Mexico is a large and climatically diverse country with arid deserts in the north, temperate highlands in the center, tropical lowlands in the south and southeast, and milder conditions along some coastal and elevated areas. Its climate is strongly shaped by latitude, altitude, and exposure to the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. Köppen-Geiger climate types in Mexico include tropical rainforest, monsoon, savanna, dry steppe, hot desert, humid subtropical, and temperate highland climates. For residents and expats, this means there is no single national climate pattern: comfort depends heavily on elevation and region, with cooler year-round weather in the central plateau and much hotter, more humid conditions in coastal and lowland tropical zones.