Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
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Yearly Avg. number of freezing days
Source: NOAA
Designed and made by JM Zaninetti, University of Orleans, CEDETE Institute
Figure 1.6. Average number of days of frost per year (normal years 1970-2000)
California, the Pacific Coast, and the South experience mild winters (see
Figure 1.6). The cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Miami are
usually spared any frost. The average number of days of frost in New Orleans is
only 11, in Seattle 19, and 48 in Atlanta. The West Coast is protected by the North
Pacific Current, which softens winters in the lowlands of Oregon and Washington
State, despite the mountainous terrain. Everywhere else the continental climate
brings on severe winters. There are nearly 80 days below freezing in a normal year
in New York on the 40th parallel, despite its location on the coast. There are
130 days below freezing in Chicago, despite the role of the Great Lakes in
moderating the climate in the Northeast. At higher altitudes, the number of days of
frost increases even at relatively low latitudes. There is an average of 156 days
below freezing in Denver. In the Great Plains, the Dakotas are known for their harsh
winters, with more than six months of frost per year. In the mountains of the
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