Variations in Canada’s Climate

Modified by Mike McCloskey

Mother Teresa H.S

Canada has many types of climates but they have been simplified into 3 major ones:

Dry Climates (Canada does have deserts)

Warm/ Moist Climates Cool/ Moist Polar Climates (Guess where?? )

Canada’s Climate Regions

8.2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the basic features of Canada’s landscape and climate

identify and locate major climatic regions of Canada

explain the characteristics of Canada’s climatic regions and account for the variation among them

Dry Climatesamount of evaporation &

transpiration may exceed amounts of precipitation

some are warm, and some are cool (annual temp. less than 18ºC)

characterized by little rain and a huge daily temperature range. Two subgroups, S - semiarid or steppe, and W - arid or desert

Osoyoos, British Columbia

Enjoying Canada's driest climate, Osoyoos is the only desert in Canada

, with the lowest rainfall, the highest temperatures, and the warmest lakes.

Osoyoos is located in the middle of the Southern Okanagan wine country, whose

fine wines match any wines from anywhere, from France to California.

Rainfall….

This area receives an average rainfall of less than 20 cm per year. Growth is sparse, and the desert plants and animals of this area are found nowhere else in Canada. Actually, the Pocket Desert is part of the Great Basin Desert, part of the network of deserts that extend southward to the Sonoran Desert in Mexico

Vegetation….

In fact, the plants and animals here are the same as those found in the higher elevations of the Mexican portion of this desert. Typical plants found are sagebrush, greasewood, rabbit and antelope bush, and bunch grass.

Warm, Moist Climates(Maritime/Marine West Coast)

warm, humid summers and mild winters

in Humid Middle Latitude Climates land/water differences play a large part

these climates have warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.

Cool, Moist Climates(Temperate continental)

over 70% of Canadawarmest version (humid with

warm summers)Subarctic zone (short, cool

summer & only 1-3 months over 10ºC)

found in the interior regions of large land masses

total precipitation is not very high and seasonal temperatures vary widely.

Polar Climates

very cold and dryTundra zone and Ice

Cap areapermanent ice and

tundra are always present

only about four months of the year have above freezing temperatures

Polar Climates continued(High Latitude Climates)

• Subarctic• Tundra• Ice Cap

Elements of Climate

L.O.W.E.R.N• Latitude (sunshine)• Ocean Currents• Winds &Air Masses• Elevation:• Relief• Nearness to Water

Bibliography

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/climate.htm Canadian Identity (p.31-37) http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/

uwsp_lectures/climates_toc.html http://www.worldclimate.com/