The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a
climate
Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologi ...
with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at
latitude
In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north–south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pole ...
s from 50° to 70°N, poleward of the
humid continental climates. Subarctic or boreal climates are the source regions for the cold air that affects temperate latitudes to the south in winter. These climates represent
Köppen climate classification ''Dfc'', ''Dwc'', ''Dsc'', ''Dfd'', ''Dwd'' and ''Dsd''.
Description
This type of climate offers some of the most extreme seasonal temperature variations found on the planet: in winter, temperatures can drop to below and in summer, the temperature may exceed . However, the summers are short; no more than three months of the year (but at least one month) must have a 24-hour average temperature of at least to fall into this category of climate, and the coldest month should average below (or ). Record low temperatures can approach .
With 5–7 consecutive months when the average temperature is below freezing, all moisture in the soil and subsoil freezes solidly to depths of many feet. Summer warmth is insufficient to thaw more than a few surface feet, so
permafrost prevails under most areas not near the southern boundary of this climate zone. Seasonal thaw penetrates from , depending on latitude, aspect, and type of ground.
[Subarctic Division](_blank)
Some northern areas with subarctic climates located near oceans (southern
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
, the northern fringe of Europe,
Sakhalin Oblast and
Kamchatka Oblast
Kamchatka Oblast (russian: Камча́тская о́бласть, ''Kamchatskaya oblast'') was, until being incorporated into Kamchatka Krai on July 1, 2007, a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). To the north, it bordered Magadan Oblas ...
), have milder winters and no permafrost, and are more suited for farming unless precipitation is excessive. The frost-free season is very short, varying from about 45 to 100 days at most, and a freeze can occur anytime outside the summer months in many areas.
Description
The first D indicates continental, with the coldest month below (or ).
* ''s'': A dry summer—the driest month in the high-sun half of the year (April to September in the Northern Hemisphere, October to March in the Southern Hemisphere) has less than / of rainfall and has exactly or less than the precipitation of the wettest month in the low-sun half of the year (October to March in the Northern Hemisphere, April to September in the Southern Hemisphere),
* ''w'': A dry winter—the driest month in the low-sun half of the year has exactly or less than one‑tenth of the precipitation found in the wettest month in the summer half of the year,
* ''f'': Without dry season—does not meet either of the alternative specifications above.
The third letter denotes temperature:
* ''c'': Regular subarctic, only 1–3 months above , coldest month between and .
* ''d'': Severely cold subarctic, only 1–3 months above , coldest month at or below .
Precipitation
Most subarctic climates have little precipitation, typically no more than over an entire year due to the low temperatures and
evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration (ET) is the combined processes by which water moves from the earth’s surface into the atmosphere. It covers both water evaporation (movement of water to the air directly from soil, canopies, and water bodies) and transpira ...
. Away from the coasts, precipitation occurs mostly in the summer months, while in coastal areas with subarctic climates the heaviest precipitation is usually during the autumn months when the relative warmth of sea vis-à-vis land is greatest. Low precipitation, by the standards of more temperate regions with longer summers and warmer winters, is typically sufficient in view of the very low
evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration (ET) is the combined processes by which water moves from the earth’s surface into the atmosphere. It covers both water evaporation (movement of water to the air directly from soil, canopies, and water bodies) and transpira ...
to allow a water-logged terrain in many areas of subarctic climate and to permit snow cover during winter.
A notable exception to this pattern is that subarctic climates occurring at high elevations in otherwise temperate regions have extremely high precipitation due to
orographic lift
Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and cr ...
.
Mount Washington
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.
The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934 ...
, with temperatures typical of a subarctic climate, receives an average rain-equivalent of of precipitation per year. Coastal areas of
Khabarovsk Krai
Khabarovsk Krai ( rus, Хабаровский край, r=Khabarovsky kray, p=xɐˈbarəfskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia. It is geographically located in the Russian Far East and is a part of the Far Eastern Federal Distric ...
also have much higher precipitation in summer due to orographic influences (up to in July in some areas), whilst the mountainous
Kamchatka peninsula and
Sakhalin island are even wetter, since orographic moisture isn't confined to the warmer months and creates large
glaciers in Kamchatka.
