summer temperatures are as much as 50°F hotter in the interior of the continent than

in coastal areas. Along the edges of most continents, the moderating influence of the
oceans keeps summer temperatures down and winter temperatures relatively high. The
onshore ocean winds hitting San Francisco, for example, give it almost the same tem-
perature all year round. The maritime climate of San Francisco is the opposite of the
continentality found in Denver in the interior of North America.

High and Low Pressure Air Masses

Large movements of air over the surface of the earth generally have either rising
or falling patterns. Air that is rising from the earth’s surface forms low pressure air
masses. When the rising air falls, it forms a high pressure air mass (because the air is
pushing down on the earth’s surface). Rings of predominantly high and low pressure
encircle the earth. Low pressure on the equator brings year-round rainfall, creating
tropical rain forests. Descending dry air creates high pressure north and south of the
equator. These are where the large deserts of the world are located. Humid low pres-
sure systems ring the globe north of here, creating cool weather rain forests on the
coasts of Washington and British Columbia in North America and the British Isles
in Europe. Finally, a dry high pressure system is situated over the North and South
Poles, turning the north coast of Alaska and central Antarctica into a frozen desert
(Figures 1.2 and 1.3.)

FIGURE 1.2
GLOBAL SYSTEM OF HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE BELTS

8 W O R L D G E O G R A P H Y O F T R AV E L A N D T O U R I S M