What is the climate in Asia?

Under the combined influence of solar radiation, atmospheric circulation, underlying surface and other factors, Asia's complex climate is formed.

Basic characteristics: The Asian climate has outstanding characteristics such as strong continental climate, typical monsoon climate, complete climate zones and complex climate types.

Strong continental climate Asia is the continent with the strongest continental climate in the world. Mainly characterized by cold winters, warm summers, spring temperatures higher than autumn temperatures, and large annual temperature ranges. The average temperature in January in winter is below 0°C in two-thirds of the areas. Verkhoyansk-Oymyakon in the northeastern part of the mainland is the cold pole of the northern hemisphere. The average temperature in January is -45~-50°C, the absolute lowest temperature. -71℃. In summer, the average temperature in July is mostly above 20℃. In the dry desert area of ??Southwest Asia, the average temperature is above 35℃, with the absolute highest temperature reaching 55℃. The annual range is very large, reaching over 60℃ in the cold polar regions, and the absolute annual range is as high as 101℃. In addition, the uneven seasonal distribution of precipitation over a wide area within the year is also a strong reflection of the continental nature.

Typical monsoon climate The Asian monsoon climate is famous for its wide range, many types and high intensity. The monsoon climate ranges from the far southeast of Russia in the north, through the Japanese Islands, the Korean Peninsula and eastern China, to Southeast Asia and South Asia. Monsoon climate types include temperate, subtropical and tropical monsoon climates, and each type can be divided into two types: continental and oceanic monsoon climates. In the Asian monsoon region, the prevailing wind direction changes significantly with the seasons. The change in the prevailing wind direction between January and July exceeds 120°, and the average frequency of the prevailing wind direction exceeds 40%. In geography textbooks for colleges and middle schools in my country, monsoon climate is listed only in Asia.

Comprehensive climate zones and complex climate types. The Asian continent has all the climate zones in the world from the equator to the (north) pole. At the same time, Asia has all the world's major climate types except the temperate oceanic climate type. Asia's alpine climate also has the most complete vertical zones and climate types. Among all continents in the world, only North America can compare with Asia, and other continents are much inferior.

Forming factors The formation of Asia's main climate characteristics is the result of the interaction and comprehensive influence of its geographical location, area outline, atmospheric circulation, ocean currents and terrain structure.

Location, area and continental shape Specific spatial location and large area are prerequisites for the formation of Asian climate characteristics. The wide range of longitudes and latitudes that the region spans is not only the basic condition for the full range of climate zones and complex climate types, but also leads to the formation of strong continental climate characteristics and the formation of monsoon climate. The huge area and complete outline make Asia have a vast interior, which expands the range of continental and dry climates and intensifies the degree of continentality; on the other hand, it creates a huge thermal difference between the land surface and the vast ocean, which in turn leads to the monsoon climate of formation. The mid-latitudes of Asia are bordered by Europe to the west and far away from the Atlantic Ocean, so they lack a temperate oceanic climate.

Atmospheric circulation The fundamental reason for the formation of climate characteristics lies in the conditions of the atmosphere itself, because the effects of other factors all work through atmospheric circulation activities. Asia's atmospheric circulation is located in all pressure zones from the poles to the equator and the corresponding atmospheric activity centers and the complete northern hemisphere planetary wind system. There are four atmospheric activity centers that play a major role in the Asian climate: the Siberian High on the continent in winter; the Indian Low on the continent in summer; the Aleutian Low (North Pacific Subpolar Low) and the Hawaiian High (North Pacific Subpolar Low) that exist in the North Pacific throughout the year. North Pacific subtropical high). In winter, both the Siberian High and the Aleutian Low are very developed. The Siberian High controls almost the entire Asian continent, becoming the center of the continental anticyclone and the source of the dry and cold polar continental air masses. The winter monsoon formed under its control is strong. The land blows toward the ocean, and the ice ocean air mass invades southward, causing cold waves to frequently move southward, resulting in many cold, dry and sunny weather. The Aleutian low becomes the convergence of westerly airflow. Because of the huge pressure gradient between the Aleutian low and the Siberian high, the East Asian winter monsoon is particularly strong. In summer, the continental high pressure collapses and the Indian low pressure forms. Warm and moist air masses from the Pacific and Indian Oceans blow from the ocean to the continent. The Intertropical Convergence Zone and the polar front bring abundant rain to the land. The weather is warm, hot, humid, and often rainy. The different influences of air masses with completely different temperaments in winter and summer lead to huge annual temperature ranges and the formation of monsoon climate. The climate of the Asian continent has strong continental and typical monsoon characteristics.

Topographic structure The topographic structure of Asia with high circumference and low circumference on the one hand intensifies the complexity of climate types, and on the other hand it also promotes the formation of continental climate and typical monsoon climate. The high mountain plains and huge mountain belts distributed vertically and horizontally in central Asia make the climate type more complex. The mountain plateau itself forms a unique climate type and complex vertical climate zones. At the same time, the central Qinghai-Tibet and Pamir Plateau, due to their huge height, become a cold source in winter and a heat source in summer, which strengthens the power of winter and summer monsoons and makes monsoons more active and stronger. The plateau also plays a great role in the southwest monsoon in South Asia in summer, because due to the branching effect of the plateau on the westerly jet, the southern branch jet located on the south side of the Tibetan Plateau controls the advance and retreat of the south Asian southwest monsoon. Only when the southern branch jet jumps northward, the southwest The monsoon can quickly advance to the entire Indian peninsula. Therefore, the South Asian southwest monsoon has sudden characteristics. The basins and plateaus in the central part surrounded by edge mountains all have typical continental climate characteristics. Therefore, the scope of continental climate is expanded and the intensity of continental climate is intensified.

Ocean Currents There are two ocean currents that have a greater influence on the climate in Asia. One is the Kuroshio Current and the other is the monsoon drift. The powerful Kuroshio Current not only increases the temperature in the western Pacific coastal areas it flows through, but also warms and humidifies the Pacific air masses passing through it, strengthening the power of the East Asian summer monsoon and extending its scope of influence. It is wider and deeper, thus highlighting the characteristics of the East Asian monsoon climate. The monsoon drift in the Indian Ocean also has a great influence on the southwest monsoon in South Asia and Indochina. In summer, the monsoon current on the northern coast of the Indian Ocean has basically the same impact and role on the climate in South Asia and other places as the Kuroshio Current.

Climate types in Asia are very complex. Middle school geography textbooks divide 9 climate types, namely tropical rainforest climate, tropical monsoon climate, tropical desert climate, Mediterranean climate, subtropical monsoon climate, Temperate continental climate, temperate monsoon climate, subarctic coniferous forest climate, polar climate and alpine climate. Like the division of terrain combination areas, climate type areas can contain different climate types, and each climate type can also be further divided into several subtypes.

The climate characteristics of various climate types in Asia are unique to similar types of areas in other continents (see tropical rainforest climate, etc.). At the same time, in terms of distribution range, specific characteristics of climate elements, etc. There is something special about it. For example, the tropical rainforest climate in Asia is mainly distributed in places such as the Indonesian Islands. Compared with the climate in similar areas in South America and Africa, it has oceanic and monsoon characteristics, with an average annual temperature of 25 to 27°C and smaller annual ranges. Below 1.5℃, the maximum does not exceed 3℃; the regional distribution of precipitation varies greatly, and there are even semi-arid areas with annual precipitation of only a few hundred millimeters, which is not found in similar areas in South America and Africa. The subtropical, temperate and boreal climate types in Asia all show strong continental characteristics compared with the same types of areas in North America and Europe.