Take Urumqi and Chicago as examples to compare the similarities, differences and causes of temperate continental climate characteristics in the two places.

Chicago is affected by Lake Michigan, making Chicago windy in winter. Chicago has a nice temperature. Urumqi is deeply inland

Urumqi is the city farthest from the ocean in the world. It has a mid-temperate continental arid climate. The hottest months are July and August, with an average temperature of 25.7℃; the coldest months are 1 In January, the average temperature is -15.2℃. [5]

Spring comes late in Urumqi, with the northern suburbs entering spring on March 26; the urban area will be two weeks later, and spring will arrive on April 8; the southern suburbs will be more than ten days late. Green waves were only seen in front of the mountain around April 20th. Starting from early June every year, the spring in Urumqi ends one after another from north to south. Spring rain accounts for about 40% of the annual precipitation, which is very beneficial to spring sowing and dryland crops. [5]

In summer, the mountain flowers on the outskirts of Urumqi are blooming, and the urban forest belt is lush; summer in the northern suburbs lasts only 62 days; but there is no real summer in the Nanshan Pasture, with spring and autumn connected. Urumqi is hot but not stuffy in summer, with a large temperature difference between day and night. The average summer temperature in the urban area is 23°C.

Autumn in Urumqi starts on August 24 every year. The weather in the northern plains is delayed by 10 days. After autumn, the weather environment is relatively stable, neither hot nor cold, mild and pleasant. After late September, cold air hits frequently and the temperature drops rapidly. The temperature difference between day and night increases in October. There is a saying in local folk songs: "Wear a fur coat in the morning, wear a gauze in the afternoon, and eat watermelon around the stove." [5]

Winter in Urumqi city lasts for 150 days from November 3 to April 8 of the following year. Urumqi is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and its northern part looks like a trumpet facing the Junggar Basin. Because of the Tianshan barrier, cold air tends to stay in the basin. There is a "warm zone" in the foothills of the southern suburbs, where the temperature in January is 4 or 5 degrees higher than in the urban area. This unique winter climate condition is suitable for greenhouse vegetable production, and the snow in the southern suburbs lasts for 175 days.

Chicago

The climate in Chicago has four distinct seasons throughout the year. July, the hottest month of the year, has an average maximum temperature of 29°C and an average minimum temperature of 17°C; while January, the coldest month, has an average maximum temperature of 2°C and an average minimum temperature of -11°C. The highest temperature recorded in history is 40°C (July 24, 1934) and the lowest temperature is -32°C (January 20, 1985).

Chicago has windy winters due to the influence of Lake Michigan. The temperature in Chicago is suitable, with average temperatures in January being 6°C, April 9°C, July 22.8°C, and October 11.4°C.

Chicago has abundant rainfall, with an average annual precipitation of 965 mm. Summer is the season with the most precipitation. Precipitation is usually in the form of thunderstorms or showers, and continuous precipitation is rare. Winter has the least precipitation, usually in the form of snow. The maximum single-day precipitation was 164 mm recorded on August 14, 1987.