Lesson 3: Climate and Vegetation
Climates: The Baltic to the Black Sea
The Tatras Mountains run along Poland’s border with Slovakia. They are about 350 miles (564
km) south of the Baltic Sea. Andrzej Krawiec can ski there on winter weekends, but if he lived
farther north on the Baltic coast, he would not have as many chances to enjoy the sport.
Snow falls in the Tatras Mountains, partly because the altitude causes temperatures to drop. The
mountains also are a long distance from the moderating influence of the sea.
This pattern is typical of Eastern Europe. Areas facing warm waters enjoy moderate climates.
Other areas—some of them only short distances away—face greater temperature extremes.
Winters become colder as you move away from the Baltic. Southwestern Poland is much colder in
the winter than countries farther north in Northern Europe.
The coasts of Denmark, Germany, and Poland are on the northern edge of Europe. Yet winds
blowing over the warm
North Atlantic Drift keep winter temperatures from falling too far. In fact, winter temperatures in
northern Poland average about 26°F (–3.3°C). Average summer temperatures are in the 70s.
Along the Adriatic Sea, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania experience a Mediterranean
climate. As in Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, the summers are dry and warm, the winters
cool and rainy. Nearby Slovenia enjoys a humid subtropical climate (see map, below). Southern
Ukraine, near the Black Sea, has warm winters and hot summers.
Inland, Eastern Europe’s climate changes. The farther you go eastward from the warm sea
winds, the harsher the climate becomes. In Romania, for example, the climate is humid
continental. Summer temperatures average 66°F (19°C). Winters are cold, averaging 21°F (–
6°C).
Except for Eastern Europe’s western edges, these summer and winter extremes are typical.
Eastern Europe is where Europe’s climate begins to change. The moderate climate of Western
Europe and the British Isles fades.
Rainfall and Vegetation
The winds blowing off the Atlantic Ocean reach only part of Eastern Europe. Before moving too
far eastward, the winds drop most of their moisture. So Eastern Europe is drier than the British
Isles and Western Europe. Much of the remaining moisture is dropped when the winds hit the
Carpathian Mountains. The Hungarian Plain receives little rain.
Long ago, Eastern Europe’s plains and mountains were covered by forests. Settlers cut the trees
from lands that they could farm. Today, nearly half of the region has been cleared for planting
crops or grazing animals. In recent years, these once rural areas have grown into cities.
Forests still grow in the Baltic states. Nearly one half of Latvia is forested. About one quarter of
Lithuania is covered with evergreen woodlands.
Vegetation elsewhere in the region varies depending on elevation. Beech, oak, and pine trees
thrive on the plains and lower mountain slopes. Higher in the mountains, pine and spruce trees
grow. Ferns, nettles, and cow parsley cover the clearings. Above the timberline, Alpine flowers
bloom, including gentians, saxifrage, and edelweiss. On the high peaks, only lichens and mosses
can grow in the cold and rocky soil.
Lesson 3 Review
Fact Follow-Up
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4.
Describe the climate of the Baltic states.
How does location near water influence climate in northern areas of Eastern Europe? How does elevation
influence climate there?
How does location near water influence climates in southern areas of Eastern Europe? Describe the
influence of elevation there.
Describe vegetation patterns in the southern part of Eastern Europe.
Talk About It
1.
2.
Which is more important for countries in northern areas of Eastern Europe: location relative to water or
elevation? Explain.
Which theme of geography is more essential for understanding Eastern Europe: relative location or the
physical characteristics of place? Explain.