Topography and Climate in California

California’s topography is very diverse. In fact this is the only state in the US with an extensive seacoast (840 miles, to be exact) , high mountains, and deserts.

Mountains :

There are 41 mountains in California that are more than 10,000 feet high. The major mountain in California are the Coast Ranges in the western part of the state, and the Sierra Nevadas in the east. The Coast Ranges cover more than 1200 miles along the coastline, with the tallest of the peaks located in the southern part of the state. California’s highest elevation is at Mount Whitney, which is 14,495 feet above sea level, and is also the highest point of the continental U.S. The lowest point of elevation in California is 252 feet below sea level, in Death Valley.
California Water Forms:

West of California is lined by the Pacific Ocean. The three importants rivers in California are: the Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, and Colorado River. The largest lake in the state is the Salton Sea, wich are located in the Imperial Valley. Near the Nevada border, Lake Tahoe covers 192 square miles of California. Deserts :

California contains three major regions of desert. The Mojave Desert, in Southern California, is a high desert, having an elevation of 3500 feet. In the Northeast corner of the state there is the Madoc Plateau, a wasteland of former lava flows, part of the Great Basin.The Great Basin also extends out of Nevada into the eastern edge of California, and contains Death Valley. In the southwestern corner of the state there is the Colorado Desert, extending out of the Salton Trough.

Islands:

In California “the Channel Islands” gather five island. Four of the islands are located in Santa Barbara , two are located in Ventura County, and two are located in Los Angeles . The Palos Verdes Peninsula has the same geologic origins as the Channel Islands Once an island north of Santa Catalina, Palos Verdes is today connected