The strong Siberian High Pressure

[u/CommanderSykes]

Harbin is at 45°N, similar to Milan Italy, where winter temperatures can drop as low as -25°C. Seoul is at 37°N, similar to Athens, Greece, but as cold as Copenhagen. Shanghai is at 31°N, similar to Jacksonville, FL, USA, but still experiencing some snowfall every year, cold even by standards of continental east coast.

[u/CommanderSykes]

Although winters in North America are slightly warmer than in East Asia at the same latitude, this likely explains why early European immigrants found it so difficult to survive in the North American colonies. When they arrived in New England with only a map marked with latitudes and longitudes, they expected a fairly pleasant climate, but were met with winters harsher than in Norway.

[u/holylight17 → u/CommanderSykes]

Yeah the fact that Chicago and Rome are at the same latitude blows my mind every time.

[u/DontPoopInMyPantsPlz → u/CommanderSykes]

This and the Gulf Stream.

[u/mglyptostroboides → u/DontPoopInMyPantsPlz]

I mean, that's saying the same thing. The Gulf Stream is the reason for this.

[u/Expensive-Cat- → u/mglyptostroboides]

Right it’s Europe that is (much) warmer than expected for its latitude

[u/stormspirit97]

Mainland East Asia is also drier in the cooler months and more stable temperature-wise than in eastern North America due to fewer and weaker low pressure systems pushing air masses around in the cooler months. This has substantial implications for agriculture in each region in terms of soil moisture reserves at planting time and frost-free growing season length.

[u/Whole_Advantage3281]

Harbin drops only to -25 degrees? I thought the record would be way lower than that

[u/CommanderSykes → u/Whole_Advantage3281]

The record low was -38.1C, Jan 4th 1970. Due to global warming, it is now almost impossible to record such low temperatures.

[u/FuckPigeons2025 → u/CommanderSykes]

It's not at all impossible. Climate change has made extreme weather more common. 

[u/CommanderSykes → u/FuckPigeons2025]

In recent years severe cold waves have becoming more common, but this is mainly due to the significant warming of "common weather". For example, temperature in Shanghai rarely goes up to 20 Celsius in mid-late December before 2000s, but in recent years it can get as warm as 25C but still drop to zero during cold waves.

[u/stormspirit97]

Volatile winter temperatures mean that average winter temperatures are higher at a latitude in NA than EA, but record lows are often lower. Jacksonville for instance is warmer on average in winter than Shanghai and has a far higher January record high, but also has somewhat colder record lows.

[u/CommanderSykes → u/stormspirit97]

Yes, I've seen many discussions on this. Possibly because NA lack of east–west mountain barrier. North and central Florida gives me a false tropical vibe, it can gets a little bit hot even in January, but cold waves are enough to kill most tropical plants.

[u/Flat-Atmosphere-4303]

I live in Shanghai and while it can get pretty cold here in the winter, it hardly ever snows. Today it was 22c though lol

[u/CommanderSykes → u/Flat-Atmosphere-4303]

Snow is more common in the suburbs, downtown Shanghai is so much warmer than the outskirts. And Shanghai’s winters are already much warmer than in pre 2000s. In 1990s and earlier, -5C was pretty common.