Reflection Post: Zurich, Switzerland vs. Lima, Peru

Lima Coastline hugs the Pacific Ocean

Source: http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/samerica/pe.htm

The other location I was interested in researching for this blog assignment was Lima, Peru.  So, instead of doing the research myself I will compare the work of another student to my chosen location in Switzerland.  These two areas are very different in terms of climate.  They are nearly opposite in terms of meritimity and continentality, they are in different hemispheres which makes summer and winter months reversed and they are latitudinally very different as well.  The only thing Lima and Zurich have in relative common is that they are both located near a mountain range.  Even this topographical similarity does not provide a lot of commonalities between the two.  Lima is situated near the coast of the Pacific Ocean receiving foggy air before it hits the Andes Mountains.  Zurich is in a valley doesn't receive oceanic or sea air until after it flows over the Alps.  This makes the effects of the mountains on the air masses opposite in these two cities.  When Zurich is experiencing more northerly air masses it sees the same foggy conditions as Lima, but these air masses are colder as they have come from polar regions in Russia and Northern Europe. 

Zurich is located much further away from the equator than Lima and therefore has much more drastic weather patterns.  It gets much colder in the winter and sees much more precipitation, especially in the form of snow.  This also means that Zurich experiences mid-latitude cyclonic conditions whereas Lima experiences effects from the ICTZ.  The West Coast of South America is also greatly affected by El Nino and La Nina, Pacific Ocean patterns that are extremely different than the forces acting on Switzerland. 

Landlocked Zurich is surrounded with mountains, lakes and rivers