An oceanic climate (also known as marine, west coast and maritime) is the climate typical of the west coasts at the middle latitudes of continents, and generally features warm (but not hot) summers and cool (but not cold) winters, with a relatively narrow annual temperature range. It typically lacks a dry season, as precipitation is more evenly dispersed throughout the year. It is the predominant climate type across much of Northern Western Europe, parts of the Appalachians, portions of southwestern South America and small areas of Africa, in southeast Australia, and New Zealand as well as isolated locations elsewhere.