Shanghai, China VS Lima, Peru

Click Images to Enlarge !

Macro Scale Differences: The cities of Shanghai, China and Lima, Peru are affected by very different climatic controls. According to the Koppen scale, Shanghai is a Cfa (Warm, fully humid, hot summer), and Lima is Bwh (Arid, Desert, Hot).  Shanghai, is a North latitude city and on the Eastern coast. Lima is a South latitude city and on the Western Coast these factors are the primary conditions that define the differences between the two cities.

The difference in latitude causes Lima to experience their warmest conditions during the months that Shanghai is experiencing their coldest conditions.  There is also a considerable difference in the amount of direct solar radiation and impact of the ITCZ on the two locations. Shanghai, at latitude of 32 N, experiences relatively low solar angles dung their winter months and impart leads to lower temperatures.  Lima, at a attitude of 12 S, is near equatorial and experiences higher solar angles (and longer days) year round.  

Shanghai is on the Eastern coast and of the Asian continent and is influenced by the colder and Pacific oceanic currents. Lima is on a Western coast and is influenced by warmer currents of the Pacific ocean.  Interestingly, both sites are typically affected by a combination of Mp and Mt air masses originating from opposite hemispheres. 

Meso Scale Differences: Shanghai, experiences fairly dramatic temperature ranges and weather patterns primarily related to seasonality and pressure differentials.   The pressure differentials are caused by a seasonal change in High and Low pressure systems. This change is directly related to the size of the Asian land mass and the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.  The change in pressure causes  Shanghai to experience extreme monsoon weather patterns during their summer months.  There is little direct orographic impact on Shanghai, primarily because Shanghai is a low-lying coastal area and has no major mountain ranges.

Lima, has a very mild year round tropical climate. Their climate is primarily influenced by proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the cool air created by the Andes Mountains to the East.  Lima, similarly to Shanghai, receives most of their precipitation (though much less) during their summer months.  However, a different process causes their rain.  The primary process that causes rain in Lima is convective orographic lifting.  Lima is on the western slope of the Andes Mountains and does not typically receive much rain. The moisture producing air masses do not typically form rain clouds until the reach the mountains. Lima receives most of their water supply from runoff and snowmelt. 

For Current Lima Weather : Click
For Current Shanghai Weather: Click

Micro Scale Differences:  Both Shanghai and Lima are very large and industrialized cities. However, Shanghai has a population that is more than double that of Lima.  The increase in population and the decrees in vegetative cover can have a dramatic impact on the micro scale climate.  Both cities likely experience the effect of urban heat island and degraded natural environment. Lastly, both cities are low lying coastal cities and under current modeling predictions will likely be severely impacted by  by sea level rise.