Owing to its distance from open sea and its position on the southeastern portion of the European continent, Romania has a climate that is temperate and continental, with four distinct seasons. The average annual temperature is  in the south and  in the north. In summer, average maximum temperatures in Bucharest rise to , and temperatures over  are fairly common in the lower-lying areas of the country. In winter, the average maximum temperature is below . Precipitation is average, with over  per year only on the highest western mountains, while around Bucharest it drops to approximately .