During the summer months, the subtropical high-pressure belt shifts northward. This causes the trade winds (specifically the Northeast Trades) to blow from the high-pressure regions of the horse latitudes toward the Mediterranean basin. These winds are generally dry, contributing to the hot, clear summers characteristic of the Mediterranean climate. ANSWER: (A) Trade winds
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The Mediterranean region sits at a geographical transition zone. In the summer, the “Azores High” (a subtropical high-pressure cell) expands and the resulting pressure gradient drives trade winds across the region toward the equatorial low. Because these winds originate over land or stable high-pressure ocean areas and move toward warmer latitudes, they hold onto their moisture rather than releasing it, resulting in the region’s famous dry summers. In the winter, this belt shifts south, allowing the Westerlies to bring rain-bearing storms to the area instead.
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