As I begin work on Calidar's next Gazetteer, this one for CAL2 (The Magiocracy of Caldwen), I needed to double check the area's climate zones, since these should affect what vegetation and color ranges should be depicted on a geographical map. What was indicated for the Great Caldera in CAL1 "In Stranger Skies" was very approximate and hard to locate as regards regional borders. The map below is my first attempt at developing the local climate. Some questions came up that professional meteorologists or climatologists might be able to elucidate (thank you!)
First, here are my assumptions. The southwestern region is oceanic, comparable to conditions ranging from France's Loire Valley to southern England. The continental weather prevailing in Caldwen's midlands and in the north is similar to central Europe's; the dominant wind blows from the southwest, channeled by high mountains stretching along the region's eastern and western sides. A large mountain chain walls off the magiocracy's eastern seashores. I assumed it would result in these shores becoming semi-arid, colder to the north, milder to the south. A valley is tucked in between the oceanic and semi-arid zones; its wind blows from the south-southwest, from a region that enjoys essentially Mediterranean climates. I wasn't sure what weather would result in this valley; my best guess was a warmer continental weather, such as US Midwest (Chicago or St. Louis), perhaps milder.
Another issue I ran into is the presence of warm water streaming northward along eastern seashores. Is this a problem? I also wondered whether the island farthest to the east should also be semi-arid or continental. One more thing, the maritime area west of Caldwen, is nowhere near comparable to the Atlantic Ocean (as regards its size, depth and temperature), which may invalidate all of the above anyway. This is a fantasy world, so ultimately details need not be absolutely correct, but I must admit curiosity got the best of me here. Any help would be appreciated.
First, here are my assumptions. The southwestern region is oceanic, comparable to conditions ranging from France's Loire Valley to southern England. The continental weather prevailing in Caldwen's midlands and in the north is similar to central Europe's; the dominant wind blows from the southwest, channeled by high mountains stretching along the region's eastern and western sides. A large mountain chain walls off the magiocracy's eastern seashores. I assumed it would result in these shores becoming semi-arid, colder to the north, milder to the south. A valley is tucked in between the oceanic and semi-arid zones; its wind blows from the south-southwest, from a region that enjoys essentially Mediterranean climates. I wasn't sure what weather would result in this valley; my best guess was a warmer continental weather, such as US Midwest (Chicago or St. Louis), perhaps milder.
Another issue I ran into is the presence of warm water streaming northward along eastern seashores. Is this a problem? I also wondered whether the island farthest to the east should also be semi-arid or continental. One more thing, the maritime area west of Caldwen, is nowhere near comparable to the Atlantic Ocean (as regards its size, depth and temperature), which may invalidate all of the above anyway. This is a fantasy world, so ultimately details need not be absolutely correct, but I must admit curiosity got the best of me here. Any help would be appreciated.
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