This region lies poleward of the warm East Margin region. The region has warm wet summers and cold dry winters. North-eastern United States and adjoining parts of Canada, North China, Manchuria, Korea and Northern Japan are the main areas included in this region. Natural vegetation consists of mixed deciduous and coniferous forests. Deciduous trees shed their leaves during cold winters season, and coniferous trees occur mainly beyond 50° N.
As regards climate, all humid continental climates have cold winters. Short summer humid climates have long winters and they are severe too, but the summers are short. Winter temperature in January are 5°C. Though summers are short, yet during this short period they bring enough warmth and during the day time the maxima reaches 90°F. The loss caused by the brevity of summers is somewhat compensated due to the daylight available from 16 to 18 hours. The feasibility of plant growth, despite the long duration of daylight, is comparatively less when compared to long summer humid climates. Short summer climates have maximum 150 days as frost free days. In long summer humid climates summer temperature are high. July temperature are as high as 75°F. Summers here are somewhat sultry and winters cold with January temperature averaging about 25°F. The areas located poleward or in the interior have colder winters than the areas located on the coasts or on the margins, which are equatorward.
Precipitation in short summer humid climates, is maximum during the summer varying from 20 to 40 inches annually but northward regions have less than 20 inches precipitation. Winter precipitation in these regions is in the form of snowfall and this continues from 60 to 80 days and the region remains covered with snow sometimes for more than four months. Strong winds, during the winter, cause snow particles to whirl high into air and the result are in the form of invisibility. Visibility is reduced to zero. In long summer humid climates, precipitation is more and it occurs throughout the year. Fronts cause summer rainfall in these regions. Winter precipitation is cyclonic in character and often snow fall occurs, but sometimes the part of snowfall is changed into cold rains.
In short summer humid climates particularly in the wetter parts of North America, the forest cover is natural and dominant. Pine, spruce, hemlock and fir, as a product of evergreen species, dominate the region, but on the southward warm margins deciduous broad leaf trees such as birch, aspen, beech, poplar maple etc. are found. The western parts of Eurasia have conifers particularly in the higher elevations. Health and moor are common. In the far eastern section of this natural region particularly in the mountainous parts dense conifers occur with spruce, firs, larch and pine as distinct species. In Hokkaido island broad leaf trees make the vegetation cover.
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