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banana belt

{{short description|Segment of a larger geographic region that enjoys warmer weather conditions than the region}}

A banana belt is any segment of a larger geographic region that enjoys warmer weather conditions than the region as a whole, especially in the wintertime. The term "banana belt" is broad enough that it can be used to describe everything from the entire Antarctic Peninsula, to the southern part of the American Midwest,{{cite web |url=http://www.a1trails.com/xc_ski/xc_il.html |title=Cross Country Skiing in Illinois |publisher=A1 Trails |date= |accessdate=2012-10-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509155559/http://www.a1trails.com/xc_ski/xc_il.html |archive-date=2008-05-09 |url-status=dead }} to microclimate areas of mountain ranges.{{cite web|url=http://www.coloradofishing.net/ft_al_ark.htm |title=Colorado Fishing Network: Banana Belt Trout - Arkansas River |publisher=Coloradofishing.net |date= |accessdate=2012-10-13}}

Banana belts of the latter type may form on the lee sides of mountain slopes caused by orographic lift. When air rises over the top of a mountain range, it cools and releases moisture on the windward slope. As the air is pulled down the other side, it is compressed and heated via adiabatic heating, and it warms and dries territory in the mountain's rain shadow.

Examples of banana belts

=[[Canada]]=

  • Whitehorse in the Yukon
  • Windsor and Essex County in Ontario{{cite web|url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/on/pelee/visit/visit5.aspx |title=Parks Canada - Point Pelee National Park - Weather |publisher=Pc.gc.ca |date=2009-08-24 |accessdate=2012-10-13}}
  • The Niagara Peninsula in Ontario{{cite book |last=Gayler |first=Hugh J. |authorlink=Hugh J. Gayler |year=1994 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z2VTfqsdVa8C&pg=PA5 |title=Niagara's Changing Landscapes|publisher=McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP |isbn=9780886292355 }}
  • Brant County in southern Ontario{{cite web|url=https://environmentaldefence.ca/2019/08/21/protectourwaters-why-the-grand-river-watershed-needs-greenbelt-protection-in-brant-county/ |title=Why the Grand River Watershed Needs Greenbelt Protection in Brant County |date=21 August 2019 }}
  • Melita in Manitoba{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/big-banana-ups-manitoba-town-s-a-peel-1.891227 |title=Big banana ups Manitoba town's 'a-peel' - Manitoba - CBC News |publisher=Cbc.ca |date=2010-08-03 |access-date=2012-10-13}}
  • The southern Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia{{cite web |url=http://www.saltspringmarket.com/salt_spring_island_farmers/gardening.htm |title=Salt Spring Island, Canada's Banana Belt |publisher=Saltspringmarket.com |date=2012-09-13 |accessdate=2012-10-13 |archive-date=2012-12-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214111033/http://saltspringmarket.com/salt_spring_island_farmers/gardening.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://theprovince.com/travel/local-travel/bananas-and-olives-now-thriving-in-the-banana-belt-of-canada|title=Bananas and olives now thriving in the Banana Belt of Canada | the Province|date=2016-09-06}}
  • Chatham-Kent municipality in Ontario{{cite web|url=https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/international-plowing-match-day-4-70-crops-in-the-raw-state-on-display|title=International Plowing Match, Day 4: 70 crops 'in the raw state' on display | the London Free Press|date=2018-09-21}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chathamdailynews.ca/news/local-news/almost-70-crops-shown-in-raw-state-at-ipm|title=Almost 70 crops shown in 'raw state' at IPM|date=2018-09-21}}
  • Victoria, British Columbia, along with Saanich, British Columbia, and surrounding areas in the region that forms Greater Victoria. It is considered the warmest metropolitan area in Canada, especially during the winter, with the fewest "frozen days".{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cUUMEazAfxoC&q=banana+belt+canada&pg=PA74|title = Chicken Soup for the Soul: O Canada the Wonders of Winter: 101 Stories about Bad Weather, Good Times, and Great Sports|isbn = 9781611592313|last1 = Canfield|first1 = Jack|last2 = Hansen|first2 = Mark Victor|last3 = Newmark|first3 = Amy|date = 5 November 2013| publisher=Simon and Schuster }}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8SNH9AQuhfAC&q=banana+belt+victoria+bc&pg=PA32|title = MotorBoating|date = March 2002}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KG6ixOAQ4UMC&q=banana+belt+victoria+bc&pg=PA268|title = The Business of Resort Management|isbn = 9781136359361|last1 = Murphy|first1 = Peter|date = 4 November 2009| publisher=Routledge }}
  • Annapolis Royal in the western part of Nova Scotia{{cite web|url=https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/rare-and-unusual-plant-sale-s-a-draw-for-nova-scotia-town-1.3468043|title=Rare and unusual plant sale's a draw for Nova Scotia town|date=20 June 2017}}
  • The stretch from Shelburne to Yarmouth in southwestern Nova Scotia{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wecaAAAAMAAJ&q=%22yarmouth%22+banana+belt|title = Feliciter|year = 1974}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AnAVAAAAIAAJ&q=%22yarmouth%22+banana+belt|title = Ontario Library Review|year = 1974}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6768559}}
  • Medicine Hat, Warner and Lethbridge in Alberta due to the influence of Chinook winds{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-BkfAbhThBkC&q=%22lethbridge%22+banana+belt&pg=PA337|title = Game Plan: A Social History of Sport in Alberta|isbn = 9780888645944|last1 = Wall|first1 = Karen L.|date = 19 October 2012| publisher=University of Alberta }}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NbzWpHBAaHYC&q=%22lethbridge%22+banana+belt&pg=PA27|title = Empire of Dust: Settling and Abandoning the Prairie Dry Belt|isbn = 9781552380857|last1 = Jones|first1 = David C.|year = 2002| publisher=University of Calgary Press }}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qfhn67MOIu0C&q="lethbridge"+banana+belt|title = Alberta: A Natural History|last1 = Hardy|first1 = William George|year = 1967}}
  • The cities of Kelowna, Penticton, and Vernon in the Okanagan region{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/columbiagreatriv0000robe|url-access=registration|quote=Banana belt.|title = Columbia: Great River of the West|publisher=Chronicle Books|isbn = 9780877013365|last1 = Roberge|first1 = Earl|year = 1985}}
  • Osoyoos in the region of British Columbia Southern Interior{{cite web|url=http://observatorioemigracao.pt/np4/482.html|title=Observatório da Emigração}}
  • Creston in Central Kootenay of British Columbia{{cite web|url=https://www.kootenaivalleytimes.com/boundary/weather-outlook-creston-best-in-the-metro-for-sun-bathing/article_34830faa-35e0-11ea-9143-6b0c38b9d68d.html|title=Weather outlook; Creston best in the metro for sun bathing|access-date=2020-01-25|archive-date=2020-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125144812/https://www.kootenaivalleytimes.com/boundary/weather-outlook-creston-best-in-the-metro-for-sun-bathing/article_34830faa-35e0-11ea-9143-6b0c38b9d68d.html|url-status=dead}}

