Climate Types

Marine West Coast (Mechanisms)

*Mountain barriers cause a narrow strip pattern of this climate in North & South America, BUT with no north-south mountains in Europe the Cfb climate covers a much larger area.*High precipitation from orographic effects especially in NA.*These areas are influenced by their nearness to oceans & mP air masses, which keeps Tºs cool and with a small annual range.

Humid Subtropical (Characteristics)

*Relatively mild winters with hot, humid summers.*Annual precipitation total > 100cm (40 in) *Winter precipitation is primarily the result of passing mid-latitude wave cyclones.*Summer precipitation is the result of a combination of passing wave cyclones & afternoon convective thunderstorms. *Hurricanes are most numerous in this climate region but these areas are also highly prone to tornadoes.

Ice Cap (Mechanisms)

*high latitudes = low solar radiation input *Permanent ice = low T°s = permanent ice = low T°s = ... (An example of a negative feedback mechanism.)

Semi-Arid locations (steppe) receive

10-20 inches of precipitation per year.

Arid locations (desert) receive

<10 inches of precipitation per year.

Tropical Rainforest (Location)

Centered on the equator; Amazon basin, parts of W. Africa parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea, Hawaii.

Tropical Desert & Tropical Steppe (Location)

Centered on ~ 20° - 30 ° N & S

Highland Climates (Characteristics)

Cooler & wetter on the windward side) and relatively small areas

Tropical Desert & Tropical Steppe (Mechanisms)

Dominated by STH cells most or all of the year

Humid Subtropical (Location)

East coast of continents, ~ 20° to 40° N or S. U.S. Gulf Coast thru SE U.S. up to Washington, D.C.; southern Brazil & northern Argentina, South Korea, eastern China, southern Japan

Subtropical Monsoon (Subtropical Winter Dry) (Characteristics)

Essentially the same as Am climate, but cooler Tºs than Am *very wet summers, with dry winters

Humid Continental (Mechanisms)

Far northern latitudes = relatively low amounts of solar radiation & thus little energy(heat). *Continentality *dominated by the Polar Front

Highland Climates (Mechanisms)

High elevation means diverse, rugged topography

Subarctic (Mechanisms)

High latitudes = little solar radiation = low T°s

Mid-latitude Desert & Steppe (Characteristics)

Hot summers, BUT cool to cold winters

Dfa, Dfb

Humid Continental

Dwa, Dwb

Humid Continental (only in Asia)

Cfa

Humid Subtropical

Humid Mid-Latitude

Locations with an average T° of the coldest month <18°C (64°F) & > -3°C (26°F). (mild winter)

Polar climates

Locations with an average T° of the warmest month < 10°C (50°F). Sometimes considered humid, but only when compared to the low evaporation rates of polar regions. Little solar radiation so very low T°s, BUT large T° variation

Tropical Savanna (Tropical Wet & Dry with dry winters) (Location)

Locations with this type of climate are primarily found in two "belts" or areas which fringe the Af climate areas. These are found at approx. 5º or 10º to 15º or 20º N or S latitude. Some Caribbean islands also and some NE coastal Mexico areas. In the U.S., only the southern tip of Florida has Aw climate.

Subarctic (Characteristics)

Long, cold winters; short, warm summers *Exhibit the greatest annual T° ranges (Siberia up to 145°F).*Precipitation < 50 cm (20 in)/year, again, cold air does not hold as much water vapor.

Cfb, Cfc

Marine West Coast

Tropical Rainforest (Characteristics)

Mean Monthly Tºs are 25ºC+ each month with a low annual range (<= 3ºC). Total annual precipitation > 200cm (80in), with > 6 cm (~3 in)each month.

Csa, Csb

Mediterranean

BWK

Mid-latitude Desert

BSk

Mid-latitude Steppe

Highland Climates (Location)

Mountainous areas; Rockies, Sierra Nevada, Cascades, the Andes, Himalayas & Tibetan Plateau

Subtropical Monsoon (Subtropical Winter Dry) (Location)

NE India, parts of southern Brazil, south-central Africa

BWh (location)

North America: northern Mexico, southwestern U.S. (Sonoran, Mojave, Chihuahuan Deserts) South America: Atacama Desert Africa: north Africa (the Sahara), southwest and south-central Africa (Namib & Kalahari Deserts) Asia: southwest Asia (Saudi Arabia to Iran), Thar/Great Indian Desert Australia:central to western deserts (Simpson, Great Sandy, Gibson, etc.)

