Are med climates overrated? (temperatures, Chicago, storms, locations)
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Location: Segovia, central Spain, 1230 m asl, Csb Mediterranean with strong continental influence, 40º43 N
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Originally Posted by flamingGalah!
In a word no. I don't think any northern Europeans travelling to the Med in the winter think they are going to the 'tropics', they are well aware of how warm it is there & they go there because it is a damn site warmer than northern Europe! 16C & sunshine is far better in my book than -5C & freezing rain, but each to his own I guess
Also winters in the Med are shorter & sunnier, despite receiving most of their annual rainfall during this time. Malta gets an average of 5-6 hours of sunshine a day in January & like in continental climates can also get periods of above average warmer weather (20C +) from time to time too, something which never happens in places like the UK...
That's why some southern Europeans like travelling to Caribbean islands or Canary islands in winter months, at least some Spaniards do.
Well, almost Mediterranean coastline from southern Europe and northern Africa experienced short andrelatively sunny winters. However, the most notherly part of Mediterranean coastline of Europe can get many cloudy speels.
Thus, once you move further inland in the three peninsulas that make southern Europe, you can get cloudy and cold weather most of the time from late autumn to early spring.
Yes, they are definitely overrated. But I can understand why people coming from Scandinavia or Canada often appreciate the Mediterranean winters (although I do not agree with them), which are indeed mild and sunny in comparison as a whole. What I really can not understand is why so many people think that the Mediterranean climates are mild year-round, while they actually have always hot, humid summers (except for very few spots) and sometimes chilly, windy, rainy and damp winters.
However, among the places put in the "Mediterreanean climate" belt the real climates are not always the same. European mediterreanean climates are different from American ones and from one another, sometimes greatly.
What I really can not understand is why so many people think that the Mediterranean climates are mild year-round, while they actually have always hot, humid summers (except for very few spots) and sometimes chilly, windy, rainy and damp winters.
However, among the places put in the "Mediterreanean climate" belt the real climates are not always the same. European mediterreanean climates are different from American ones and from one another, sometimes greatly.
American Mediterranean climates do not have humid summers. I think southern hemisphere ones don't as well. As for heat, ones near the coast don't have hot summers. These aren't bad, for example
American Mediterranean climates do not have humid summers. I think southern hemisphere ones don't as well. As for heat, ones near the coast don't have hot summers. These aren't bad, for example
If your impression of Mediterranean climates is from coastal California, mild year around is an accurate impression.
I think coastal California needs to be reclassified as downright arid (or mild desert) based on the pathetic rain totals this year. Almost all of the coastal locations, from SF south, is WAY under the 10 inch threshold in order to meet the criteria for "arid."
No, they aren't overrated.
Mediterranean climates are usually great, warm and sunny, both european and american. The mildest mediterranean cities - San Remo, Nice, Sorrento - are just perfect, with mild to unknown winters and warm, but rarely too hot, summers.
Other mediterranean cities are a bit too hot in the summer and too rainy in winter, but they can boast an enviable climate overall.
Med climates are my favourite. Reliable warm and sunny summers that are not too hot (apart from the southern european ones) and mild winters that are still sunny/
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