There are 4 seasons in the entire temperate zone, it is because the Earth orbits around the Sun and its axis is inclined and the inclination does not change during one rotation.
The westerly winds are the prevailing winds in the whole zone.
Warm temperate zone
On the western side of the mainland a mediterranean climate, on the eastern side a subtropical monsoon climate has developed in the warm temperate belt.
The mediterranean area is the largest in size in the region of the Mediterranean Sea.
Two seasons:
Summer: hot and dry
Winter: mild and rainy.
Annual mean precipitation: 400-1000 mm; annual mean temperature fluctuation: 15-20°c; annual mean temperature: 10-20°c.
Winds: in summer, the descending branch of the trade winds; in winter,
The large forests have unfortunately been partially eliminated.
Vegetation: citruses, dates, grapes, figs, bay trees, Lebanon cedar trees, evergreen shrubs.
The red terra rossa is the most characteristic soil. It’s poor in humus because there is little humus formation. In the deciduous forests: cinnamon-coloured forest soil.
The water levels are extremely fluctuating because of the characteristics of the climate: in summer, the river beds may dry up but in the winter there are heavy floods.
The surface is chiefly shaped by the rivers.
The subtropical monsoon regions lie on the eastern side of the mainland.
2 seasons:
Winter: cool and dry
Summer: hot and rainy.
Annual mean precipitation: 1000-1500 mm; annual mean temperature fluctuation: 5-25°c; annual mean temperature: 10-20°c.
Winds: the alteration of summer and winter monsoon winds.
Vegetation: Bay foliage forests, bamboo, tea shrubs, rice (even 2 harvests a year), cotton.
The soils are red and yellow and are poor as they contain little humus.
The main surface forming forces: In winter: disintegration and surface washing; in summer: deepening river erosion.
Cold temperate zone
It has developed only in the northern hemisphere.
2 seasons:
Winter: very cold and long
Summer: short, relatively warm and rainy.
Annual mean temperature: 0 - -10°c; annual mean temperature fluctuation: 20-70°c; annual mean precipitation: 200-700 mm.
Winds: westerly winds and sometimes polar winds.
Vegetation: taiga. The largest pine forests.
Not so fertile podzol soils have been formed in the whole zone.
Down to the great fluctuation of temperature, disintegration is significant.
Forestry and the breeding of fur animals are significant.
True temperate belt
Between the cold and warm temperate zones.
The climate is determined by the westerly winds and the cyclones. Less and less precipitation towards the interior parts of the continents. Four regions: oceanic, moderately continental, continental and extremely continental.
The oceanic regions have developed by the coasts.
Two seasons:
Summers are cool.
Winters are mild.
Annual mean temperature: 5-12°c; annual mean temperature fluctuation:7-15°c; annual mean precipitation: 800-2000 mm.
The annual distribution of precipitation is even.
The large beech forests have largely been eliminated. The grass is green throughout the year.
Soil: brown forest soil and podzol in the cooler northern areas.
The disintegration of rocks is governed by weathering. River erosion is the main surface forming force.
The moderately continental regions lie East of oceanic regions and on the eastern coasts of the continents. Weaker and weaker oceanic features.
Winters are cold and summers are warm. Four „regular” seasons.
Annual mean temperature: 0-12°c; annual mean temperature fluctuation: 10-20°c; annual mean precipitation: 500-800 mm.
Droughts are frequent in warmer southern areas in July and August. On the eastern side of the continent, the summer monsoon brings abundant rainfall.
Vegetation: oak forests. Beech forests (400-1200 m). Towards the interior of the mainlands, wooded prairies occupy the place of deciduous forests.
Brown forest soil is the predominant soil type.
Surface forming forces: disintegration, weathering and watercourses.
Continental regions
Cold winters and warm summers. The early summer is the most rainy.
Annual mean temperature: 0-15°c; annual mean temperature fluctuation: 25-45°c; annual mean precipitation: 300-500 mm.
Westerly winds.
Vegetation: grassland. In Eurasia: steppe; in North America: prairie; in South America: pampa.
The steppe soil in the tall grass region contains much humus. Chestnut-brown soil with dwarf grasses.
Disintegration, weathering.
Vegetation: arable land; potato, wheat,
Cattle and sheep breeding.
Extremely continental regions
Cold winters and hot summers.
Annual mean temperature: 0-15°c; annual mean temperature fluctuation: 25-50°c; annual mean precipitation: 100-200 mm.
Westerly winds.
Semi-deserts and deserts. E.g. the Gobi. Located in the interior of the continents or in the vicinity of the oceans in basins surrounded by high mountains.
Nomadic shepherding, oases.
