the year interspersed with periods of
calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Southern Ocean
sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius
to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the
continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature
contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about
latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average
winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward
to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees
south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures
well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense
persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline
ice-free throughout the winter

Spain
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and
cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy
and cool along coast

Spratly Islands
tropical

Sri Lanka
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);
southwest monsoon (June to October)

Sudan
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies
by region (April to November)

Suriname
tropical; moderated by trade winds

Svalbard
arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool
summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and
north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most
of the year

Swaziland
varies from tropical to near temperate

Sweden
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Switzerland
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy,
rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with
occasional showers

Syria
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and
mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather
with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Taiwan
tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June
to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Tajikistan
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters;
semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Tanzania
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Thailand
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to
September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);
southern isthmus al