Climate Classification
• The Köppen Climate Classification System is
the most widely used system for classifying
the world's climates.
• Its categories are based on the annual and
monthly averages of temperature and
precipitation.
• The Köppen system recognizes five major
climatic types; each type is designated by a
capital letter.
• A - Tropical Moist Climates: all months have
average temperatures above 18° Celsius.
• B - Dry Climates: with deficient precipitation
during most of the year.
• C - Moist Mid-latitude Climates with Mild
Winters.
• D - Moist Mid-Latitude Climates with Cold
Winters.
• E - Polar Climates: with extremely cold winters
and summers.
(A) Tropical Moist Climates
• Tropical moist climates extend northward and southward
from the equator to about 15° to 25° of latitude.
• In these climates all months have average temperatures
greater than 18° Celsius.
• Annual precipitation is greater than 1500 mm.
• Three minor Köppen climate types exist in the A group, and
their designation is based on seasonal distribution of
rainfall.
• Af or tropical wet is a tropical climate where
precipitation occurs all year long.
• Am is a tropical monsoon climate. Annual rainfall is
equal to or greater than Af.
• The tropical wet and dry or savanna (Aw) has an
extended dry season during winter.
• Precipitation during the wet season is usually less than
1000 millimeters, and only during the summer season.
(B) Dry Climates
• The most obvious climatic feature of this
climate is that potential
evaporation and transpiration exceed
precipitation.
• These climates extend from 20 - 35° North and
South of the equator and in large continental
regions of the mid-latitudes often surrounded
by mountains.
• BW - dry arid (desert) is a true desert climate.
It covers 12% of the Earth's land surface and is dominated by
xerophytic vegetation.
A xerophyte is a species of plant that has adapted to survive in an
environment with little liquid water, such as a desert or an ice or
snow-covered region in the Alps or the Arctic.
• BS - dry semiarid (steppe).
Is a grassland climate that covers 14% of the Earth's land surface. It
receives more precipitation than the BW either from
the intertropical convergence zone or from mid-latitude cyclones.
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), known by sailors as
the doldrums, is the area encircling Earth near the Equator, where
the northeast and southeast trade winds converge.
(C) Moist Subtropical Mid-Latitude
Climates
• This climate generally has warm and humid
summers with mild winters.
• Its extent is from 30 to 50° of latitude mainly
on the eastern and western borders of most
continents.
• During the winter, the main weather feature is
the mid-latitude cyclone.
• Convective thunderstorms dominate summer
months.
• Three minor types exist: Cfa - humid subtropical; Cs -
Mediterranean; and Cfb - marine.
• The humid subtropical climate (Cfa) has hot muggy summers
and frequent thunderstorms.
• Winters are mild and precipitation during this season comes
from mid-latitude cyclones.
• A good example of a Cfa climate is the southeastern USA.
•
• Cfb marine climates are found on the western coasts of
continents.
• They have a humid climate with short dry summer.
• Heavy precipitation occurs during the mild winters because of
the continuous presence of mid-latitude cyclones.
• Mediterranean climates (Cs) receive rain primarily during
winter season from the mid-latitude cyclone.
(D) Moist Continental Mid-latitude
Climates
• Moist continental mid-latitude climates have
warm to cool summers and cold winters.
• The location of these climates is pole ward of
the C climates.
• The average temperature of the warmest
month is greater than 10° Celsius, while the
coldest month is less than -3° Celsius.
• Winters are severe with snowstorms, strong
winds.
(E) Polar Climates
• Polar climates have year-round cold temperatures with the
warmest month less than 10° Celsius.
• Polar climates are found on the northern coastal areas of
North America, Europe, Asia, and on the landmasses of
Greenland and Antarctica.
• Two minor climate types exist.
• ET or polar tundra is a climate where the soil is
permanently frozen to depths of hundreds of meters, a
condition known as permafrost.
• Vegetation is dominated by mosses, lichens, dwarf trees
and scattered woody shrubs.
• EF or polar ice caps has a surface that is permanently
covered with snow and ice.
Factors Influencing the World Climatic
Regions
1) Latitude and its influence on solar
radiation received.
2) Air mass influences.
3) Location of global high and low
pressure zones.
4) Heat exchange from ocean currents.
5) Distribution of mountain barriers.
6) Pattern of prevailing winds.
7) Distribution of land and sea.
8) Altitude.
