Major physiographic features that interact with atmospheric circulation patterns in North America have roughly the same effect in both mid-latitude and tropical North America. Most significant of these are the north-south oriented mountain ranges spanning the western part of the continent north of the Rio Grande and the entirety of northern Mexico. The Coastal Range and the Rocky Mountains are separated by in the United States and Northern Mexico by somewhat lower Basin and Range country characterized by many generally north-south oriented mountain ranges separated by lower regions. These mountain ranges tend to converge in both Mexico and northern Canada. In Mexico, they converge at about the latitude of Mexico City where the meet the east-west oriented Volcanic Cordillera. Beyond this point a more of less continuous chain of mountain ranges separated by depressions characterize the western coast of Mexico and Central America. See Fig. 1.1.16.
This section is based on material in Trewartha '61.
