7August
M'learned friend Mr. Choccers wonders about cities with equitable temperatures. Let us assume that temperatures that range between 10°C and 25°C are comfortable for urban living: below that, you require significant heating, and above that significant cooling... Is there anywhere else in the world that has a greater period of time each year with temperatures in that range?
Yes. Get thee to Quito, Ecuador, a city where the average daytime high ranges from a chilly 21°C in April and May to a sweltering 23°C in August and September. Indeed, much of the equatorial Andes stretching into northern Peru and southern Colombia has a climate of equitability-to-boringness. The northern part of the Amazon basin is also stable, though it's a bit remote. Still in South America, we note that Uruguay and the Argentine side of the Plate Estuary fall well within Mr. C's requirements. (Where strict data isn't available, we're eyeballing maps, looking for average temperatures (daytime and nighttime) of between 8 and 16 degrees for as much of the year as possible.)
In the northern part of the Americas, correspondents have picked up the benign conditions on the Pacific Coast from Vancouver to Isla Cedros. There's also a small portion of the Atlantic coast that's suitably equitable, between Chesapeake Bay and Cape Fear, though it's an awfully long way from any civilisation.
Asia is subject to extreme climates, and there's no large area that falls within these guidelines. In Europe, the northern Spanish coast and west coast of France are moderate in temperature, though are very wet, particularly the area around Finisterre. The North Atlantic Drift warms Ireland, and carries on to keep Denmark and the far south of Sweden a little warmer in winter. Dublin, Copenhagen, and Gothenberg are major cities in this area, along with the lowland parts of Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Mediterranean coast of Morocco meets the requirements, thanks to the cooling effects of the Atlas mountains. Much of South Africa and Namibia is also equitable, though not the political centres of Pretoria and Johannesburg. Namibia, of course, is mostly desert; the south-east coast of South Africa rather wet. Finally, Tasmania and the North island of New Zealand make for good places. Auckland, here we come!
