Climate: Midlatitude, Mild

The midlatitude mild climate zone describes a spatially expansive land area of the Earth that stretches from approximately 30° to 55° north and south latitudes. This climate zone features less extreme climate conditions throughout the year than neighboring climate zones such as the colder, snowier midlatitude severe climate zone located generally to the north of this region. Although the weather and climate of this zone is characteristically mild year-round, several areas situated within these latitudinal boundaries are not classified as having a mild midlatitude climate. More extreme climate conditions prevail in these reaches, such as areas of high elevation and areas in arid and semiarid regions. Considering these exceptions, most of the spatial land area of this climate zone is located on the North American and European continents. The midlatitude mild climate zone has moderate temperatures and precipitation totals throughout the year and large-scale climate controls such as the presence of subpolar low-pressure centers.

Nevertheless, there is much diversity within this climate zone. Climate can vary considerably with situation in the higher- or lower-latitude locations of the zone as well as with situation in the marine (coastal) or continental areas. For instance, in the lowest latitudes, precipitation in the form of rain is abundant with higher annual temperatures, which allows these areas to retain a yearly vegetative ground cover and green foliage. Higher latitudes of the climate zone have more variable temperatures and precipitation throughout the year, and vegetative ground cover and foliage can be sparse to nonexistent in the fall and winter months. An important feature of this climate zone is the impact of large-scale weather [Page 436]and climate phenomena, such as the El Niño/Southern Oscillation, drought, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes, which can have significant positive and negative influences on the people and environments of this region. Moving into the future, there is also much uncertainty as to the location and extent of climate change impacts in the midlatitude mild climate zone.