Each continent has its own temperature, change of seasons, abundance or lack of moisture, variety of vegetation, or vice versa - its complete absence. All this is formed under the influence of climatic zones, which create this or that climate.
What climatic zones is Africa, its climate, rainfall
African the continent is the only continent in the world, spread out on the sides of the equator. Incidentally, it has seven climatic zones, since the same zone, depending on which hemisphere is located, has its own climatic features.
So, equatorial climatic belt forms winds that carry heat and moisture all year long. The temperature here is + 25 ° -28 ° C, all year rains fall evenly and there is no division into seasons.
Subequatorial the belt occupies north and south of land. Depending on the dry or rainy season of the year, clearly formed, the types of air masses change. In the summer season, equatorial winds carry heat and moisture, and in winter, tropical winds are more arid, hot.
The temperature throughout the year is in the range of + 24-28 ° C, there is little rain, they occur in the summer season. By the way, no matter in which climatic zones Africa is located, everywhere on this continent there is a lack of moisture.
African tropics
The tropics cover the largest part of the country. Tropical winds dominate all year and form a climate with deserts and savannahs. The temperature in July is 32 ° C, in January + 18 ° C. Precipitation is rare, not more than 100 mm per year. Exactly in which climatic zones Africa is located, has led to the absence on the continent of severe cold and, especially, frost.
Subtropical The belt consists of two areas: the extreme northern and southern territories of the African continent. The temperature here is + 24 ° C in summer, in winter + 10 ° C. In the northern and southwestern regions of Africa, the subtropical-Mediterranean type of climate.
From the foregoing, we can conclude in which climatic zones Africa is located. The map also demonstrates that it can be safely considered the hottest continent on our planet.
Far Australia
Australia - The smallest and driest mainland on Earth. It has three climatic zones: subequatorial, tropical and subtropical.
Subequatorial occupies the northern part of the continent. In summer, the equatorial wind blows here, in the winter - tropical. Air temperature + 25 ° all year round. Uneven precipitation affects a clear separation of the seasons. Summer is warm, with frequent thunderstorms and showers up to 2000 mm per year, and winters are hot and arid.
Tropical The belt has two types of climate. Depending on the location of the territory and the amount of precipitation falling on it, a continental (desert) and tropical climate is distinguished.
An area with a particularly arid climate is far from the ocean. Here are desert areas. The air temperature in the summer season here is +30 ° C, in winter + 16 ° C. The west of the tropical zone is formed under the influence of the West Australian Current. Deserts stretch to the shores of the Indian Ocean.
The eastern part receives a sufficient amount of moisture in the form of rain. The warm air coming from the Pacific Ocean has formed a favorable climate here, in which the rainforest grows.
Subtropical The belt covers southern Australia and is divided into three zones. The southwest is characterized by dry and hot summers, as well as warm and rainy winters. The air temperature in January rises to + 23 ° , in June - up to + 12 ° .
The central part is completely desert. Here, the continental climate with its characteristic strong temperature drops throughout the year - sultry summers and not very warm winters, with little rain.
The southeast is a humid climate, the rains fall the same throughout the year, in the summer the air warms up to + 24 ° C, in winter - up to + 9 ° C.
If we compare the climate zones in which Africa and Australia are located, we can see a great similarity in the weather conditions of both continents.
Land of ice and snow
Antarctica is the mainland of cold and ice. It is located in two climatic zones: Antarctic and subantarctic.
Antarctic The belt comprises almost the entire territory of the continent, which covers an ice layer having a thickness of up to 4.5 km. And this is of great importance in shaping the climate of Antarctica, since ice reflects up to 90% of sunlight, which makes it difficult to warm the surface of the continent.
Arctic winter and summer
In summer, on a polar day, the temperature in the Arctic is -32 ° C. In winter, on a polar night, it drops below -64 ° C. The maximum low temperature was -89 ° C; it was recorded at Vostok station. Strong winds reach 80-90 m / s.
Subantarctic The belt is located in the northern part of Antarctica. Here the climate is milder, and the ice layer is not so thick and in some places exposes the rocks, with mosses and lichens growing on them. Precipitation in the form of snow falls in small quantities. The temperature in summer is slightly higher than 0 ° C.
If we compare the climatic zones in which Africa and Antarctica are located, we can once again see how radically the weather conditions on our planet can differ.