7.5.5: Humid Continental Climate

Last updated
Save as PDF

Page ID: 21725

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

Geographic Distribution

The humid continental climate, class Df or Dw, is found over great expanses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes. The humid continental climate is noted for its variable weather patterns related to cyclonic storms and its large temperature range due to its interior location in mid-latitude continents.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Temperature

Annual temperature ranges can exceed 40^oC (82^oF). Where the periphery of the climate borders the ocean, summer temperatures are slightly cooler and winter temperatures slightly warmer than the interior. During the winter, the polar high expands in area to influence the northern portion of the continental humid climate. Record-setting cold temperatures occur during winter when continental arctic air masses sweep into the region. Otherwise, continental polar air masses dominate for much of the winter.

Iowa farmland — Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Agriculture has replaced nearly all the natural prairie grass found in the drier portion of the humid continental climate. (Courtesy: NRCS)

Precipitation

Precipitation in the humid continental climate is primarily due to invasions of maritime tropical air. In North America, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Ocean serve as source regions for maritime tropical (mT) air masses. Much of the precipitation east of the Rocky Mountains is due to the humid nature of the mT air, whether this be during the summer or the winter. A noticeable decrease and seasonality to the precipitation occurs as distance from the source region increases.