I will be comparing Miami, Florida to Portland, Oregon. Miami sits 25º 78' N, 80º 22' W just north of the tropic zone while Portland sits 45º 31' 12" N, 122º 40' 55" W in the Pacific Northwest. Both areas have the climates affected by their proximity to large bodies of water, that being the Pacific Ocean effecting Portland and the Atlantic Ocean moderating Miami’s, respectfully. Although they share this common ground, both differ greatly in seasonal temperature variation as well as precipitation due to differences in geographic location and topography.
Average Highs
Average Lows
On average, Miami is 22ºF warmer than Portland.
Miami is characterized as having a humid, subtropical climate while Portland is classified as having a Maritime climate. Portland’s more northerly location allows it to experience true seasonality, with extreme fluctuations between the average highs and lows of the year, as opposed to Miami’s wet and dry seasons with minimal average high and low temperature differences.
Although both receive abundant precipitation, Miami on average has 8.8 inches more rain than Portland and as evident in the graph; moreover both differ in what months of the year they receive the majority of their precipitation. Most of Portland’s precipitation comes from late Fall to early Spring, while most of Miami's precipitation comes from late Spring to Mid Fall.
Portland's sizable precipitation is due to the northern jet stream bringing moist air from the Pacific ocean and forcing it to rise orographically over the Costal Mountain Ranges and then again over the Cascades, with Portland situated right between the two. Because of it’s location it technically lies in the rain shadow of the Costal range and sees less rain than the western coast of Oregon. The jet stream eventually moves north due to high-pressure systems, which allow for much drier summer months in the Northwest. Where as Miami’s substantial amount of summer precipitation is largely due to to the intense solar radiation on the tropics during the Northern Hemisphere summer causing ocean heating and evaporation that leads to severe thunderstorms as well as the ITCZ moving farther north to bring large amounts of precipitation to the tropics.
Furthermore, both locales differ in the air masses that effect their respective regions. Miami is affected by the mT (maritime tropical) year round where as Portland is affected by the mP (maritime polar) during the winter months and the mT (maritime tropical) during summer months.
[1] . "Climate Comparison ." Weather.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr 2012. <http://www.weather.com/outlook/events/weddings/setthedate/average/compare?from=wed_setdate_compare&clocid1=USFL0316&clocid2=USOR0275
[2] ("Weather.com")
[3] ("Weather.com")
[4] http://www.sci.uidaho.edu/scripter/geog100/lect/05-atmos-water-wx/05-part-6-air-masses/ch5-part-6-air-masses.htm
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