What Is the Climate Like in Europe?
The climate in Europe varies from high humidity in the west to cool in the east. For instance, Western Europe, including Great Britain, France and part of Germany and Spain, has a marine west coast climate. This climate has mild seasons and high rain and humidity.
Eastern Europe, including Scandinavia, has a climate differing from that of Western Europe by being cool-summer humid continental. This means that while summers are mild, winters are much colder and snowier. The Northern Europe region that includes Finland, Norway and Sweden has a subarctic climate. Like Alaska, the short summers are cool with long, snowy, cold winters. However, these countries also experience very long summer days when the sun barely or never dips below the horizon.
Southern Europe boasts a Mediterranean climate. The countries with this climate are Portugal, Italy, Greece, southern France and southern Spain and have borders along the Adriatic Sea. The Mediterranean climate consists of mild winters and hot summers. The only other climates in Europe exist either on the Iberian Peninsula or in the mountains. The interior of Spain on the Iberian Peninsula has a semi-arid steppe climate, with hot, dry summers and warm, dry winters. The mountains of Europe boast a tundra climate with year-round snow, glaciers and permafrost.
