South Australia , in southwestern South Africa , sections of Western and Central Asia, and in central Chile .

Countries with a Mediterranean climate

Some of the countries where we find the Mediterranean climate are:

• Libya
• Tunisia
• Egypt
• Spain
• chili
• Italy
• Turkey
• Israel
• Uzbekistan
• Cyprus
• Portugal
• California