Why does Canada have such a variety of climates?

Answer 1

There is a great deal of variety of climates across Australia. Most of the continent lies within the temperatezone, but northern Queensland and the Top End of the Northern Territory experience a tropical and sub-tropical climate, with monsoonal rains and cyclones during the summer. The vast interior is large a hot arid climate. By contrast, Tasmania and parts of Victoria can experience both very cool summer temperatures, then sudden jumps to extreme heat.

It is also very dry throughout southern Australia in summer - as witnessed through the tragic bushfires that killed over 100 in Victoria (February 2009). Australia experiences droughts for long periods of time, and associated heatwaves. Yet, at the same time people were losing their lives and homes in Victoria, others along the northern coast of Queensland were losing their homes to floods, with the promise of even more rain to come. Brisbane and regions north along the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range are prone to sudden thunderstorms in summer. Inconsistency is the catchword in Australia - for example, Melbourne and southern Victoria can easily switch from hot and dry one day to cold and wet the next.

Very few places in Australia experience snow, compared to the size of the continent. In Winter, snow falls in the Alpine regions of New South Wales and Victoria, and sometimes even in the central tablelands of NSW, near the Blue Mountains and Orange. Tasmania experiences some snow, as does Canberra, less frequently.

Answer 2

One of the main factors causing Australia to have such a dry climate is the presence of the Great Dividing Range in the east. Rainfall frequently develops east of this range, which extends up the entire eastern aboard of the continent, but under normal conditions, not much of this rain penetrates west past the range.

Another factor is the El Nino, a weather phenomenon which forms every 2-7 years, and brings dry conditions to the country. El Niño brings a shift in ocean currents and winds brings warm water in a westerly direction, displacing the usual cold water that comes up from the ocean depths. During an El Niño, changes in sea surface temperatures cause a shift in air pressure which, in turn, can result in climatic anomalies, such as severe droughts, flooding and even cyclones, in different continents. Australia is characteristically affected by droughts during an El Niño. This is because the normal circulation patterns over the Pacific are disrupted, and moisture-bearing trade winds weaken, whilst drier westerlies increase.

Another reason why Australia is so dry is because of its latitude. The mid latitudes at around 30 degrees South and North are affected by high pressure systems where air is descending and there is less cloud formation, and subsequently, little formation of rain compared to other latitudes. Note that in the far north of Australia, where the latitude is very different, summers are particularly wet, with seasonal monsoons.

Answer 3

Essentially, because it covers such a large latitudinal range, from the tropics to temperate zones. Also, it has a large area and little topography until one gets to the east coast, so there are large areas a long way from coasts, and sources of moist air. In addition, while Australia's mountains are relatively low, they have enough altitude to modify local climates and affect wind flows, as well as being very cold in winter. So, despite being an island, there are many different airmass effects, with temperature extremes from 51C to minus 22C, and annual rainfalls from 100mm to several thousand mm annually.

Answer 4

Australia does have different climate zones. Far North Queensland (Cairns) & the Northern Territory (Darwin) have a tropical climate - i.e. a hot wet summer season (monsoonal season in the Northern Territory) and a cooler winter dry season. Tasmania in the south has a much cooler climate than the mainland. Remember also that the further away from the coast, the more extreme temperature variations; e.g. Alice Springs can have extremely high temperatures during the day but cold night time temperatures. Also realize that Australia's seasons are opposite to the Northern Hemisphere.

Answer 5

hi I'm 12 so i would say the Canada is in the middle of the equator and the north

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Canada is a very large country that covers a number of climate zones (it isn't anywhere near the equator btw - it is about 50 degrees NORTH of the equator)

Canada covers 7 different climate zones which means it's weather varies from hot and humid to dry and cold.

Answer 6

Canada's vast size and diverse geography contribute to its wide range of climates. The country spans multiple latitudes and features diverse terrain, from Arctic tundra in the north to temperate rainforests on the west coast and prairies in the central region. Additionally, Canada is influenced by factors such as ocean currents, mountains, and prevailing winds, further adding to the climate variability across the country.

Answer 7

Yes. The further south, the cooler it becomes. As well as being less humid, with greater temperature variation due to seasons. West winters are cooler further South, summers are much hotter.

Answer 8

Beacause Australia's so large.