Anatolia (Turkey), located on the Eastern
edge of the Mediterranean Sea, and Iran, located in South Central Asia, are both sandwiched in
by mountains.
On its northern borders, Anatolia has the Pontic mountains. To
the East, there are the Armenian Highlands. To the south are the Taurus Mountains. This creates
a bowl in Anatolia where rain clouds rarely cross; clouds will pass over the mountains, but they
have little capacity for rain. This region, called the Anatolian plateau, has very sharply
contrasting seasons. The summers are hot, and without the breeze or rain coming in from the
Mediterranean or the Black Sea, temperatures can rise to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees
Celsius). In the winter, temperatures can drop to -22 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-30 to -40
degrees Celsius). Snow can last on the Anatolian Plateau for over 120 days.
The Iranian Plateau sits between the Zagros Mountains to the West, the Elburz Mountains
to the north, and the Kavir and Lut Deserts. Like Anatolia, the Iranian Plateau is a bowl. It
has an arid, dry climate and has little precipitation, especially from October to April. It's
temperature can fluctuate between 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) and freezing. Part
of this is because of pressure systems coming from Siberia in the North as well as from the
warmer waters of the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf. The resulting clash creates low pressure
systems that create heavy winds and fluctuating temperatures.
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