1. 10. Climate and rivers in Spain 1. Climate and weather Climate is not the same as weather. Weather can change in just a few minutes. Climate is a region's characteristic temperature, wind and precipitation over a very long time. 2. The Earth's climate The distance of an area from the equator determinates how much heat it gets from the sun. Tropical zone: it is very hot all year Temperate zone: there are warm summers and cold winters. Polar zone: it is very cold all year. 3.Climate in Spain There are different types of climate in Spain. - The Atlantic climate: This is the mild climate on the Cantabrian coast and in Galicia. Rainfall is abundant all year round. - The Mediterranean climate: This is the climate near the Mediterranean. Summers are hot, and winter are mild. Rainfall is light. - The subtropical climate: This is the climate in the Canary Islands. It is hot all year round. Rainfall is limited to a few months of the year. 2. - The mountain climate: In the highest mountain areas, winters are very cold but summers are mild. It rains and snows a lot. 4. Watersheds There are three watersheds in Spain: -The Atlantic watershed carries water form the rivers which flow into the Atlantic Ocean.The Galician rivers are short with high flows due to abundant rain. Atlantic rivers in Andalusia are long with irregular flows. - The Cantabrian watershed carries water from the rivers which flow into the Cantabrian Sea. It has short rivers. Their flow is abundant and regular. - The Mediterranean watershed carries water from the rivers which flow into the Mediterranean Sea. They are short, with low and irregular flows.