29. The climate of the United States
varies from arctic in Alaska to subtropical and tropical in Florida. The main land mass of the United States, however, is in the temperate zone.
The Cascade Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, running from north to south catch the largest amount of the rain from the Pacific Ocean. As a result, there is too little rain for almost the whole western half of the United States, which lies in the "rain shadow" of the mountains.
West of the Rocky Mountains, running all the way from the Canadian border to Mexico there are vast areas where almost no trees grow. Yet, west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains is one of the wettest places in the United States of America.
There are all kinds of unexpected differences in the climate of the United States. For instance, all along the western coast, the temperature changes little between winter and summer. The climate along the northern part of this coast is similar to that of England. The coldest days in January may be – 400C, and the hottest July day may be 450C. In the eastern part of the United States the difference between summer and winter is also very distinct, but not so extreme.
The parts of Alaska which lie above the Arctic Circle are a land of icebergs and polar bears. The temperature may drop as low as – 430C in some places and the snowfalls are heavy.
Hawaii is located in tropical zone, but its climate is comfortable because of the ocean currents that pass its shores and the winds that blow across the land from the northeast.
The variations in temperature within the United States have had a marked effect on the country's economy and living standards. There is a long crop-growing season along the southeast coast where cotton is a principal product. This is also true in several small strips to the west where crops like grapes grow well during a large part of the year. In some of the cooler climates, animals and produce such as apples, wheat and corn are grown, thus giving the United States a large range of agricultural products.
The Plant and Animal Life
Farther west from the prairies the vegetation map looks quite mixed. Forests cover the slopes where mountains catch enough rain. A few grassy meadows lie in the high mountain valleys. On the dry lowland and on high tablelands dry bushes grow, as well as grass common to arid regions.
The greatest wonder of all are the forests of sequoia and fir trees on the northwest coast, where the mountains catch the heavy Pacific rain. Numerous national parks are to be found in different parts of the United States of America.
Washington,
Oregon and northern California are the leading sources of sawmill
timber in the United States. The coastal margins of Alaska, too, are
mild enough for large coniferous trees. But much of the interior and
the north, especially those parts away from the river valleys, are
covered only with sparsely distributed, stunted trees or tundra.
In the eastern United States the dominant trees are hardwoods, but valuable pine forests are found in the Upper Lakes region and in parts of the Gulf-Atlantic plain.
Over a quarter of the country is still under forest, which ranges from the mangroves and swamp-forests of Florida to the huge firs and redwoods of the Pacific States, and from hickory, walnut, and oak of the east-central states to the pines of Minnesota and the Rocky Mountains.
Today wildlife is fairly unimportant as a natural resource, except for certain fur-bearing animals and fish.
In the zone of mixed forests the brown bear, the lynx, the wolf are to be found. The forest is the home of the Virginia deer, the black bear, the grey fox, the raccoon, and the opossum. In small numbers bison are found (in reserves only). The alligator has its home in the south-east of the country. For deserts and semi-deserts various rodents and reptiles are characteristic, while the tundra and taiga animals are typical of Alaska. Fur-bearing animals today are found in some of the forested mountains and in the swampy districts of both the North and the South. The chief fur-bearing animals left in the United States are musk-rats, skunks and raccoons. Valuable fur seals inhabit the waters.
Fish caught off the Atlantic, Pacific, and the Gulf coasts of the United States are an important natural resource. Fishing also provides an important industry on the Great Lakes. The coastal waters of New England have excellent fishing grounds, where cod, herring and mackerel abound. The Pacific coastal waters of Alaska are rich in salmon. As in many countries, fishing in the United States is not only a commercial undertaking, but is also a popular sport. In summer many tourists in various parts of the country try their luck in river and lake.