Temperate Maritime Climate

Location:
Found in both hemispheres generally between 40 and 60 degrees latitude. Typical of west
coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents.
The maritime climate extends across Svalbard, Iceland, the Faroes, Great Britain and
Ireland, Norway, southern Sweden, western France, the Benelux (Belgium, the
Netherlands and Luxembourg), northern Germany, northwestern Spain, and most of
Denmark.
The line between maritime and continental climates in Europe runs in a generally north
to south direction. For example, western Germany is more impacted by milder Atlantic air
masses than eastern Germany. Thus, winters across Europe become colder to the east,
and (in some locations) summers become hotter. The line between maritime Europe and
Mediterranean Europe normally runs west to east and is related to changes in
precipitation patterns and differences to seasonal temperatures; although intrusions of
polar air, remnants of marine air-masses, and higher summer precipitation can create
maritime climates in Eastern Europe and transcontinental regions as far south as 40°N.
Precipitation:
Frequent cloudy conditions with precipitation, low hanging clouds, and frequent fronts and
storms. Precipitation comes in the form of rain for the majority of the year. In Europe,
particularly in the United Kingdom and in the Netherlands, recurring extratropical low-
pressure weather systems are typically known as depressions. These tend to bring wet
weather throughout the year. (Frontal Rainfall)
Temperature:
Featuring cool to warm summers and cool to mild winters, with a relatively low annual
temperature range and few extremes of temperature.
Factors affecting Maritime Climate:
Latitude: Located in mid-latitudes, so neither warm (equator) nor very cold (pole), which
means temperate climate (average annual temperature: 13 Celsius)
Air Masses: Cold polar air and warm tropical air meets which leads to differences in
temperature and density (fronts: warm, cold, occluded). Heavy frontal rain and winds and
storms due to front formation.
Continentality and distance from the sea: winds and air masses originating over
oceans move onshore to diminish differences in winter and summer temperatures.
Coastal areas are cooler and wetter than inland areas.
Formation of clouds when warm air from inland areas meets cool air from the sea.
Direction of prevailing winds: The Maritime region is under oceanic influences. Hence,
mild winters and cool summers.
Oceanic currents: North Atlantic Gulf Stream carry warm, humid winds and water. Hence,
high amounts of moisture and more rainfall.
The North Atlantic Gulf Stream, a tropical oceanic current that passes north of the
Caribbean and up the East Coast of the United States to North Carolina, then heads east-
northeast to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, is thought to greatly modify the climate
of northwest Europe. As a result of the North Atlantic Current, west coast areas located
in high latitudes like Ireland, the UK, and Norway have much milder winters (for their
latitude) than would otherwise be the case. The lowland attributes of western Europe also
help drive marine air masses into continental areas, enabling cities such as Dresden,
Prague, and Vienna to have maritime climates in spite of being located well inland from
the ocean

Mediterranean Climate
Why mediterranean region receives winter rainfall and no summer rainfall:
The mediterranean region lies between the 30 and 40 degree latitudes, which is away
from the ITCZ. During the summers, this region experiences trade winds or easterlies,
which have generally precipitated mostly by the time they reach the mediterranean region
along their path on the continents. Furthermore, considering they are easterlies and move
towards the equator, they sweep the moisture away from the mediterranean out to the
oceans.

Now, during winter period, there is reversal of winds, due to which westerlies operate and
bring the moisture from the oceans to the landmass, during which it cools, condenses
and sinks to form cloud and precipitate. Thus, this is why the winters are wet in the
mediterranenan regions.
(refer to general circulation of atmosphere diagram to understand easterlies/trade winds
and westerlies)