Geography Birmingham

1 geography

1.1 geology
1.2 climate
1.3 environment

geography


birmingham , wider west midlands built-up area seen international space station @ night south west

birmingham located in centre of west midlands region of england on birmingham plateau – area of relatively high ground, ranging between 500 , 1,000 feet (150 , 300 metres) above sea level , crossed britain s main north-south watershed between basins of rivers severn , trent. south west of city lie lickey hills, clent hills , walton hill, reach 1,033 feet (315 m) , have extensive views on city. birmingham drained minor rivers , brooks, river tame , tributaries cole , rea.

the city of birmingham forms conurbation largely residential borough of solihull south east, , city of wolverhampton , industrial towns of black country north west, form west midlands built-up area covering 59,972 ha (600 km; 232 sq mi). surrounding birmingham s metropolitan area – area closely economically tied through commuting – includes former mercian capital of tamworth , cathedral city of lichfield in staffordshire north; industrial city of coventry , warwickshire towns of nuneaton, warwick , leamington spa east; , worcestershire towns of redditch , bromsgrove south west.

much of area occupied city northern reach of ancient forest of arden, former presence can still felt in city s dense oak tree-cover , in large number of districts such moseley, saltley, yardley, stirchley , hockley names ending in -ley : old english -lēah meaning woodland clearing .

view across city lickey hills, longbridge in foreground



geology

geologically, birmingham dominated birmingham fault runs diagonally through city lickey hills in south west, passing through edgbaston , bull ring, erdington , sutton coldfield in north east. south , east of fault ground largely softer mercia mudstone, interspersed beds of bunter pebbles , crossed valleys of rivers tame, rea , cole , tributaries. north , west of fault, between 150 , 600 feet (46 , 183 metres) higher surrounding area , underlying of city centre, lies long ridge of harder keuper sandstone. bedrock underlying birmingham laid down during permian , triassic periods.

climate

birmingham has temperate maritime climate, of british isles, average maximum temperatures in summer (july) being around 21.3 °c (70.3 °f); , in winter (january) around 6.7 °c (44.1 °f). between 1971 , 2000 warmest day of year on average 28.8 °c (83.8 °f) , coldest night typically fell −9.0 °c (15.8 °f). 11.2 days each year rose temperature of 25.1 °c (77.2 °f) or above , 51.6 nights reported air frost. highest recorded temperature, set during august 1990, 34.9 °c (94.8 °f).

like other large cities, birmingham has considerable urban heat island effect. during coldest night recorded, 14 january 1982, temperature fell −20.8 °c (−5.4 °f) @ birmingham airport on city s eastern edge, −12.9 °c (8.8 °f) @ edgbaston, near city centre.

birmingham snowy city relative other large uk conurbations, due inland location , comparatively high elevation. between 1961 , 1990 birmingham airport averaged 13.0 days of snow lying annually, compared 5.33 @ london heathrow. snow showers pass through city via cheshire gap on north westerly airstreams, can come off north sea north easterly airstreams.

extreme weather rare city has been known experience tornados – recent being in july 2005 in south of city, damaging homes , businesses in area.

environment


birmingham botanical gardens

there 571 parks within birmingham – more other european city – totalling on 3,500 hectares (14 sq mi) of public open space. city has on 6 million trees, , 250 miles (400 kilometres) of urban brooks , streams. sutton park, covers 2,400 acres (971 ha) in north of city, largest urban park in europe , national nature reserve. birmingham botanical gardens, located close city centre, retains regency landscape of original design j. c. loudon in 1829, while winterbourne botanic garden in edgbaston reflects more informal arts , crafts tastes of edwardian origins.

birmingham has many areas of wildlife lie in both informal settings such project kingfisher , woodgate valley country park , in selection of parks such lickey hills country park, handsworth park, kings heath park, , cannon hill park, latter housing birmingham nature centre.