Continental (Siberian) Climate

The Siberian climate is experienced in the Northern Hemisphere. Here, continents that are within the higher altitude have a broad east-west spread. On the polar side around the arctic circle, it merges into the arctic tundra of Canada and Eurasia. As we move in the southward direction, the Siberian climate changes to a temperate steppe climate. The only predominant vegetation of the Siberian region is the coniferous forest that is stretched in the form of a continuous belt across the three-continent namely Europe, Asia, and North America. The only known single band of this forest in Siberia is known as Taiga. Areas of Europe where the Siberian climate is experienced are Sweden, Finland, and Northern Europe. This climate is only found in the northern area as the southern continent and the high altitudes are limited. Since the coniferous forest is only limited to the mountainous regions, therefore, it is not found in the southern hemisphere. 

Temperature 

• The Siberian climate is known for long-duration cold winters and short-duration summers because the zone lies across 60 degrees towards north of the equator. 
• Spring and autumn seasons are rarely experienced in the Siberian climate. 
• This type of climate is experienced in areas such as Moscow, continental Europe, Churchill, northern Canada, and the borders of Hudson Bay. 
• Due to extreme temperatures in Siberia, the place is also known as a “cold pole of the Earth ”. 
• Since the area experiences extreme temperatures, therefore, the annual range of temperature is high. This is quite evident from the fact that the temperature falls below the freezing point in winters. 
• Snow falls are also experienced here but the amount of snowfall varies from place to place. It is heaviest in the northern tundra and Siberian taiga.
• The frosting begins in early August and all the lakes and ponds become icebound by September. 

Precipitation

• In this cold region, there is no maritime influence in the interior. In the winter season, frontal disturbances might occur.
• Annual precipitation in the Siberian region ranges between 38 cm and 63 cm.
• The precipitation is in the form of snow in winters due to all-time below freezing mean temperatures. 

Natural Vegetation

• No vegetation is well-adapted to Siberia’s harsh climate, except the conifers. 
• The great coniferous belt is the greatest source of softwood that can be used for various purposes such as construction, matches, paper, pulp, furniture, and chemical products. 
• Countries where the coniferous belt lies are the leading producers of softwood. USSR, Canada, USA, Finland, Sweden, and Norway are some of the leading producers.

Coniferous forests

• There are four major species in coniferous forests: Fir, Pine, Spruces, and Larch. 
• Trees of coniferous forests are uniform in height, straight, tall up to approx 100 feet. 
• Coniferous forests are less dense than equatorial rain forests.  
• In the Siberian climate, evergreen trees take advantage of low temperatures as there is cold weather more than half of the year. The growth of trees begins as early as the growing point is reached in the spring season. 
• The seeds in this region pollinate in one year and then disperse in another. This implies that the fructification cycle of conifers is almost two years. 
• The trees don’t shed their leaves annually and remain for as long as 5 years or more. In conifers, food is stored in trunks and the thick bark of trees protects them from excessive cold. 
• To adapt to the subArctic climate, the conifers have a conical shape which prevents them from snow accumulation and fast-moving winds. This shape provides grip to trees in winds.  
• The leaves of conifers are small, thick, and leathery. The needle shape of leaves prevents them from excessive transpiration as there can be rapid transpiration in warm summer due to continental heating.  
• The soil in these areas is acidic and of poor quality. The decomposition of these leathery needle-shaped leaves in such cold temperatures is quite slow. This slows down the growth of trees. Other factors that hinder the growth of trees in this region are the absence of direct sunlight and the short duration of summer. 
• Apart from continental interiors of higher latitudes, conifers are also found in regions where altitude reduces the temperature. 
• In mountainous districts, conifers are the dominant trees. But even the conifers are not able to survive at places where the soil is immature and non-existent. 

Agricultural developments

• Agricultural development is rarely possible in this harsh climatic zone. 
• The 4 types of conifers are found in limited areas with limited quantities. 
• Coniferous forests of the northern hemisphere are less developed. Large tracts of coniferous forest in Canada, Asiatic Russia, and eastern Europe are still not touched. 
• Only accessible forest areas are cleared for lumbering.
• Only a few crops can survive in the subArctic climate due to which there is little agricultural development in this region. 
• Some cereals and root crops are grown for local needs in the sheltered valleys and steppes bordering lands. 
• Trapping is also a type of occupation followed by the Siberian population. In northerly lands of Canada and Eurasia, many fur-bearing animals are trapped. As the cold becomes severe, the quality and thickness of fur increase. The finest fur is produced in severe winters.  
• Trappers and hunters of Canada, armed with rifles, stay in the log cabins amid the forest to keep track of these fur-bearing animals.
• Some of the fur-bearing animals are silver fox, ermine, mink, and muskrat.
• Fur farms have also been established in Canada and Siberia to ensure a regular supply of furs. 
• Lumbering is one of the most important occupations in this region. The basis for the lumbering industry is provided by vast coniferous forest reserves. 
• The coniferous trees are falling for many purposes such as saw-milling, paper, and pulp industry, as fuel, as industrial raw material, etc. 
• In saw-milling, logs are processed into sawn timber, plywood, hardboard, constructional woods, and planks. 
• Wood pulp is the raw material for papermaking and newsprint and that raw material is made by both chemical and mechanical means. The need for paper and pulp has become indispensable due to the development of the printing industry. 
• Only a few softwoods are used as fuel because of their other more significant uses. 
• The woods have a vast range of uses. These woods are used for manufacturing matches, furniture, toys, crates, wood-carvings, and packing cases. Other chemically processed articles such as rayon, paints, dyes, turpentine, varnishes, wood alcohols, liquid resins, cosmetics, and disinfectants are also derived from timber by-products. 

Favorable factors for Lumbering

• Conifers have limited species. Pine, spruce, and fir are found in the northern region whereas larch is found in the warmer southern regions. 
• The conifers in this region grow in homogenous groups that save time, cost and enhance the value of felled timber. 
• The trees from coniferous forests are transported to mills where softs woods are extracted from them. 
• Since agriculture is almost impossible in continental interiors of these northerly latitudes, therefore lumbering replaces agriculture in these regions. 
• When the sap ceases to flow in winters, then lumbering is carried out as this makes felling much simpler.
• The ground is covered with snow that makes logging and haulage easy. 
• When the rivers unfreeze in spring, the logs are dragged to the rivers and float to the saw-mills. All these factors have greatly helped the lumbering industry in eastern Canada and Sweden.
• Since the rivers are not frozen for the greater part of the year, Lumbering becomes easy in Canada, Norway, and Sweden. 

Conclusion

The Siberian climate is known for long-duration cold winters and short-duration summers because the zone lies across 60 degrees towards north of the equator. Spring and autumn seasons are rarely experienced in the Siberian climate. This type of climate is experienced in areas such as Moscow, continental Europe, Churchill, northern Canada, and the borders of Hudson Bay. Due to extreme temperatures in Siberia, the place is also known as a “cold pole of the Earth ”. In the winter season, frontal disturbances might occur. The precipitation is in the form of snow in winters due to all-time below freezing mean temperatures. The great coniferous belt is the greatest source of softwood that can be used for various purposes such as construction, matches, paper, pulp, furniture, and chemical products. Countries where the coniferous belt lies are the leading producers of softwood. USSR, Canada, USA, Finland, Sweden, and Norway are some of the leading producers.