Climate and vegetation in Europe

Europe – the second smallest continent. Europe lies entirely in the Northern Hemisphere, quite far north of the equator. It borders the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and Asia in the east. Many places at similar latitudes around the world are often very cold, sometimes even barren. But not Europe!

This is largely due to the winds from the west and the warm Gulf Stream. Together, these heat up the coastal areas of Europe, and contribute to shaping different climate and vegetation zones on the continent. Let’s explore what these are! Starting in the north, all of Iceland, large parts of Finland, Norway and some parts of Sweden lie in the cold subarctic zone. If you ever find yourself in these areas in winter, you will need very thick clothes and warm snow boots!

Winters here are dark and cold, and while still dark, some coastal areas often experience milder winters. Summers here aren’t exactly hot either. Average temperatures only reach up to 20 degrees Celsius in many areas. In the extreme northern regions of these countries, weather conditions are too harsh for most plants, so only lichens and moss survive. This is the tundra.

A climate similar to the tundra is actually present further south in Europe at higher altitudes — in the Alps and the Carpathian mountains. There, it is often referred to as the highland climate zone. South of the tundra and the subarctic zone, the mosses and lichens merge with conifers, willows and birch, forming the boreal forest or taiga. Large trees thrive in this environment with abundant rainfall and warm summers, and are able to withstand the cold wintes and snowfall. This type of climate and vegetation is typical of central and northern Sweden as well as much of northern Europe.

If you need a thick winter jacket in northern Europe, you will most likely need an umbrella in northwestern parts. The British Isles and Ireland, the northern coasts of Spain, most of western France, and the northwestern shores of mainland Europe, are characterised by a marine or maritime climate. Precipitation is abundant year round, and the weather changes quickly. Temperatures are mild, but the more southern regions can have hot summers. Coastal dunes are common, as are forests full of oaks, beech trees, maples, pines, firs and spruces — Atlantic mixed forests, and temperate broadleaf forests.

The further away from the Atlantic ocean, the colder Europe gets. Vegetation in Eastern parts of Germany, as well as countries further east is quite similar to Western Europe, full of mixed forests with both deciduous and coniferous trees. Compared to western areas with maritime climates, weather in large parts of central and eastern Europe is generally more humid, cooler in summer and colder in winter. But rainfall is actually less abundant here than in the west. This is the humid continental climate.

Rainfall is not very reliable here, so in the east, around Romania and Ukraine, forests transition to low shrubs and grass. This large grassland is the Eurasian Steppe. The Mediterranean coasts of southern Europe have mild, wet winters, hot, dry summers, and more sunny days than the rest of the continent. This is the subtropical Mediterranean climate. Due to lack of precipitation, natural vegetation here requires very little water.

Here, you’ll find shrubs, grapevines, and small trees like olive and fig trees. Plants growing in the mediterranean climate need to be hardy to survive frequent summer droughts. Despite Europe’s small size, there are so many different climates and types of vegetation here.