Earth Science 7-Europe/Iceland 8

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Earth Science 7-Regions

Countries

• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Denmark
• Sweden
• Norway
• Finland
• Russia
• Monaco
• Malta
• Italy
• France
• Spain
• San Marino
• Portugal
• Germany
• The Netherlands
• Belgium
• Switzerland
• Luxembourg
• Liechtenstein
• Austria
• Estonia
• Latvia
• Poland
• Lithuania
• Czech Republic
• Slovakia
• Hungary
• Romania
• Moldova
• Ukraine
• Belarus
• Slovenia
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Turkey
• Armenia
• Greece
• Albania
• Bulgaria
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Macedonia
• Yugoslavia
• Armenia
• Georgia
• Kosovo
• Serbia
• Azerbaijan
• Montenegro

Elevations

Highest Elevation: Mt. Elbrus 5,642 m Lowest Elevation: Caspian Sea 28 m below sea level

Latitude and Longitude range

48° 41' 27" N / 9° 8' 26" E

Iceland

65° 0' 0" N / 18° 0' 0" W

Prevailing Winds

Europe

The winds in Europe are mostly Prevailing Westerlies These Westerlies bring mild maritime air from the Atlantic but prevent cold arctic air from reaching Europe.

Iceland

The winds in Iceland are mostly Prevailing Easterlies. Westerlies are very infrequent. Wind speed tend to be higher in the highlands, but topographic features may change the strength and speed of winds in lowland areas.

Major Topographic Features

Mountain Ranges

• Kjolen Moutains
• Ural Mountains
• The Alps
• Carpathian Mountains
• Balkan Mountains
• Apennines Mountains
• Dinacarie Mountains
• Caucasus Mountains
• Pyrenees Mountains

Plains

• Meseta in Spain (the high plains of Spain)
• Great Hungarian Plain
• North European

Plateaus

• Massif Central
• Mesata
• Plateaus and Lowlands throughout France, Germany, and Czech Republic
• Central Russian Upland

Other

• Atlantic Highlands
• Scandanavian Shield

Major Bodies of Water

Seas

• Barents Sea
• White Sea
• Norwegian Sea
• North Sea
• Sea of the Hebrides
• Irish Sea
• Celtic Sea
• Adriatic Sea
• Aegean Sea
• Black Sea
• Sea of Azov
• Sea of Crete
• Ionian Sea
• Mediterranean Sea
• Thyrhenian Sea
• Balearic Sea
• Ligurian Sea
• Sea of Marmara
• Aborian Sea
• Baltic Sea
• Caspian Sea
• North Sea

Straits and Channels

• St. Georg's Channel
• Bristol Channel
• Strait of Dover
• English Channel
• Bospurus Strait
• Strait of Gibraltar

Gulfs

• Gulf of Bothania
• Skagerrak
• Gulf of Finland
• Gulf of Riga
• Gulf of Venice

Bays

• Kattegat
• Bay of Biscal

Rivers

• Volga
• Danube
• Ural
• Dnieper
• Don
• Pechora
• Northern Dvina – Vychegda
• Dniester
• Rhine
• Elbe
• Vistula
• Tagus
• Daugava
• Loire
• Tisza
• Sava
• Neman
• Meuse
• Ebro
• Douro
• Kuban
• Mezen
• Oder
• Neva – Svir – Suna
• Rhône
• Seine
• Mureş
• Drava
• Guadiana
• Prut
• Po

Bordering Oceans

• Atlantic Ocean
• Arctic Ocean

Iceland

• Bordering Waters
  • Norwegian Sea
  • Atlantic Ocean

Bodies of water

• Apavatn
• Arnarvatn
• Bardarlaug
• Botnstjörn
• Crater lakes of Iceland
• Frostastaõavatn
• Frozen lakes of Iceland
• Glacial lakes of Iceland
• Grænavatn
• Hagavatn
• Kleifarvatn
• Lambavatn
• Laugarvatn
• Ljósavatn
• Mývatn
• Màsvatn
• Skiõyvatn
• Tjörnin
• Vesturhopsvatn
• Víti
• Álftavatn
• Úlfljótsvatn
• Þingvallavatn

Average Temperature (Fareignheit)and Precipitation (inches)

Norway

• Temp: Jan:32 Feb:32 Mar:35 Apr:39 May:46 Jun:52 Jul:56 Aug:56 Sep:50 Oct:43 Nov:37 Dec:33
• Precip: Jan:2.3 Feb:1.8 Mar:1.9 Apr:1.9 May:2.4 Jun:3.1 Jul:3.2 Aug:3.7 Sep:3.6 Oct:3.6 Nov:3.4 Dec:2.6

