Page 42 - California Diving and Surfing

n the south is a large inland salt lake, the uch of the state has a Mediterranean orthern parts of the state average higher

ISalton Sea. The south-central desert is called Mclimate, with cool, rainy winters and dry Nannual rainfall than the south. California’s
the Mojave; to the northeast of the Mojave lies summers. The cool California Current offshore mountain ranges influence the climate as well:

Death Valley, which contains the lowest and hot- often creates summer fog near the coast. Farther some of the rainiest parts of the state are west-

test place in North America, the Badwater Basin inland, one encounters colder winters and hot- facing mountain slopes. Northwestern California

at −282 feet (−86 m). The horizontal distance ter summers. The maritime moderation results has a temperate climate, and the Central Valley

from the nadir of Death Valley to the summit of in the shoreline summertime temperatures of has a Mediterranean climate but with greater

Mount Whitney is less than 90 miles (140 km). Los Angeles and San Francisco being the coolest temperature extremes than the coast. The high

Indeed, almost all of southeastern California is of all major metropolitan areas of the United mountains, including the Sierra Nevada, have

arid, hot desert, with routine extreme high tem- States and uniquely cool compared to areas on an alpine climate with snow in winter and mild

peratures during the summer. The southeastern the same parallels in the interior and on the east to moderate heat in summer. The east side of

border of California with Arizona is entirely coast of the North American continent. Even California’s mountains produce a rain shadow,

formed by the Colorado River, from which the the San Diego shoreline bordering Mexico is creating expansive deserts. The higher elevation

southern part of the state gets about half of cooler in summer than most areas in contiguous deserts of eastern California see hot summers

its water. Along the California coast are several United States. Just a few miles inland, summer and cold winters, while the low deserts east of

major metropolitan areas, including the Greater temperature extremes are significantly higher, the Southern California mountains experience

Los Angeles Area, the San Francisco Bay Area, with downtown Los Angeles being several de- hot summers and nearly frostless mild winters.

and the San Diego metropolitan area. As part of grees warmer than at the coast. The same micro- Death Valley, a desert with large expanses below

the Ring of Fire, California is subject to tsunamis, climate phenomenon is seen in the climate of sea level, is considered the hottest location in

floods, droughts, Santa Ana winds, wildfires, the Bay Area, where areas sheltered from the sea the world; the highest temperature in the world,

landslides on steep terrain, and has several sees significantly hotter summers than nearby 134 °F (57 °C), was recorded there on July 10,

volcanoes. It sees numerous earthquakes due areas close to the ocean. 1913.

to several faults running through the state, in

particular the San Andreas Fault.