The Four Regions of Texas

1. The Four Regions of Texas • What are the common characteristics of the Texas climates? • What are some of the key features of the Coastal Plains region? • How would you describe the North Central Plains region? • What are the most notable features of the Great Plains region? • What features define the Mountains and Basins region?

2. The Four Regions of Texas

3. Texas Climate • Texas generally has hot summers and mild winters. • Snow may fall in many parts of Texas. • Climate differs greatly across the state. • Rainfall varies greatly across the state. • Even in the wetter areas, Texas has had problems with drought. Drought is a long period in which rain falls at a much lower rate than usual.

4. The Coastal Plains Borders • North: • Red River • South & West: Rio Grande • West: Balcones Fault • Southeast: Gulf of Mexico

5. The Coastal Plains Land • Western Edge: nearly 1000 ft. above sea level • Along the Coast: Low and Marshy Vegetation • Gulf Coast area: Coastal Prairie supports rice industry • East Texas: Pine forests of the Piney Woods • West of the Piney Woods: Forests of the Post Oak Belt and Eastern Cross Timbers

6. The North Central Plains Borders • North: • Red River • South: • Edwards Plateau • East: • The North Central Plains Region • West: • Caprock Escarpment

7. The North Central Plains Land • Elevation: Decreases from west to east • Much of the region’s land is rolling and hilly • In the South: buttes (steep-sided hills) and mesas (larger; similar landforms with flat tops) Vegetation • East: the Grande Prairie • Central: forests of the Western Cross Timbers • West: grasslands of the Rolling Plains • Farming and ranching dominate the North Central Plains

8. The Great Plains Borders • North: • Oklahoma • South: • Edwards Plateau • East: • Caprock Escarpment • West: • Edwards Plateau

9. The Great Plains Land • Northern High Plains: mostly flat; some canyons • Southern High Plains: The Llano Estacado is smooth and level • South: The Edwards Plateau has hilly terrain Vegetation • The Great Plains region is dry and has very few trees • Much of the region is grassland • Parts of the region are important farming areas

10. The Mountains and Basins Borders • North: • New Mexico • South& West: • Rio Grande • East: • Edwards Plateau

11. The Mountains and Basins Land • This region includes scattered mountain ranges and flat desert basins. • Major mountain ranges include the Guadalupe, Davis, Chalk, and Glass Mountains. • Big Bend National Park is in the Mountains and Basins region. Vegetation • Desert: cacti, mesquite, and other desert plants • Mountains: some forest growth

12. The Four Regions of Texas An escarpment is a___________________ (A) steep-sided hill. (B) steep hill with a flat top. (C) fault. (D) steep cliff. Which Texas region contains the most desert land? (A) The Great Plains (B) The Mountains and Basins (C) The North Central Plains (D) The Coastal Plains

13. The Four Regions of Texas An escarpment is a___________________ (A) steep-sided hill. (B) steep hill with a flat top. (C) fault. (D) steep cliff. Which Texas region contains the most desert land? (A) The Great Plains (B) The Mountains and Basins (C) The North Central Plains (D) The Coastal Plains