Sweden

• Temp: Jan:27 Feb:26 Mar:32 Apr:39 May:51 Jun:58 Jul:63 Aug:61 Sep:52 Oct:43 Nov:35 Dec:28
• Precip: Jan:1.9 Feb:1.2 Mar:1.2 Apr:1.4 May:1.9 Jun:1.9 Jul:2.6 Aug:3.1 Sep:2.9 Oct:2.4 Nov:2.4 Dec:1.9

Finland

• Temp: Jan:22 Feb:21 Mar:28 Apr:38 May:50 Jun:57 Jul:62 Aug:59 Sep:50 Oct:41 Nov:32 Dec:25
• Precip: Jan:1.8 Feb:1.4 Mar:1.4 Apr:1.5 May:1.7 Jun:1.8 Jul:2.4 Aug:2.9 Sep:2.6 Oct:2.7 Nov:2.6 Dec:2.2

Latvia

• Temp: Jan:28 Feb:26 Mar:32 Apr:39 May:50 Jun:57 Jul:62 Aug:60 Sep:55 Oct:46 Nov:37 Dec:32
• Precip: Jan:1.7 Feb:1.1 Mar:1.4 Apr:1.4 May:1.5 Jun:1.8 Jul3.0 Aug:3.0 Sep:2.9 Oct:3.2 Nov:3.5 Dec:2.4

Russia

• Temp: Jan:16 Feb:18 Mar:28 Apr:42 May:54 Jun:60 Jul:63 Aug:60 Sep:50 Oct:39 Nov:28 Dec:21
• Precip: Jan:1.4 Feb:1.1 Mar:1.3 Apr:1.5 May:2.0 Jun:2.6 Jul:3.2 Aug:2.8 Sep:2.3 Oct:2 Nov:1.7 Dec:1.7

Ukraine

• Temp: Jan:32 Feb:32 Mar:35 Apr:48 May:59 Jun:68 Jul:73 Aug:71 Sep:60 Oct:50 Nov:42 Dec:35
• Precip: Jan:1.5 Feb:1.1 Mar:1.1 Apr:1.0 May:2.0 Jun:2.4 Jul:1.3 Aug:1.1 Sep:1.1 Oct:0.7 Nov:1.4 Dec:1.3

Belarus

• Temp: Jan:22 Feb:23 Mar:32 Apr:43 May:55 Jun:60 Jul:63 Aug:62 Sep:53 Oct:43 Nov:33 Dec:26
• Precip: Jan:1.7 Feb:1.5 Mar:1.5 Apr:1.8 May:2.3 Jun:3.2 Jul:3.5 Aug:3.2 Sep:2.3 Oct:1.8 Nov:2.0 Dec:1.9

Poland

• Temp: Jan:29 Feb:29 Mar:37 Apr:46 May:56 Jun:61 Jul:64 Aug:64 Sep:56 Oct:47 Nov:37 Dec:32
• Precip: Jan:1.1 Feb:1.0 Mar:1.2 Apr:1.5 May:2.0 Jun:2.6 Jul:3.0 Aug:2.8 Sep:1.8 Oct:1.6 Nov:1.5 Dec:1.4

Czech Republic

• Temp: Jan:29 Feb:30 Mar:39 Apr:45 May:55 Jun:60 Jul:63 Aug:63 Sep:57 Oct:47 Nov:37 Dec:32
• Precip: Jan:0.8 Feb:0.7 Mar:1.0 Apr:1.4 May:2.3 Jun:2.7 Jul:2.6 Aug:2.5 Sep:1.6 Oct:1.2 Nov:1.1 Dec:0.9

Hungary

• Temp: Jan:30 Feb:32 Mar:39 Apr:50 May:59 Jun:66 Jul:68 Aug:66 Sep:59 Oct:50 Nov:41 Dec:32
• Precip: Jan:1.4 Feb:1.3 Mar:1.5 Apr:1.7 May:2.4 Jun:2.5 Jul:2.6 Aug:2.4 Sep:1.8 Oct:2.0 Nov:1.9 Dec:1.8

Romania

• Temp: Jan:30 Feb:32 Mar:42 Apr:52 May:62 Jun:68 Jul:72 Aug:71 Sep:64 Oct:53 Nov:40 Dec:33
• Precip: Jan:1.7 Feb:1.5 Mar:1.4 Apr:1.8 May:2.6 Jun:3.4 Jul:2.2 Aug:2.2 Sep:1.4 Oct:1.1 Nov:1.8 Dec:1.6