Labrador, in eastern Canada, is similarly wet throughout the year due to the semi-permanent
Icelandic Low and can receive up to of rainfall equivalent per year, creating a snow cover of up to that does not melt until June.
Vegetation and land use
Vegetation in regions with subarctic climates is generally of low diversity, as only hardy tree species can survive the long winters and make use of the short summers.
Trees are mostly limited to
conifers, as few broadleaved trees are able to survive the very low temperatures in winter. This type of forest is also known as
taiga, a term which is sometimes applied to the climate found therein as well. Even though the diversity may be low, the area and numbers are high, and the taiga (boreal) forest is the largest forest biome on the planet, with most of the forests located in Russia and Canada. The process by which plants become acclimated to cold temperatures is called
hardening.
Agricultural potential is generally poor, due to the natural infertility of soils and the prevalence of swamps and lakes left by departing
ice sheet
In glaciology, an ice sheet, also known as a continental glacier, is a mass of glacial ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than . The only current ice sheets are in Antarctica and Greenland; during the Last Glacial Period at L ...
s, and short growing seasons prohibit all but the hardiest of crops. Despite the short season, the long summer days at such latitudes do permit some agriculture. In some areas, ice has scoured rock surfaces bare, entirely stripping off the overburden. Elsewhere, rock basins have been formed and stream courses dammed, creating countless lakes.
Distribution
''Dfc'' distribution
The ''Dfc'' climate, by far the most common subarctic type, is found in the following areas:
*Northern Eurasia
**The majority of
Siberia
**The
Kamchatka Peninsula
The Kamchatka Peninsula (russian: полуостров Камчатка, Poluostrov Kamchatka, ) is a peninsula in the Russian Far East, with an area of about . The Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk make up the peninsula's eastern and west ...
and the northern and central parts of the
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands (; rus, Кури́льские острова́, r=Kuril'skiye ostrova, p=kʊˈrʲilʲskʲɪjə ɐstrɐˈva; Japanese: or ) are a volcanic archipelago currently administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the ...
and
Sakhalin Island
**The northern inland regions of
Fennoscandia
__NOTOC__
Fennoscandia ( Finnish, Swedish and no, Fennoskandia, nocat=1; russian: Фенноскандия, Fennoskandiya) or the Fennoscandian Peninsula is the geographical peninsula in Europe, which includes the Scandinavian and Kola penin ...
(milder winters in coastal areas), including most of
Finland and the
Hardangervidda plateau
**The Western
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
between , and the Eastern
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
between
**Central
Romania
**Some parts of central
Germany
**The
Tatra Mountains
The Tatra Mountains (), Tatras, or Tatra (''Tatry'' either in Slovak () or in Polish () - ''plurale tantum''), are a series of mountains within the Western Carpathians that form a natural border between Slovakia and Poland. They are the high ...
in
Poland and
Slovakia, above .
**The
Pyrenees, between
**The
Northeastern Anatolia Region and the
Pontic Alps
The Pontic Mountains or Pontic Alps ( Turkish: ''Kuzey Anadolu Dağları'', meaning North Anatolian Mountains) form a mountain range in northern Anatolia, Turkey. They are also known as the ''Parhar Mountains'' in the local Turkish and Pontic G ...
, between
**Mountain summits in
Scotland, most notably in the
Cairngorms
The Cairngorms ( gd, Am Monadh Ruadh) are a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland closely associated with the mountain Cairn Gorm. The Cairngorms became part of Scotland's second national park (the Cairngorms National Park) on 1 Se ...
and the
Nevis Range
*North America
**Most of
Interior,
Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
and
Southcentral Alaska
**The high
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
in
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...
,
Wyoming,
Idaho
Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...
,
Utah,
Montana and the
White Mountains of
New Hampshire
**Much of
Canada from about
53–
55°N to the
tree line, including:
***Southern
Labrador
***Certain areas within
Newfoundland interior and along its northern coast
***
Quebec:
Jamésie
Jamésie is a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) of Nord-du-Québec, Canada.
