Katana VentraIP

Oceanic climate

An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as Cfb, typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool to warm summers and cool to mild winters (for their latitude), with a relatively narrow annual temperature range and few extremes of temperature. Oceanic climates can be found in both hemispheres generally between 40 and 60 degrees latitude, with subpolar versions extending to 70 degrees latitude in some coastal areas. Other varieties of climates usually classified together with these include subtropical highland climates, represented as Cwb or Cfb, and subpolar oceanic or cold subtropical highland climates, represented as Cfc or Cwc. Subtropical highland climates occur in some mountainous parts of the subtropics or tropics, some of which have monsoon influence, while their cold variants and subpolar oceanic climates occur near polar or tundra regions.

Precipitation[edit]

Locations with oceanic climates tend to feature frequent cloudy conditions with precipitation, low hanging clouds, and frequent fronts and storms. Thunderstorms are normally few, since strong daytime heating and hot and cold air masses meet infrequently in the regions, but are more common in subtropical highland climates where these air masses meet more frequently due to the influence of hotter weather in the subtropics or tropics, especially in monsoon-influenced climates. In most areas with an oceanic climate, precipitation comes in the form of rain for the majority of the year. Most oceanic climate zones, however, experience at least one snowfall per year. Snowfall is more frequent and commonplace in the subpolar oceanic climates due to the colder weather in those locations.

Temperature[edit]

Overall temperature characteristics of the oceanic climates feature cool temperatures and infrequent extremes of temperature. In the Köppen climate classification, oceanic climates have a mean temperature of 0 °C (32 °F) or higher (or −3 °C (27 °F) or higher) in the coldest month, compared to continental climates where the coldest month has a mean temperature of below 0 °C (32 °F) (or −3 °C (27 °F)) in the coldest month. Summers are warm but not hot, with the warmest month having a mean temperature below 22 °C (72 °F). Poleward of the latter is a subtype of it and is the subpolar oceanic climate (Köppen Cfc),[1] with long but relatively mild (for their latitude) winters and cool and short summers (average temperatures of at least 10 °C (50 °F) for one to three months). Examples of this climate include parts of coastal Iceland, the coast of Norway north of Bodø, the Scottish Highlands, the mountains of Vancouver Island, and Haida Gwaii in Canada, in the Northern Hemisphere and extreme southern Chile in the Southern Hemisphere (examples include Punta Arenas), the Tasmanian Central Highlands, and parts of New Zealand.

New Zealand (Cfb)

Ashburton

New Zealand1 (Cfb)

Auckland

New Zealand (Cfb)

Christchurch

Tasmania, Australia1 (Cfb)

Hobart

New South Wales, Australia (Cfb)

Lithgow

Victoria, Australia1 (Cfb)

Melbourne

New Zealand1 (Cfb)

Nelson

Hawaii, United States1 (Cfb)

Volcano

Papua New Guinea1 (Cfb)

Wabag

New Zealand1 (Cfb)

Wellington

New South Wales, Australia1 (Cfb, bordering on Cfa)

Wollongong

Temperate climate

Humid temperate climate

Subhumid temperate climate

Mediterranean climate

Köppen climate classification

"", June 21, 2007, The Physical Environment: an Introduction to Physical Geography, Michael Ritter, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point

Marine (Humid) West Coast Climate

"", NOAA, on-line ocean observational data collection

EPIC Web Browser

", plot and download ocean observations

NOAA "Dapper In-situ Ocean Data Viewer"

"", Encyclopedia of the Atmospheric Environment, Atmosphere, Climate & Environment Information Programme

Maritime Climate