Ground Water Atlas of the United States - Segment 1 California Nevada

Climate

The diverse physiography and north-south extent of Segment 1 result in marked climatic contrasts within the region. Five climate types in the Segment are based primarily on differences in temperature and rainfall (fig. 1):

• Temperate Oceanic--Adequate precipitation in all seasons, moderate summers and mild winters, cloudy conditions prevail

• Highland--Altitude, for the most part, controls the weather, large amounts of precipitation as rain and snow in the mountains (fig. 2), large diurnal temperature ranges, rain shadows present on the leeward sides of mountain ranges

• Mediterranean (Subtropical Dry Summer)--Modest precipitation in winter, warm summers and mild winters, abundant sunshine

• Steppe (Semiarid)--Little precipitation, falling mostly in winter, large annual temperature range

• Desert (Arid)--High temperature, scant precipitation, large diurnal and annual temperature ranges, low relative humidity, little cloud cover

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