Climate Classification PDF

Climate Classification  There are 13 climate types Climate globally based on: classification Air mass movements based on Frontal zones mean Climate types are broken into 3 monthly groups: values of Group I – low latitudes - cT, mE...

Climate Classification  There are 13 climate types Climate globally based on: classification Air mass movements based on Frontal zones mean Climate types are broken into 3 monthly groups: values of Group I – low latitudes - cT, mE and mT air masses temp & precip Group II – midlatitudes - Polar front, varied air masses Group III – high latitudes - cP, mP and cA  Low-Latitude Climates (Group I) 1 2 3 Wet Equatorial (1) – Trade Wind Coastal (2) – Wet-Dry Tropical (3) – warm to hot w/abundant warm to hot w/very rainy warm to hot w/distinct rainfall season wet & dry seasons Example – Amazon Basin or Example – any coastal region Example – Sahel or monsoon Congo exposed to trade winds region of central I  Marine West Coast (8) – warm summers, cool, wet winters Expls – Northwestern US Midlatitude Dry Midlatitude (9) – warm to hot in Climates summer, cold winter, little precip (Group II) Expl – Great Plains of North America Moist Continental (10) – warm summer, cold winter, ample precip. Expl – Northeastern US  High-Latitude Climates (Group III) Boreal Forest (11) – short, Tundra (12) – short, cool Ice Sheet (13) – bitter cool summers, long, very summers, winters slightly cold all year cold winters warmer than (11) Example – Siberia, Example – western Examples – inland Central Alaska Alaska coast Greenland and Antarctica Climate Zones of the World Climate Zones of the World  Climograph: A tool for defining the climate of a given location or region Measures: Mean monthly temp on line chart Mean monthly precip on bar chart May include dominant weather systems Climographs: Wet Equatorial Climate Moist climate of the equatorial zone 10°N to 10°S Large annual water surplus Warm temps all year Dominated by ITCZ mE & mT air masses Annual rainfall can exceed 2500 mm Iquitos, Peru, 9°S  Trade-wind Coastal Climate Moist, low-latitude climate Rainfall peak in high-sun season Short dry period in low-sun season East side of continents 5-25°N & S Warm all year Belize City, Belize, 17°N Wet Equatorial & Trade-wind Coastal World Map Wet-Dry Tropical Climate Located 5-30°N & S Each year very wet & very dry season High-sun season → ITCZ influence → Wet Low-sun season → STH influence → Dry Wet season → mT & mE air Dry season → cT air Drought-resistant plants Timbo, Guinea 10°N Wet-Dry Tropical Climate World Map Monsoon Coastal Climate Coastal South Asia Wet high-sun season Asiatic low Dry low-sun season Siberian high Small temp range Dry Tropical Climate Tropical zones – 15-25° N & S High temps / low rainfall Sinking air Adiabatic warming Little cloud cover Wadi Halfa, Sudan, 22°N Large daily temp range Dry Subtropical Climate Poleward extension of Dry Tropical climate Similar heat to Dry Tropical in high-sun season Larger annual temp range Cooler low-sun season Lower sun angle Shorter days Arid & semi-arid subtypes Mostly cT air masses Some cP in low-sun season Yuma, AZ, 33°N Dry Tropical, Dry Subtropical, Dry Midlatitude World Map Moist Subtropical Climate East side of continents 25-35°N & S Moist mT air from STH Water surplus Large annual temp range Some cP air in winter Winter precip common from midlatitude cyclones Charleston, SC, 33°N Moist Subtropical Climate World Map  Mediterranean Climate Unique – dry summer, wet winter Summer – dry eastern side of STH – cT air Winter – cyclonic storms – mP air West side of continents 30-45°N & S Small temp range Warm to hot summers Mild winters Monterey, CA, 36°N Marine West Coast Climate Midlatitude west coasts → westerlies from ocean 35-60°N & S Abundant precip Winter precip maximum Some influence from STH in summer → drier Orographic effect in mts Small annual temp range Vancouver, B.C., 49°N Mediterranean & Marine West Coast World Map Dry Midlatitude Climate Interior regions of North America & Eurasia In rainshadows of major mtn ranges 35-55°N Strong annual temp range Cold winters Pueblo, CO, 38°N  Moist Continental Climate Moist, midlatitude climate - 30-55° N Central & eastern parts of N. America & Eurasia Strongly defined winter & summer seasons Ample precip all year cP & cA air common in winter mT common in summer None in southern hemis. Madison, WI, 43°N Moist Continental World Map Boreal Forest Continental climate – 50- 70°N Highest annual temp range of any climate type Long, bitterly cold winters Short, cool summers cP source region cA also common Most precip in summer Low annual precip Ft. Vermillion, Alberta, 58°N Boreal Forest World Map Tundra Climate Along Arctic coastal fringes – 60-80°N 8 or more months of frozen ground per year Mean temp too low for trees Short mild season No true summer Little precip Permafrost in ground cA, cP & mP air Upernavik, Greenland, 73°N Tundra World Map Ice Sheet Climate Severly cold climate on Antarctic & Greenland Mean annual temp well below any other climate No monthly mean > 0°C 70-90°N & S Low precip – all snow High winds common Temp inversions common Antarctic & Greenland Locations