What is the climate type of southern Europe?

Temperate continental climate zone

This zone includes two climate types: temperate continental humid climate and temperate continental semi-arid and arid climate. Generally speaking, eastern Central Europe and central Eastern Europe belong to the former. , southern Eastern Europe belongs to the latter.

The climate in eastern Central Europe transitions from oceanic to continental. The influence of polar marine air masses dominates here all year round. Winters are mild and summer temperatures are not high. The average temperature in January is generally 0-4℃, and can reach -5℃ in a few areas. The average temperature in July is generally around 18℃. In a few areas it can exceed 20℃. However, ice ocean air masses and polar continental air masses also often invade, so the weather is very unstable. Precipitation is greatly affected by terrain. It is generally 500-600 mm in plain areas and more in summer.

The climate in Eastern Europe is divided into two regions: north and south. The mixed forest zone in the central part is the northern zone, which has a humid continental climate. It is greatly affected by polar ocean air masses. There is no severe cold in winter and the temperature in summer is not too high. The average temperature in most areas in January is between -5 and 14 degrees Celsius. The average temperature in July does not exceed 20℃, and the annual precipitation is generally 500-600 mm, even more in some areas. The southern zone is located in the Eurasian high-pressure axis (the Soviets called it the "Voyekov high-pressure axis") and the area south of this high-pressure axis. Here, the westerly airflow and related cyclone activities have significantly weakened, anticyclonic weather has increased, and annual precipitation has increased. It is generally 300-500 mm, 200 mm or less in the southeast, and the summer temperature is between 20-25°C. The water balance of the entire southern region is negative, and it has a temperate continental semi-arid and arid climate. Most of the natural landscape is grassland, and the southeast is semi-desert or desert. The southern region is rich in heat resources and fertile land, and is a major agricultural area. However, due to insufficient precipitation and high variability, droughts often occur.