Warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb)

Warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb)

Csb : C= Temperate  s = Dry summer  b = Warm summer

 

Description

These climates usually occur on the western sides of continents between the latitudes of 30° and 45°. These climates are in the polar front region in winter, and thus have moderate temperatures and changeable, rainy weather. Summers are hot and dry, due to the domination of the subtropical high-pressure systems, except in the immediate coastal areas, where summers are milder due to the nearby presence of cold ocean currents that may bring fog but prevent rain.

Characteristics

Occasionally also termed the "Cool-summer Mediterranean climate", this subtype of the Mediterranean climate (Csb) is less common and experience warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 22 °C (72 °F) during its warmest month. Cool ocean currents, upwelling and higher latitudes are often the reason for this cooler type of Mediterranean climate. 

Location

Csb climates are found in northwestern Iberian peninsular (namely Galicia and the Norte region and west coast of Portugal), in coastal California, in the Pacific Northwest (namely western Washington, western Oregon and southern portions of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, in central Chile, in parts of southern Australia and in sections of southwestern South Africa. A few locations close to the south coast of England such as Weymouth and Portland just scrape into this climate classification due to very low rainfall in July. Rarer instances of this climate can be found in relatively small and isolated high altitude areas of the Andes in Northern Ecuador, Colombia, and Western Venezuela.

Köppen–Geiger climate classification map for Mediterranean climate (Cs). Source: Wikicommons. Author: Maulucioni, based on a previous work by Beck, H.E. et al. 2018

Köppen–Geiger climate classification map for Mediterranean climate (Cs). Source: Wikicommons. Author: Maulucioni, based on a previous work by Beck, H.E. et al. 2018

Flight safety and planning considerations

Wildfires, with their associated problems, are common in the dry season. 

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