Banana belt explained

A banana belt is any segment of a larger geographic region that enjoys warmer weather conditions than the region as a whole, especially in the wintertime. The term "banana belt" is broad enough that it can be used to describe everything from the entire Antarctic Peninsula, to the southern part of the American Midwest,^[1] to microclimate areas of mountain ranges.^[2]

Banana belts of the latter type may form on the lee sides of mountain slopes caused by orographic lift. When air rises over the top of a mountain range, it cools and releases moisture on the windward slope. As the air is pulled down the other side, it is compressed and heated via adiabatic heating, and it warms and dries territory in the mountain's rain shadow.

Examples of banana belts

Canada

• • Whitehorse in the Yukon Windsor and Essex County in Ontario^[3]
• The Niagara Peninsula in Ontario^[4]
• Melita in Manitoba^[5]
• The southern Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia^{[6] [7]}
• Chatham-Kent municipality in Ontario^{[8] [9]}
• Victoria, British Columbia, along with Saanich, British Columbia, and surrounding areas in the region that forms Greater Victoria. It is considered the warmest metropolitan area in Canada, especially during the winter, with the fewest "frozen days".^{[10] [11] [12]}
• Annapolis Royal in the western part of Nova Scotia^[13]
• Yarmouth in southwestern Nova Scotia^{[14] [15]}
• Medicine Hat, Warner and Lethbridge in Alberta due to the influence of Chinook winds^{[16] [17] [18]}
• The cities of Kelowna, Penticton, and Vernon in the Okanagan region^[19]
• Osoyoos in the region of British Columbia Southern Interior^[20]
• Creston in Central Kootenay of British Columbia^[21]

United States

• Menominee, Escanaba, Manistique, and Iron Mountain, Michigan are in the banana belt of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.^[22]
• The Arkansas River Valley in Colorado, located in the Rocky Mountains, east of the Continental Divide and below the Sawatch Range of 14,000 foot peaks, is often referred to as a banana belt. It includes the towns of Buena Vista, Salida, Parkdale, Cañon City to Pueblo, Colorado.^[2]
• The portion of the Oregon Coast region south of Port Orford is known as "Oregon's Banana Belt" because of its mild climate in relation to the rest of the coast. The largest communities in this region are Brookings-Harbor and Gold Beach.^[23]
• The Lewis-Clark Valley straddling the Washington/Idaho state line is known as the "Banana Belt of the Inland Pacific Northwest". The area includes Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washington, both located at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers.^[24]
• The Treasure Valley area of Southwest Idaho that includes the capital of Boise, Idaho and surrounding communities is known as Idaho's Banana Belt. Residents enjoy year-round golfing, while being only a short drive away from skiing.^[25]

Europe

• Western Europe, and Northern Europe, including the United Kingdom and Ireland have mild winters due to the warming effects of the North Atlantic Current.

Australia

• In the cool season, due to the southeast Australian foehn, the southeastern coast of New South Wales, which includes cities such as Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong, Batemans Bay, Merimbula, and Narooma, is relatively warmer than the inland regions of the state (i.e. Central Tablelands, South Western Slopes and the Central West).^{[26] [27]}

See also

• Chinook wind
• Foehn wind
• Hardiness zone
• List of belt regions of the United States

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cross Country Skiing in Illinois . A1 Trails . 2012-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080509155559/http://www.a1trails.com/xc_ski/xc_il.html . 2008-05-09 . dead .
2. Web site: Colorado Fishing Network: Banana Belt Trout - Arkansas River . Coloradofishing.net . 2012-10-13.
3. Web site: Parks Canada - Point Pelee National Park - Weather . Pc.gc.ca . 2009-08-24 . 2012-10-13.
4. Book: Gayler, Hugh J. . Hugh J. Gayler

   . Hugh J. Gayler . 1994 . Niagara's Changing Landscapes. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP . 9780886292355 .

5. Web site: Big banana ups Manitoba town's 'a-peel' - Manitoba - CBC News . Cbc.ca . 2010-08-03 . 2012-10-13.
6. Web site: Salt Spring Island, Canada's Banana Belt . Saltspringmarket.com . 2012-09-13 . 2012-10-13.
7. Web site: Bananas and olives now thriving in the Banana Belt of Canada | the Province. 2016-09-06.
8. Web site: International Plowing Match, Day 4: 70 crops 'in the raw state' on display | the London Free Press. 2018-09-21.
9. Web site: Almost 70 crops shown in 'raw state' at IPM. 2018-09-21.
10. Book: Chicken Soup for the Soul: O Canada the Wonders of Winter: 101 Stories about Bad Weather, Good Times, and Great Sports. 9781611592313. Canfield. Jack. Hansen. Mark Victor. Newmark. Amy. 5 November 2013. Simon and Schuster .
11. Book: MotorBoating. March 2002.
12. Book: The Business of Resort Management. 9781136359361. Murphy. Peter. 4 November 2009. Routledge .
13. Web site: Rare and unusual plant sale's a draw for Nova Scotia town. 20 June 2017.
14. Book: Feliciter. 1974.
15. Book: Ontario Library Review. 1974.
16. Book: Game Plan: A Social History of Sport in Alberta. 9780888645944. Wall. Karen L.. 19 October 2012. University of Alberta .
17. Book: Empire of Dust: Settling and Abandoning the Prairie Dry Belt. 9781552380857. Jones. David C.. 2002. University of Calgary Press .
18. Book: Alberta: A Natural History. Hardy. William George. 1967.
19. Book: Columbia: Great River of the West. registration. Banana belt.. Chronicle Books. 9780877013365. Roberge. Earl. 1985.
20. Web site: Observatório da Emigração.
21. Web site: https://www.kootenaivalleytimes.com/boundary/weather-outlook-creston-best-in-the-metro-for-sun-bathing/article_34830faa-35e0-11ea-9143-6b0c38b9d68d.html.
22. Web site: Hunt's Guide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula . Hunts-upguide.com . 1997-02-26 . 2012-10-13.
23. Book: Fodor's Pacific Northwest, 17th Edition - Fodor's - Google Books . Google Books. 2012-10-13. 9781400007332 . Wechter . Eric B. . 2008 . Fodor's Travel Publications .
24. Web site: Wine, Water and History: Exploring Idaho's Lewis-Clark Valley. 19 November 2021 .
25. Web site: Treasure Valley: Boise and Beyond.
26. Web site: Rain Shadows . Willy Weather . Don White . June 2023. 25 May 2024.
27. Web site: Rain one side, heat the other in NSW . . Joel Pippard . 16 April 2020. 25 May 2024.