What is maritime climate characterized by?

Maritime climate is characterized primarily by its low annual temperature range and high precipitation. This type of climate is typically found in coastal regions where the presence of large water bodies, like oceans and seas, significantly influences weather patterns.

Water has a high heat capacity, meaning it heats up and cools down more slowly than land. As a result, areas with a maritime climate experience milder temperatures with smaller fluctuations between seasons compared to continental climates. This leads to cooler summers and warmer winters, effectively reducing the annual temperature range.

Additionally, maritime climates generally receive a high amount of precipitation throughout the year, often in the form of rain. This can be attributed to the moisture-laden winds coming from the ocean, which condense as they rise over the land, resulting in consistent rainfall.

The other choices describe characteristics typical of different climate types. For instance, high annual temperature ranges and low precipitation are more characteristic of continental climates, while extreme seasonal variations would align with regions experiencing a more continental climate as well. Dry conditions year-round are typically found in arid or semi-arid climates, not maritime ones.