=[[United States]]=

  • Menominee, Escanaba, Manistique, and Iron Mountain, Michigan are in the banana belt of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
  • The Arkansas River Valley in Colorado, located in the Rocky Mountains, east of the Continental Divide and below the Sawatch Range of 14,000 foot peaks, is often referred to as a banana belt. It includes the towns of Buena Vista, Salida, Parkdale, Cañon City to Pueblo, Colorado.
  • The portion of the Oregon Coast region south of Port Orford is known as "Oregon's Banana Belt" because of its mild climate in relation to the rest of the coast. The largest communities in this region are Brookings-Harbor and Gold Beach.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hz2Tpvw_cwcC&pg=PA180 |title=Fodor's Pacific Northwest, 17th Edition - Fodor's - Google Books |via=Google Books|accessdate=2012-10-13|isbn=9781400007332 |last1=Wechter |first1=Eric B. |year=2008 |publisher=Fodor's Travel Publications }}
  • The Lewis-Clark Valley straddling the Washington/Idaho state line is known as the "Banana Belt of the Inland Pacific Northwest". The area includes Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washington, asotin wa all 3 located at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers.{{Cite web|url=https://visitusaparks.com/wine-water-history-idaho-lewis-clark-valley/|title=Wine, Water and History: Exploring Idaho's Lewis-Clark Valley|date=19 November 2021 }}
  • The Treasure Valley area of Southwest Idaho that includes the capital of Boise, Idaho and surrounding communities is known as Idaho's Banana Belt. Residents enjoy year-round golfing, while being only a short drive away from skiing.{{Cite web|url=https://idahometown.com/the-treasure-valley/|title=Treasure Valley: Boise and Beyond}}

=[[Europe]]=

=[[Australia]]=

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{U.S. Belt regions}}

Category:Belt regions