Goh Cheng Leong Chapter 19 – Warm Temperate Western Mediterranean Climate YouTube Lecture Handouts
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Goh Cheng Leong Chapter 19: Warm Temperate Western Mediterranean Climate
- Western area between
- Shifting of wind belts
- Winter rain climate
Dry Warm Summer with offshore trades
- Trade winds are offshore – no rain
- Air is dry – intense heat & RH is low
- Interior – prolonged droughts
- Night – Rapid radiation & frosts are rare
Rainfall in winter with on-shore Westerlies – rainfall in winter when Westerlies shift equatorward
- N. Hemisphere – On-shore westerlies bring cyclonic rain
- Heavy showers with bright sunny periods
- Mountains act as barrier to onshore westerlies – Iberia, Meseta & Sierra – Portugal coast is wetter than E. Spain
- Steep hills of eastern Adriatic – rainiest
- Rain starts in Sept. , peak in Oct.
- Can cause floods – Libson (1967)
Climate is transition b/w Trade wind hot desert (S) & Cool temperate maritime (N)
Local Winds
Sirocco- Hot, dry dusty wind – from Sahara – most frequent in spring – accompanied by depressions.
- Chili – Tunisia
- Ghibli – Libya
- Leveche – Spain
- Khamsin – Egypt & Malta
- Gharbi – Adriatic & Aegean Sea – cause fog & rain – blood rain (red dust)
- Mistral – Cold wind from north – down to Rhone valley (40 - 80 miles/hr) – funneling effect (b/w Alps & Central Massif)
- Bora – cold northeasterly wind along Adriatic coast – difference in pressure b/w continental Europe and Mediterranean – occur in winter
- Tramontana – cold wind
- Gregale – cold wind
Natural Vegetation
- Trees with small broad leaves
- Absence of shade
- Growth slow in cooler & wetter season
- Growth restricted to autumn and spring – good moisture & high temp.
- Mediterranean evergreen – open woodlands – evergreen oaks (cork oak – Spain & Portugal- thick bark for wine-making bottle cork & its export) . Australia – Eucalyptus, Jarrah & karri. California – giant sequoia or redwoods
- Evergreen coniferous trees – pines, firs, cedar & cypress
- Mediterranean bushes – low bush in scattered clump – laurel, lavender, rosemary. Scrub vegetation – scattered, stunted tree and tall bushes –
- Maquis – France
- Macchia – Italy
- Chaparral – California
- Mallee Scrub – Australia
Limestone upland – thin soil – xerophytic ground creeper (garrigue)
Grass – slow growing, wiry, bunchy
Economic Development
Mediterranean shorelands – cradle of civilization
Orchard framing – citrus fruits – orange, lime, lemon, citron, grapefruit – long roots to draw water in summer droughts
Irrigation canals – Great Valley of California, Vale of Chile, Negev Desert of Israel
- Sunkist oranges – squash – California
- Seville oranges – marmalade – Spain
- Jaffa oranges – Israel
- Tangerine oranges – Tangiers
- Mandarin oranges – China & Japan
70% orange export from Mediterranean
Olives – Hardy & long rooted – survive on poor limestone with scanty rainfall – versatile, species, oil, cooking, soap etc.
Nuts – chestnut, almond, walnut, hazelnut
Fruits – Peach, apricot, pear, plum, cherry, fig
Wheat – hard winter wheat – macaroni, spaghetti, vermicelli (sowing in autumn)
Barley – important cereal
Wine
Best from grapes – 85% grapes used for wine
Viticulture – wine production – 3⟋4th from Mediterranean region
Wine as national drink – Spain, Portugal, France & Italy
Wine cultivation – climate, soil, fermentation
- Sherry – France
- Port Wine – Portugal
- Asti & Marsala – Italy
- Champagne in Paris (France)
- Bordeaux in Garonne (France)
- Burgundy in Rhone-Saone Valley (France)
Dried Grapes
- Currants – Levantine grapes
- Raisins – California
- Sultanas – Asia Minor
Also known for fruit canning, flour milling & food processing
✍ Manishika