Its geographical code is 991 and together with Kativik TE and Eeyou Istchee TE it forms the administrative région and census division (CD) ...
,
Côte-Nord and far southern
Nunavik
***Far northern
Ontario
***The northern
Prairie Provinces
The Canadian Prairies (usually referred to as simply the Prairies in Canada) is a region in Western Canada. It includes the Canadian portion of the Great Plains and the Prairie Provinces, namely Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These provin ...
***The
Rocky Mountain Foothills in
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Terri ...
and
British Columbia
***Most of the
Yukon
***Most of the
Northwest Territories
''Dsc'' and ''Dsd'' distribution
Climates classified as ''Dsc'' or ''Dsd'', with a dry summer, are rare, occurring in very small areas at high elevation around the
Mediterranean Basin,
Iran,
Kyrgyzstan,
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
,
Tajikistan
Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...
,
Turkey,
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
and other parts of the
northwestern United States (
Eastern Washington,
Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity; thus, the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost ...
,
Southern Idaho, California's
Eastern Sierra
The Eastern Sierra is a region in California comprising the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, which includes Mono and Inyo Counties. The main thoroughfare is U.S. Route 395, which passes through Bridgeport, Lee Vining, Bishop, Big Pine, In ...
) and the
Russian Far East, such as in
Seneca, Oregon
Seneca is a city in Grant County, Oregon, United States. It is located in the Blue Mountains about south of Canyon City, on U.S. Route 395, on the edge of the Malheur National Forest. The population was 199 at the 2010 census.
History
Seneca ...
or
Atlin, British Columbia
Atlin (Tlingit: ''Wéinaa'') is a community in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the eastern shore of Atlin Lake. In addition to continued gold-mining activity, Atlin is a tourist destination for fishing, hiking and Heliskiing. As ...
.
''Dwc'' distribution
In parts of East Asia, like China, the
Siberian High makes the winters colder than places like Scandinavia or Alaska interior but extremely dry (typically with around of rainfall equivalent per month) that snow cover is very limited, creating a ''Dwc'' climate in:
*Much of northern
Mongolia
*Russia:
**Most of
Khabarovsk Krai
Khabarovsk Krai ( rus, Хабаровский край, r=Khabarovsky kray, p=xɐˈbarəfskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia. It is geographically located in the Russian Far East and is a part of the Far Eastern Federal Distric ...
except the south
**Southeastern
Sakha Republic
Sakha, officially the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia),, is the Federal subjects of Russia#List, largest republics of Russia, republic of Russia, located in the Russian Far East, along the Arctic Ocean, with a population of roughly 1 million. Sak ...
**Southern
Magadan Oblast
**Northern
Amur Oblast
Amur Oblast ( rus, Аму́рская о́бласть, r=Amurskaya oblast, p=ɐˈmurskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located on the banks of the Amur and Zeya Rivers in the Russian Far East. The administrative ...
**Northern
Buryatia
Buryatia, officially the Republic of Buryatia (russian: Республика Бурятия, r=Respublika Buryatiya, p=rʲɪsˈpublʲɪkə bʊˈrʲætʲɪjə; bua, Буряад Улас, Buryaad Ulas, , mn, Буриад Улс, Buriad Uls), is ...
**
Zabaykalsky Krai
**
Irkutsk Oblast
Irkutsk Oblast (russian: Ирку́тская о́бласть, Irkutskaya oblast; bua, Эрхүү можо, Erkhüü mojo) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in southeastern Siberia in the basins of the Angara, Lena, and Niz ...
*China:
**
Tahe County
Tahe () is a county in the far north of Heilongjiang province, and is the northernmost Chinese county. It is under the jurisdiction of Daxing'anling Prefecture.
Administrative divisions
Tahe County is divided into 4 towns, 2 townships and 1 eth ...
and
Mohe County
Mohe () is a county-level city in Daxing'anling Prefecture, Heilongjiang province. It is the northernmost city in China.
