Classifying North America's Climate

In North America, temperatures are generally warmer from north to south. Recall that the Earth is a sphere, so places closer to the Equator receive more direct sunlight than places that are farther away. North America ranges in latitude from the southernmost point in the state of Florida in the United States (24.5° N) to the northernmost point on Ellesmere Island in the Nunavut Territory of Canada (83°N).

Use the thematic map of climate in Figure 4.3 to identify the following climates.

• Florida and much of the southeast portion of North America have a warm oceanic/humid subtropical climate.
• The northern portion of the region, including Ellesmere Island, is within the Arctic Circle (66.5° N) and has a tundra climate.
• Climate generally follows a latitudinal pattern east of the Rocky Mountains and throughout much of Canada.
• The climates in the western United States and the Pacific coastal region of Canada vary considerably, primarily due to changes in elevation and associated precipitation levels".