Why do the central plains have the extremes of temperature?

Answer 1

Places in the centre of landmasses tend to have greater extremes of temperature. For example, in the Northern Hemisphere, Moscow often has the highest summer temperature and the lowest winter one.

The reason is that bodies of water retain their temperature longer than solid earth does. The sea heats up slowly in spring but stays warmer into autumn than the land does.

This means that coastal areas are warmed and cooled slowly, while areas a long way inland cool and warm up more rapidly.

Answer 2

The central plains have extremes of temperature due to their location far from large bodies of water, which can moderate temperature fluctuations. Additionally, the lack of significant elevation changes means there is less influence from mountains to block or redirect weather patterns, leading to more dramatic temperature changes.