Group C

Temperate climates

Not too hot, not too cold, and sometimes rather damp.

The middle latitudes

C and D climates fill much of the middle and high latitudes, mostly from 25° to 70° north and south. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Köppen climate classification Köppen’s scheme has six C climates and eight D climates. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Köppen climate classification

Rule for C: warmest month 10 °C or more, coldest month below 18 °C but above −3 °C. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Köppen climate classification

Temperate climates cover most of western Europe, western and eastern parts of the USA, and eastern China. Met Office: Climate zones

Mediterranean (Cs)

A Mediterranean climate is a temperate climate with dry summers and mild, wet winters. Met Office: Climate zones Mediterranean climates are usually on the western coasts of continents, between about 30° and 45° latitude. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Mediterranean climate

Besides the Mediterranean itself, much of California has this climate, as do parts of Western Australia, Chile and South Africa. Met Office: Climate zones

Mediterranean climates have their own kinds of scrubland: maquis around the Mediterranean, chaparral in California and fynbos in South Africa. Met Office: Climate zones

Hillsides covered in low, scrubby grey-green bushes in southern California, with mountains behind — Coastal sage scrub and chaparral in Wildomar, California.Picture: Z3lvs, CC0, Commons

In the Köppen-Geiger-Pohl system, Mediterranean climates are Csa and Csb. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Mediterranean climate Mediterranean climates get about 35–90 cm of rain a year. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Mediterranean climate

Only in Europe, where the Mediterranean Sea fills that latitude, does this climate reach far inland from the coast. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Mediterranean climate

A painting of twisting olive trees with dabs of green, blue and ochre paint — Olive Grove, painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1889.Picture: Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, Commons

Humid subtropical (Cfa, Cwa)

Humid subtropical climates sit on the eastern sides of continents, between 20° and 35° latitude. Encyclopaedia Britannica: humid subtropical climate In humid subtropical climates the warmest months average about 27 °C, with warm, sticky nights. Encyclopaedia Britannica: humid subtropical climate

In eastern and southern Asia the monsoon gives a version with a clearly dry winter, labelled Cwa. Encyclopaedia Britannica: humid subtropical climate

Marine west coast (Cfb, Cfc)

Marine west coast climates are mild, with few extremes and plenty of rain or drizzle in every month. Encyclopaedia Britannica: marine west coast climate They sit on the western sides of continents, between 35° and 60° latitude, beyond the Mediterranean zone. Encyclopaedia Britannica: marine west coast climate

Marine west coast climates are labelled Cfb and Cfc. Encyclopaedia Britannica: marine west coast climate

Many places with this climate get rain on more than 150 days a year, though it is often light. Encyclopaedia Britannica: marine west coast climate Where wet sea winds hit mountains, totals can go above 500 cm a year. Encyclopaedia Britannica: marine west coast climate

Lowland yearly averages are usually 7–13 °C, and summer months rarely average above 20 °C. Encyclopaedia Britannica: marine west coast climate

In Europe the Alps and Pyrenees run east–west, so this climate reaches some 2,000 km inland, into eastern Germany and Poland. Encyclopaedia Britannica: marine west coast climate

Much of the UK is Cfb: temperate (C), with no dry season (f) and a warm summer (b). Met Office: Climate zones There’s more on the UK and Isle of Man page.

Next: continental climates →