Explain the features of the marine west coast climate. What ...

[Jramos095]

Explain the features of the marine west coast climate.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Compare and contrast the Marine west coast (Cfb) climate found along the coast of Washington (Seattle, for instance) with the Humid continental (Dfa) climate found in Maine (Caribou, for instance). Interestingly, these two cities are within 1 degree of latitude of each other but have very different climates.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[carojassy25]

Answer to Question 1

Answer: The student answer could include: upper middle latitude west coasts including western Europe and North America as far north as southern Alaska; westerly wind belt and jet stream year round; many front passages; moderate summers and cool winters; many days of low clouds and drizzle.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: This is a matter of the relative continentality of the climates. The Cfb has less annual temperature range because of the proximity of the westerlies off of the Pacific Ocean. Caribou is not so far from the Atlantic Ocean but receives most of its air masses from the North American continent. Caribou is usually much colder than Seattle in the winter. Both have more precipitation than evapotranspiration but Caribou receives much more snow.