Bulgaria

• Temp: Jan:36 Feb:40 Mar:44 Apr:53 May:62 Jun:69 Jul:73 Aug:74 Sep:67 Oct:57 Nov:49 Dec:42
• Precip: Jan:2.3 Feb:1.2 Mar:2.0 Apr:2.6 May:3.1 Jun:2.5 Jul:0.9 Aug:0.7 Sep:1.4 Oct:2.8 Nov:2.7 Dec:3.7

Turkey

• Temp: Jan:42 Feb:42 Mar:46 Apr:54 May:62 Jun:70 Jul:74 Aug:74 Sep:69 Oct:61 Nov:52 Dec:46
• Precip: Jan:3.7 Feb:2.8 Mar:2.3 Apr:1.7 May:1.2 Jun:0.9 Jul:0.7 Aug:0.6 Sep:1.1 Oct:2.1 Nov:3.5 Dec:3.8

Greece

• Temp: Jan:50 Feb:50 Mar:54 Apr:59 May:67 Jun:75 Jul:81 Aug:81 Sep:75 Oct:67 Nov:59 Dec:53
• Precip: Jan:4.4 Feb:3.5 Mar:2.9 Apr:1.9 May:1.1 Jun:0.3 Jul:0.1 Aug:0.4 Sep:1.2 Oct:3.6 Nov:5.5 Dec:6.0

Croatia

• Temp: Jan:44 Feb:46 Mar:50 Apr:55 May:64 Jun:71 Jul:77 Aug:77 Sep:69 Oct:60 Nov:53 Dec:46
• Precip: Jan:3.2 Feb:2.6 Mar:2.7 Apr:2.4 May:1.6 Jun:1.5 Jul:1.0 Aug:1.5 Sep:2.4 Oct:3.5 Nov:3.9 Dec:4

Macedonia

• Temp: Jan:32 Feb:38 Mar:46 Apr:54 May:62 Jun:69 Jul:73 Aug:73 Sep:66 Oct:56 Nov:43 Dec:35
• Precip: Jan:1.5 Feb:1.4 Mar:1.6 Apr:1.5 May:2.3 Jun:1.9 Jul:1.4 Aug:1.1 Sep:1.4 Oct:1.8 Nov:2.3 Dec:1.8

Austria

• Temp: Jan:27 Feb:31 Mar:40 Apr:49 May:57 Jun:63 Jul:66 Aug:66 Sep:60 Oct:48 Nov:39 Dec:32
• Precip: Jan:3.0 Feb:1.0 Mar:1.1 Apr:1.4 May:3.0 Jun:3.3 Jul:5.8 Aug:3.1 Sep:1.8 Oct:1.2 Nov:1.7 Dec:0.9

Italy

• Temp: Jan:48 Feb:48 Mar:52 Apr:56 May:64 Jun:71 Jul:76 Aug:76 Sep:71 Oct:63 Nov:54 Dec:50
• Precipe: Jan:3.8 Feb:3.2 Mar:3.0 Apr:3.0 May:2.0 Jun:1.5 Jul:0.9 Aug:1.2 Sep:3.1 Oct:5.2 Nov:5.0 Dec:4.7

Germany

• Temp: Jan:34 Feb:36 Mar:43 Apr:48 May:57 Jun:62 Jul:66 Aug:66 Sep:59 Oct:50 Nov:41 Dec:37
• Precip: Jan:1.8 Feb:1.6 Mar:2.1 Apr:2.3 May:2.4 Jun:2.9 Jul:2.4 Aug:2.9 Sep:2.1 Oct:2.2 Nov:2.3 Dec:2.2

Denmark

• Temp: Jan:33 Feb:32 Mar:37 Apr:43 May:53 Jun:59 Jul:62 Aug:62 Sep:56 Oct:49 Nov:41 Dec:36
• Precip: Jan:1.7 Feb:1.0 Mar:1.4 Apr:1.6 May:1.7 Jun:2.1 Jul:2.6 Aug:2.9 Sep:2.0 Oct:2.1 Nov:2.1 Dec:2.0

France

• Temp: Jan:37 Feb:38 Mar:44 Apr:49 May:55 Jun:60 Jul:64 Aug:63 Sep:59 Oct:51 Nov:42 Dec:37
• Precip: Jan:2.2 Feb:1.8 Mar:1.6 Apr:1.7 May:2.2 Jun:2.4 Jul:2.3 Aug:2.6 Sep:2.2 Oct:2.1 Nov:2.3 Dec:2.3

Netherlands

• Temp: Jan:38 Feb:37 Mar:43 Apr:47 May:54 Jun:59 Jul:62 Aug:62 Sep:58 Oct:51 Nov:44 Dec:40
• Precip: Jan:3.1 Feb:1.7 Mar:3.5 Apr:1.5 May:2.0 Jun:2.4 Jul:2.9 Aug:2.4 Sep:3.2 Oct:4.1 Nov:3.0 Dec:2.8

