North Carolina Landforms, Weather, and Climate

Landforms

Regions of North Carolina

• Coastal Plain– Two main subregions:

• Outer Coastal Plain

• Inner Coastal Plain (includes Sandhills)

• Piedmont

• Mountains

Major Geographic Regions

Geographic View

Coastal Plains

• Features of the Coastal Plain– Barrier Islands – Coastal Plain Terraces– Pocosins– Carolina Bays

Barrier Islands

Coastal Plain Terraces

Oceanic Invasion of the South

The Formation of a Pocosin

A Typical Pocosin Profile

Carolina Bays

Piedmont

• Drained by a number of rivers, including the Dan, Tar, Neuse, Cape Fear, Yadkin, and Catawba

Mountains

• Main chains of mountain ranges running from northeast to southwest

• Other chains run between the main chains, creating coves, basins, and valleys.

Mountain Ranges

Weather and Climate

Climatic Considerations

• Geographic Considerations– Air Masses

– Elevation

– Bodies of Water

• Climatic Concerns– Temperature

– Precipitation

– Sunshine

– Frost

Exceptional Weather

• Tornados

• Hurricanes

Climatic Measures

• Average Temperatures

• Frost-Free Seasons

• Average Annual Rainfall

January Average Temperatures

July Average Temperatures

Average Frost Free Days

Average Annual Precipitation