Reflection Post #2: Climates

I've chosen to compare two very different climates. As mentioned in the previous blog, Limon is considered either an equatorial full humid (Af) or an equatorial monsoon (Am) under the Koppen-Geiger scale. If you were to travel north from Costa Rica you would go through a series of climates until you reach the Yukon Territory. There you will finally find climate Dfc (Snow, fully humid, cool summer), and this is the climate you would find the town of Mayo.

Brrrrrr! Looks cold! Found here: http://www.packyabags.com/canada/rubyrange/14daywinter.htm

Found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael_edwards/3328053071/

Though the Mayo area is considered humid, it only gets an average of .9 inches of moisture per month with the wetter months during the summer. This is no where near Limon's average of 10-12 inches per month.

Climograph for Mayo, YT. Found here:  http://www.climatetemp.info/canada/mayo-yukon-territory.html

Climograph for Limon, CR. Found here: Found here: http://www.world-climates.com/city-climate-limon-costa-rica-north-america/ 

The lack of moisture and the cold temps are inconducive for the types of vegetation seen in Limon, but there are a handful of species that have evolved to survive the low temps and light moisture. These mostly include firs, pines, spruces, dogwoods, herbs and tundra grasses.

Taigia boreal forest, Yukon Territory. Found here: http://www.skolaiimages.com/stock/displayimage-1009-Taiga-Forest-boreal-forest-Yukon-Territori.html

Whereas the Costa Rican rain forests found near Limon can have over 100 species verities in a two acre area.

Costa Rican rain forest. Found here: http://www.anywherecostarica.com/destinations/habitat/rain-forest

These differences in climates have a lot to do with their location. Limon and Mayo are affected by very different air masses. The maritime tropical air mass brings warm air and moisture to Limon while the continental polar air mass works to keep Mayo cold year round. 

Picture found here (locations added by me!):http://www.nssgeography.com/physical%20web/Unit%20Climate%20and%20Weather/Air%20Masses2.htm

The maritime polar air mass brings moisture but the air mass misses Mayo in winter, bringing the moisture south. Couple this with the fact that the colder temps do not allow air to rise and cause rainfall, and you can account for the low average snow total during the winter. But as the polar air masses shrink during the summer months, the maritime polar air mass moves north and temperatures go up because of the angle of the sun allowing air to rise, bringing higher moisture levels in the summer months. At this time, the ITCZ is crossing Costa Rica, bringing excess rains in July, but Mayo is unaffected by the ITCZ.