7.2 Climate and Environments

Notes

• Western and northwestern Europe have a marine west coast climate: mild and rainy, because the North Atlantic Drift (a warm current) and westerly winds bring ocean warmth.
• Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece) has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
• Eastern Europe and much of Russia have continental climates with large seasonal temperature swings.
• Northern Russia has subarctic taiga, the largest forest on Earth, and tundra with permafrost.
• Moscow is about as far north as southern Alaska, yet it is not as cold as places at the same latitude in Siberia because it is closer to the Atlantic.
• Environmental issues: air and water pollution from industry, acid rain, thawing permafrost.