mediterranean climate

The Mediterranean consists of a subtropic climate providing relatively mild winters and very warm summers, making it a perfect destination for small ship cruises. The best time of year for small ship cruises in the Mediterranean is April through November. 

 

Mediterranean climates rarely, if ever, see frost or snow, therefore plants such as palm, citrus and many broad-leaf evergreens flourish in contrast to the hardier deciduous and coniferous trees which dominate mid-latitude climates.  It's no wonder the cradle of civilization is found in the dry summer subtropical climate. The temperature is moderated by nearby large bodies of water making for comfortable conditions throughout most of the year. Temperatures around the Mediterranean coast are higher than the dry summer subtropical climates bordered by colder ocean water. 

Mediterranean climate zones are associated with the five large subtropical high pressure cells of the oceans, the Azores High, South Atlantic High, North Pacific High, South Pacific High, and the Indian Ocean High which cause the dry summers. These high pressure cells shift towards the poles in the summer and towards the equator in the winter, playing a major role in the formation of the world's tropical deserts and the Mediterranean Basin's climate. There is a main controlling factor driving the characteristics of the dry summer subtropical climate, which is the alternating influence of the subtropical high in summer and Westerlies during the winter. In the summer, the subtropical high has expanded to its largest extent and most poleward position, exerting its influence on subtropical west coasts, where as in the winter, the subtropical high shifts to the south and its influence is replaced by the Westerlies associated with the subpolar low, bringing much needed precipitation during the winter.