Compare/Contrast essay between climate characteristics from U.S.A and U.K .

Climate is what we expect,weather is what we get. Mark Twain.

The climate of one country may be represented in such as different as similar way in accordance to another one .In this contrast/compare essay we are going to analyze climate differences and similarities between U.K and U.S.A .The similarities are: the seasons division, the harsh weather, the influence of masses of air but differences are :the period of rainfall, the regional variation, the droughts. First climate similarity between these countries is the seasons division. It is standard to one country to go throw four seasons: autumn, winter, spring, and summer, during one full year. So as U.S.A as U.K submits these four seasons and as a result they have a very interesting and variable weather and climate. Like U.S.A with it unpleasant harsh weather in the northeastern part of the country with heavy snow and freezing rain in the winter U.K has the same characteristic on the South West England with snow falling no less than 10 days a year and in Scotland with Gale-force winds from Atlantic Ocean .These snows in addition with Gale-force winds can reach hurricane force which can cause some troubles in both countries. Not the last place in creating weather throws these parts of a land play the air masses. An air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adopt the characteristics of the surface below them. The U.S.A is penetrated by a big number of masses there are : the first is cold and dry continental polar brought in by North-West winds , the second is cold, moist maritime polar air is brought by East or North-East winds, the third is warm, moist maritime tropical air brought in by Southerly winds .The U.K air masses are as much as in U.S.A so there are: maritime arctic came from Arctic regions across the North sea, maritime tropical originated near the Gulf of Mexico and travelled throw Atlantic, other masses are

maritime polar , continental polar and continental tropical. The variability of weather and climate from U.S.A and U.K is due to the different air masses that meet over their territory and create such a variable weather. The second part of our compare/contrast essay will consist of differences between U.S.As and U.K .The first difference is the period of rainfall. It takes place not in the same period of time and also not in the same quantity in both countries. In U.K it rains one in three days however rainfall varies greatly from region to region. In generally it is wetter in the west part than in east and wetter in highlands than in lowlands. The wetter place from U.K is considered to be Snowdonia in Wales, Highlands in Scotland, the Lake District, the Pennines and moors of South-West England. But in the U.S.A the period of rainfall is also ranked from the wettest state at number 1-3, to the driest state at number more than 40.So we wettest weather from U.K is more favorable for their lands that is why they have a great possibility to use in big way agriculture all over their terrain. Other not less important difference is the regional variation. In U.K we distinguish only four regions which are: north west-cool summer, mild winter, heavy rain all year; north east-cool summer, cold winter, steady rain all year; south east-warm summer, cold winter, light rain all year; south west- warm summer, mild winter, heavy rain all year. But in U.S.A there are only the climate regions because such a big territory is influenced by a big number of air masses and this is the major barrier for meteorologist to predict a correct weather. Finally we can underlain the last difference is the drought. This process is characteristic for U.S.A and it is a long period without rainfall, this is a serious challenge especially for farmers who can lose crops and animals. This process makes population from some areas to strait water resources, the thing that cannot be observed in U.K. In conclusion we can surely say that we analyze the main similarities like: the seasons division, the harsh weather, the influence of masses of air and differences like :the period of rainfall, the regional variation, the droughts which give us an opportunity to realize a contrast/compare essay between climate from U.S.A and U.K.