Climate of Europe

Europe has a variety of climates, but most of the continent has mild weather due to winds that blow across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean. The winds are warmed by the Gulf Stream, a powerful ocean current that carries warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to the western coast of Europe. These winds prevail upon most of the continent as there is no large mountain barrier to block them and because much of Europe is located within 480 kilometers of the Atlantic Ocean.

Much of Norway's coast lies in the Arctic region, most of which is covered with ice and snow in winter. But almost all of Norway's coast--even that part in the Arctic--remains free of ice and snow throughout the winter. Most of Europe receives from 50 to 150 centimeters of precipitation each year. The greatest annual precipitation--usually more than takes place in areas just west of mountains.

Global warming across the continent will make European winters disappear by 2080 and extreme weather will become more common . Europe is warming more quickly than the rest of the world with potentially devastating consequences. These include more frequent heatwaves, flooding, rising sea levels and melting glaciers,as stated in the European Environment Agency (EEA) documents.