By the way, there are quite a few areas that do NOT have Mediterranean climate in California. For example, San Diego has a cool steppe climate, Koppen category Bsk
EDIT for Sagebrush: Have you ever thought about researching something before giving an answer? If you had ever taken a course in physical geography, you would have learned that Mediterranean climate refers to particular types of climate classification (a types Csa and Csb) and that much of California does indeed have a Mediterranean climate.
Another EDIT: I realize that I forgot to answer what change might be expected. I would think that the cool steppe climate that is found along the southern coast might expand both inland and northward, as precipitation decreases and temperature rises.
And I have to disagree with Climate Realist, I believe that Mediterranean climates are found along coastal California from Los Angeles northward. The "West Coast Marine" climate is found in Washington and Oregon.
Another EDIT for Sagebrush: As I mentioned to Climate Realist, San Francisco does indeed have a Mediterranean climate. Climate classifications are vegetation based, and areas with similar climate types will generally have similar natural vegetation. The classification in most widespread use is due to K?ppen. Pick up any book on physical geography or climatology (not climate science) for further information. You can read about on Wikipedia too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francis...
First of all, only Southern California is Mediterranean. San Francisco and north is West Coast Marine.
During the peak of the last interglacial, you would have had to go to Southern Mexico to find a Mediterranean climate. Southern California was West Coast Marine and northern California had a climate similar to the coast of present day Greenland.
With AGW, the West coast from San Francisco to Anchorage, Alaska could become Mediterranean. Southern California could become desert.
California is not Mediterranean. The Mediterranean does not have the storms that lash the coast of California at times (Like El Nino). It takes a lot of Ocean to accomplish that ferocity, and the Mediterranean does not have that.
Peggy: < much of California does indeed have a Mediterranean climate.> Key word 'MUCH'. And furthermore, 'much' of the time it is like the Mediterranean in certain parts. Remember the saying, "The coldest Winter I ever spent, was a Summer in San Francisco." That doesn't sound very Mediterranean to me. Does it you? You see, you typically believe what you want to believe and forget reality. I and my fellow true scientists, on the other hand, face reality and look at the overall larger picture. It must be nice to sit in your own little shell and think the rest of the world is just like your nearby environment.
California has only been California for a couple hundred years. 20 thousand years ago we had Megafauna here with Saber tooth tigers and mastodons and it was apparently much cooler. 10 million years ago it was much warmer. Climates change and always have.
it will be much cool and too best climate
I am curious to the climatic history of California, has it's climate been as it is now or was it a different climatic category? What does the future look like in terms of the climate of California will it remain Mediterranean or will it change to a different category?
