Climate in Taiga

Climate: The taiga's climate is quite unlike any other biome. In the winter
season, the taiga's temperatures can drop below -76°F (-60°C). However, in the summer season temperatures can jump above 104°F (40°C). Because of this extreme difference in seasonal temperature, plants and animals need to be able to adapt to such variations. The sun also influences the way plants and animals live in the taiga. During the summer, because the taiga is located in the Northern Hemisphere and because the northern part of Earth is tilted towards the sun, the taiga sometimes receives twenty hours of sunlight a day. However, during the winter, because the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, the taiga sometimes remains dark for twenty hours a day. This lack of sunlight causes the biome to become a dark, cold, and bleak place. During the winter, because of the extreme cold temperatures, the taiga does not receive much snow. However, the snow that does fall and reaches the ground remains there for several months. This layer can be seven feet thick in some places. Snow layers are used by animals and plants to insulate and keep them warm when outside air temperatures drop below freezing. The air trapped in snow crystals remain at a constant 32°F (O°C), sometimes significantly warmer than the frigid outside air.