Which climate is far from the ocean, with rainfall typically 10-20 inches per year and extreme seasonal temperatures?

• A. Steppes
• B. Taiga
• C. Tundra
• D. Humid Subtropical (Southeast)

Answer: (A)

Interior continental climates create semi-arid conditions where the ocean’s moderating effect is distant, leading to limited rainfall and large temperature swings between seasons. Steppes fit this pattern best: they are inland grasslands that receive only about 10–20 inches of rain per year, which isn’t enough to sustain dense forests, and they experience hot summers along with cold winters. This combination of low precipitation and extreme seasonal temperatures is the hallmark of steppe regions.

Other options don’t align as closely. Taiga has more moisture and forest cover, though it’s cold, its precipitation is generally higher than steppe in many areas. Tundra is extremely cold with little precipitation and permafrost, but it’s not defined by the 10–20 inch rainfall range and the temperatures are persistently frigid. Humid subtropical locations near the coast get much more rainfall and milder winters, not the dry interior climate described.