Geography: Northeastern Region

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Across
  1. 4. The Northeast is globally famous for its "fall foliage"; this biome is unique because it has a high density of sugar maples and oaks that turn bright red/orange due to the specific climate.
  2. 6. A geological feature where a river cuts through a mountain ridge that usually blocks it; the Delaware Water Gap is the most famous example in the region.
  3. 8. A series of long, narrow, deep lakes in Upstate New York that were gouged out by glaciers like claw marks; they are unique because their depth creates a micro-climate suitable for growing wine grapes.
  4. 9. The unique, sheer vertical cliffs made of basalt (volcanic rock) that line the west bank of the lower Hudson River, looking like a fortress wall.
  5. 15. The geological boundary where the hard rock of the mountains meets the soft coastal plain; in the Northeast, this line created waterfalls that blocked ships, forcing colonists to build major cities (like Philadelphia and Baltimore) at that exact spot.
  6. 16. Eastern Pennsylvania is one of the only places in the world with large deposits of this "hard coal," a rare, high-carbon fossil fuel that burns cleaner and hotter than common soft coal.
  7. 17. Unlike the Appalachians which are long ridges, the Adirondacks are a circular dome of growing mountains that are geologically newer and faster-rising than the surrounding ranges.
  8. 18. Named after Mount Monadnock in NH, this term describes a mountain that stands completely alone on a flat plain because it was made of rock too hard for erosion to wear down.
  9. 19. The dominant coastal ecosystem of the Northeast; these spongy, grassy wetlands protect the coast from storm surges and filter pollution out of the water.
Down
  1. 1. A macro-storm unique to the East Coast; the winds blow from the northeast (opposite of the usual weather pattern), fueled by the temperature clash between the cold land and the warm Gulf Stream.
  2. 2. Located in Maine, this is the only true fjord (a deep, U-shaped valley carved by glaciers and flooded by the sea) on the entire US East Coast.
  3. 3. Giant boulders found in Northeast forests that don't match the local bedrock (like Plymouth Rock); they were carried hundreds of miles by glaciers and dropped randomly when the ice melted.
  4. 5. Long, thin, sandy islands (like Fire Island or the Jersey Shore) that run parallel to the coast, protecting the mainland from the full force of ocean waves.
  5. 7. The largest estuary (where fresh river water mixes with salt ocean water) in the United States; it is actually a "drowned river valley" flooded by rising sea levels after the Ice Age.
  6. 10. Small, deep, circular ponds (like the famous Walden Pond) formed when a massive block of glacial ice broke off, was buried in dirt, and then melted, leaving a water-filled hole.
  7. 11. Smooth, teardrop-shaped hills found in clusters (like in Boston Harbor); they were formed by glaciers molding the dirt underneath them as they moved, like a spoon shaping dough.
  8. 12. The Northeast is the ending point of the last Ice Age glaciers; Long Island and Cape Cod are actually terminal moraines—massive piles of rocks and debris pushed there by the ice sheet and left behind when it melted.
  9. 13. Located between Maine and Canada, this body of water has the highest tidal range on Earth (up to 50 feet) due to its unique funnel shape resonance.
  10. 14. The Northeast is the only place in the US with this official designation; a "super-city" chain where the suburbs of Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and D.C. have grown together into one continuous urban corridor.
  11. 20. A specific type of coastline formed by the submergence of a river valley; the jagged, "fingery" coast of Maine is a classic example of a Ria coast.