United Kingdom

• Temp: Jan:37 Feb:38 Mar:42 Apr:47 May:52 Jun:57 Jul:61 Aug:61 Sep:56 Oct:50 Nov:43 Dec:39
• Precip: Jan:1.7 Feb:1.5 Mar:1.5 Apr:1.3 May:1.9 Jun:2.1 Jul:2.2 Aug:2.4 Sep:1.5 Oct:2.6 Nov:1.9 Dec:2.2

Ireland

• Temp: Jan:42 Feb:41 Mar:42 Apr:46 May:50 Jun:55 Jul:57 Aug:59 Sep:55 Oct:51 Nov:46 Dec:44
• Precip: Jan:3.7 Feb:2.7 Mar:2.7 Apr:2.2 May:2.2 Jun:2.0 Jul:2.1 Aug:2.9 Sep:3.1 Oct:3.7 Nov:3.9 Dec:3.8

Iceland

• Temp: Jan:31 Feb:33 Mar:33 Apr:37 May:43 Jun:48 Jul:52 Aug:51 Sep:45 Oct:40 Nov:35 Dec:32
• Precip: Jan:3.4 Feb:2.9 Mar:3.0 Apr:2.2 May:1.7 Jun:1.8 Jul:2.0 Aug:2.4 Sep:2.8 Oct:3.5 Nov:3.3 Dec:3.3

Spain

• Temp: Jan:42 Feb:45 Mar:49 Apr:53 May:60 Jun:69 Jul:76 Aug:76 Sep:69 Oct:58 Nov:49 Dec:44
• Precip: Jan:1.8 Feb:1.7 Mar:1.5 Apr:1.8 May:1.6 Jun:1.0 Jul:0.4 Aug:0.4 Sep:1.2 Oct:1.8 Nov:2.5 Dec:1.9

Koppen Classification System

• Very Southern Europe- bright green, Csa, warm temperature, summer dry, and hot summer
• A sliver of Southern Europe- light green-Csb, Warm temperature, dry summer, and warm summer
• Patches of Southern Europe- very dark green- Cfa, Warm temperature, fully humid, hot summer
• Central/most of Euorpe- dark green- Cfb, warm temperature, full humid, warm summer
• North East Europe- purple- Dfb, snow, fully humid, warm summer
• Northern Europe- dark pink- Dfc, snow, fully humid, cool summer
• Sliver of Northern Europe and all of Icleland- ET, polar, polar tundra

• Europe is at a high lattitude, so you would expect it to be very cold, but warm ocean currents blow around Europe, so the temperature stays mild. Also, there are a bunch of Mountain Ranges (The Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians,Balkan, Rhodopes)in southern Europe. These mountain ranges cause southern Europe to be hot and arid, while northern central Europe is humid and warm. Northern Europe (Norway, Sweden, Finland) is very cold because it is so close to the arctic circle and so far away from the equator. It is also very moist because lows usually sit at the north west end of europe, allowing moisture to collect, and a hight usually sits towards the south of europe, making less room for water in the air. Prevailing winds blow up from the south past England and northern Europe, bringing warm air with them, causing these areas to be warm, or warmer than they would be, despite their high altitude. In the North West part of Europe, there is a mountain range causing that area to have a high elevation. Since temperature decreases as altitude (elevation) increases, that area has a Polar climate, which is different than the area surrounding it. Also, there is a mountain range (high elevation) in southern Europe. This area is a region of Polar and a region of Snow. the area surrounding this mountain range does not have a high elevation, and contrastly has a warm temperature. Most of Europe, exept for a sliver in the south, has a very humid climate. This is because there is an ocean right next to Europe.
• Iceland is very near the arctic circle, so due to it's elevation, it is cold. However, on the east of iceland there is a warm ocean current blowing up towards iceland. That is why there is a sliver of warm regions on the south side of Iceland. On the other hand, there is a cold ocean current coming from the northwest side of Iceland. There is a low pressure system that hangs out around iceland, so there is moisture. Iceland is a polar tundra, and because the frozen water can not sink into the ground, it supportst mosses, lichens, and shrubs. Prevailing winds blowing from the North East side of Iceland to Iceland bring down cold air, causing Iceland to be colder. However, there is a prevailing wind that blows from the South West to Iceland, bringing warm air with it. This causes a sliver of the South West side of Iceland to be warmer. The most of and central part of Iceland is a mountain. This causes a high elevation. This is a factor of why Iceland is so cold. The very South West side of Iceland does not have a high elevation. It is a little bit warmer than the rest of Iceland because of this. Iceland is very humid because it is surrounded by water.