700 CLIMATE OF EUROPE, 



In the middle latitudes of Europe, the mean 

 temperature of winter varies from 38 to 40, and 

 that of summer from 58 to 66 ; while in the south 

 of Europe, it is from 45 to 52 in winter, and 

 from 70 to 75 in summer. The mean difference, 

 therefore, between winter and summer, varies 

 from about 20 to 25 ; and the average of the 

 year is from about 50 to 60, while the annual 

 extremes are from about 10 in winter, to 85 or 

 90 in summer. In the north of Europe between 

 lat. 50 and 60. the mean annual temperature 

 varies from 50 to 38, that of winter from 30 to 

 to 10, and that of summer from 62 to 69; so 

 that between the mean of winter and summer, 

 the difference is from 39 to 52, while the annual 

 extremes are from 120 to 130. 



In the United States, the mean temperature of 

 the year between lat. 48 and 30, is nearly the 

 same as in Europe between lat. 35 and 60;* 

 and varies from about 40 in the north, to 60 and 

 upwards in the south. But owing to the greater 

 amount of dry land in polar America, and the 

 absence of an ocean wind from the west, the ex- 

 tremes of temperature are much greater east of 



* Owing to the prevalence of winds from the Atlantic during 

 the greater part of the year, the west of Europe has a maritime 

 climate, and a higher mean temperature than Asia or America, 

 in the same latitudes. But as Humboldt observes, this is owing 

 in part to the heating influence of Africa, from which Europe is 

 separated on the south only by the Mediterranean ; and partly to 

 the small amount of land in the polar latitudes. 



