American Climate

The climate of the US is temperate, with four distinct seasons. The USA is a very large country, so it has several different climate' zones.

The coldest regions are in the north and northeast, where a lot of snow falls in winter. The climate of Alaska is arctic.

All along the western coast, the temperature changes little between winter and summer months, while in the north central part of the country the temperature difference between winter and summer is very great — 36 degrees centigrade and even more. In all of the heavily populated parts of the United States the summer can be extremely hot, and particularly near the eastern seaboard it is very unpleasant. In the winter, on the other hand, it can be very cold.

The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast. Parts of the Pacific coast are very wet. It is determined by the range of mountains. The west coastal territory is favourable for agriculture.

To the east, beyond the mountains, there is a vast dry region. This dry land extends from Canada to Mexico. But still farther east, in the southeastern United States, you can find another wet region. On the whole the East is much wetter than the West. The climate of eastern and central America is continental and more resembles that of Russia.

One of the most important geographical boundaries in the United States is the 50-centimeter rainfall line, which runs north and south almost through the middle of the country. East of the line, farming is relatively easy, and the population is relatively large. West of the line, there are irrigation systems, dry-farming, grazing and fewer people.

The south has a subtropical climate. The hottest places are Florida, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

Americans can gather several crops a year. They grow wheat and corn (in the north and the northeast), tobacco and cotton (in the southeast), grapes (in the west). In the west cattle breeding is popular (sheep, cows). On the whole agricultural conditions are very favourable.

1. How can you characterize the climate of the USA? 2. What are the coldest regions in the USA? 3. What are " the hottest regions? 4. What regions are the wettest? 5. What region is very dry? 6. Can you compare the agricultural conditions in Russia and in the USA? 7. Compare the climate in the USA and in Russia. Are they different or alike? Why? 8. What kind of weather do you like best of all?