GAME OF THRONES REGION: The North
NOTABLE CHARACTERS: House Stark
MOST COMPARABLE TO: Scotland, Northern Ireland, Alberta, northern Quebec
The North is home to Winterfell, the castle that houses the Starks. It’s built over a natural hot spring that sends water through the walls, warming the rooms.
Season 1 of the show shot Winterfell in Northern Ireland, but the show’s set designer said that it is based on a Scottish castle.
Ressler sees a Canadian connection as well.
"The North has a cold continental climate with rugged terrain, including forests and mountains. In Canada, this might be similar to northern Alberta or northern Quebec," she says.
"Martin himself has compared it to Scotland. Summers can be pleasant, but when harsh winters occur, The North feels the brunt of it with powerful snowstorms and frigid temperatures. Many Canadians can relate to this type of climate."
Speaking of Europe, parts of the continent have seen some extreme weather recently -- which would have been a challenge for House Stark, given the limited drainage systems in the Game of Thrones universe.
RELATED: Signs of destruction as severe storm hits Europe
"Climate records indicate that the 2013/2014 winter was the wettest winter Scotland saw in over 100 years and the second wettest winter in Northern Ireland since 1910," says Weather Network meteorologist Monica Vaswani.
"There were numerous significant flooding events as well and dangerous sea conditions along coastal areas as a result of at least 12 major winter storms that pounded the region."
Imagine the amount of damage those storms would cause in the North.
Photo courtesy: Flickr/lju photo
GAME OF THRONES REGION: King's Landing
NOTABLE CHARACTERS: Joffrey Baratheon, Cersi Lannister
MOST COMPARABLE TO: Medieval Paris, London, New York City
King's Landing has a walled-in main city, dominated by three hills. With a population of about 500,000, the city is populous but it considered unsightly. Martin has compared the region to medieval Paris or London.
"King's Landing, located farther south that Winterfell, possesses a temperate climate," Ressler says.
"Summers are warm, and winters are cool but not frigid. King's Landing is near the ocean, but is far enough inland to likely experience a humid continental climate, which could be comparable to New York City."
Photo courtesy of HBO/Game of Thrones/Facebook
