Blog 3

"Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get "

Mark Twain

Although Florida and South Carolina are located the eastern boarder of the United States and are only one state away from each other, their climate is very different. The average temperatures are similar with both sAlthough Florida and South Carolina are located the eastern boarder of the United States and are tates experiencing highs in the mid 70 degree Fahrenheit and lows in the mid 50 degree Fahrenheit. There is however, a great difference in the rainfall. With Florida being closer the the equator, the ITCZ, Intertropical Convergence Zone increases the amount rain in Florida, this along with Florida's intense sunshine, warm water and convergense of the trade winds the boyant air rises and creates thunderstoms.

Seasonal shifts in the location of the ITCZ drastically affects the rainfall in Florida, thus resulting in the wet and dry seasons of the tropics compaired to the cold and warm seasons of higher latitudes like South Carolina. (1)

The two states are affected by similar air masses, maritime tropical and comntinental polar at certain times of the year. South Corolina has mid-latitude cyclones that meet the Bermuda Highs and creates a 'noreaster' in the wintertime and lends to the state experiencing snow. Florida, on the other hand will encounter  a drop in the continental polar mass but will rarely experience snow.

 Appreciating how the ITCZ moves and taking in the globe-enriching Rossby Waves.  Air

temperature depicted in a Robinson projection. (1)

Finally, the geographical locations are quite different with Florida having mostly flat land and Corolina having a mix of flat land and mountains.

1. www.geograhpages.co.uk