Administrative divisions
Mohe City is divided into 6 towns:
Geography
Mohe is located in the far northwest of Heilo ...
in
Heilongjiang
**Northern
Hulunbuir in
Inner Mongolia
**
Gannan in
Gansu (due to extreme elevation)
**
Huangnan, eastern
Hainan and eastern
Guoluo in
Qinghai
Qinghai (; alternately romanized as Tsinghai, Ch'inghai), also known as Kokonor, is a landlocked province in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. It is the fourth largest province of China by area and has the third smallest pop ...
(due to extreme elevation)
**Most of
Garzê and
Ngawa Autonomous Prefectures (due to extreme elevation) in
Sichuan
**Most of
Qamdo Prefecture
Chamdo, officially Qamdo () and also known in Chinese as Changdu, is a prefecture-level city in the eastern part of the Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Its seat is the town of Chengguan in Karuo District. Chamdo is Tibet's third largest city ...
(due to extreme elevation) in the
Tibet Autonomous Region
* Parts of
Ladakh (including
Siachen Glacier
The Siachen Glacier is a glacier located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas at about , just northeast of the point NJ9842 where the Line of Control between India and Pakistan ends. At long, it is the longest glacier in the Kara ...
) and
Spiti
Spiti (pronounced as Piti in Bhoti language) is a high-altitude region of the Himalayas, located in the north-eastern part of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The middle land", i.e. the land between Tib ...
regions of
India
* Parts of
Kaema Plateau
The Kaema Plateau is a highland in North Korea. It is surrounded by the Rangrim Mountains, the Macheollyeong Mountains and the Bujeollyeong Mountains. Elevation varies between 700 and 2,000 meters and is approximately 40,000 square kilometers. ...
(including
Mount Baekdu
Paektu Mountain (), also known as Baekdu Mountain and in China as Changbai Mountain ( zh, s=长白山, t=長白山; Manchu: Golmin Šanggiyan Alin), is an active stratovolcano on the Chinese–North Korean border. At , it is the highest moun ...
,
Samjiyon
Samjiyŏn is a city in Ryanggang Province, North Korea. It takes its name from three lakes in the city, which are collectively known as the Samjiyŏn. Samjiyŏn is situated near Mount Paektu, and tour groups fly to the city's airport to see th ...
,
Musan
Musan County is a county in central North Hamgyong province, North Korea. It borders the People's Republic of China to the north, across the Tumen River. It is divided into one ''ŭp'', six labor districts, and fifteen ''ri''. The county seat ...
) in
North Korea
Further north in Siberia, continentality increases so much that winters can be exceptionally severe, averaging below , even though the hottest month still averages more than . This creates ''Dfd'', ''Dwd'' and ''Dsd'' climates.
Should one go northward or even toward a polar sea, one finds that the warmest month has an average temperature of less than , and the subarctic climate grades into a
tundra climate not at all suitable for trees. Southward, this climate grades into the
humid continental climates with longer summers (and usually less-severe winters) allowing
broadleaf trees; in a few locations close to a temperate sea (as in
northern Norway and
southern Alaska
Southeast Alaska, colloquially referred to as the Alaska(n) Panhandle, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, bordered to the east and north by the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia (and a small part ...
), this climate can grade into a short-summer version of an
oceanic climate, the
subpolar oceanic climate, as the sea is approached. In China and Mongolia, as one moves southwestwards or towards lower elevations, temperatures increase but precipitation is so low that the subarctic climate grades into a cold
semi-arid climate.
Charts of selected sites
See also
*
Boreal ecology
A boreal ecosystem is an ecosystem with a subarctic climate located in the Northern Hemisphere, approximately between 50° to 70°N latitude. These ecosystems are commonly known as taiga and are located in parts of North America, Europe, and Asia ...
*
Köppen climate classification
*
Subantarctic
*
Taiga
References
{{Authority control
Köppen climate types
Climate of North America
Climate of Europe
Climate of Asia
Ecology
Subarctic