America, as the United States of America is commonly referred to, is the world’s third-largest country after Russia and China. Its climate, therefore, varies significantly with latitude and a range of geographic features, including mountains and deserts.

The country is divided into eight main regions, each with a different landscape and climate. Alaska has an arctic tundra climate. Hawaii and South Florida have a tropical climate. The Great Plains are dry, flat and grassy, turning into the arid desert in the far west. Depending on latitude and distance from the sea, different states get cold or frigid winters and warm or hot summers. On average, America gets significant rain during the year.

The country usually witnesses extreme weather events, and last year (2020) was a historic year of extremes. In 2020, there were 22 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters across the US, shattering the previous annual record of 16 events in 2017 and 2011.