BSh (location)

North America: on the fringes of the deserts named above, central Mexico South America: northeast Brazil, northern coast of Venezuela Africa: the Sahel region, fringes of the Namib & Kalahari Deserts Asia: on the fringes of the deserts named above, southern Afghanistan Australia: on the fringes of the deserts named above

Mid-latitude Desert & Steppe

Poleward of BSh & BWh areas.

Subarctic (Location)

Poleward of Dfa, Dfb, Dwa, Dwb climates, south of tundra, western Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland; Norway across Russia to the Pacific Ocean.

Marine West Coast (Characteristics)

Precipitation all year round, often with winter maximum, but no real distinct dry season.*These areas exhibit relatively mild winters with cool summers.

Tundra (Location)

Primarily coastal areas in the polar regions north coast of Alaska, & Canada; coastal Greenland southern tip of South America; northern Scandinavia & Russian coast.

Mid-latitude Desert & Steppe (Mechanisms)

Rainshadow Effect: Great Basin & Great Plains, Patagonia, Eurasian Steppe, Taklamakan*Remoteness from water sources (continentality): Gobi desert, Eurasian Steppe, Great Plains

Subtropical Monsoon (Subtropical Winter Dry) (Mechanisms)

Seasonal reversal in direction of winds set-up by changing pressure patterns; general pattern of wind changes 180° *shifting ITCZ in summer; STH influence in winter

Tropical Monsoon (Characteristics)

Seasonal reversal in location of major pressure cells which causes a corresponding shift in the major direction of winds. The winds shift 180° between the dry and wet seasons.*Develops a large Sea/Land Breeze with very wet summers, and dry winters.

BS

Semi-Arid or steppe

Tropical Monsoon (Location)

Southwest coast of India, Bangladesh, Thailand, parts of West Africa, NE South America and some Caribbean Islands.

Dfc, Dfd

Subarctic

Dwc, Dwd

Subarctic (only in Asia)

Cw

Subtropical Monsoon

Cw

Subtropical Monsoon (Subtropical Winter Dry)

Tropical Rainforest (Mechanisms)

The ITCZ (low pressure belt) is present all year with extensive heating all year.

Tropical Savanna (Tropical Wet & Dry with dry winters) (Mechanisms)

The shifting of the ITCZ (low pressure belt) north & south with the seasons *Summer: ITCZ is in the region & brings rain (wet season) * Winter: ITCZ moves out (dry season)

NO 'D' climates in the Southern Hemisphere because....

There are no large land masses in the correct latitudinal zone.

Tropical Monsoon (Mechanisms)

There is a seasonal shift in the location of the ITCZ and STH between summer & winter. The ITCZ is the primary mover in this event.

Tropical Savanna (Tropical Wet & Dry with dry winters) (Characteristics)

These areas have a distinct wet/dry season, with a winter dry season & a summer wet season. 150 to 200 cm (60 - 80 in) of precipitation per year with the vast majority coming in only 5-6 months.

Tropical Humid Climates

Those locations which have an average Tº > 18ºC for each month, are classified as 'A' climates.

BWh

Tropical Desert

Am

Tropical Monsoon

Af

Tropical Rainforest

Aw

Tropical Savanna or Tropical Wet & Dry

BSh

Tropical Steppe

Tropical Desert & Tropical Steppe (Characteristics)

Very low precipitation and often very high Tºs, often some of the hottest on Earth (136ºF in Libya).

Mediterranean (Location)

West side of continents, ~ 30° to 45° N or S; central to southern California, Mediterranean Sea area

Marine West Coast (Location)

West side of northern continents, ~ 40° to 65° N or S; northern California to Alaskan Panhandle, NW Europe, southeast coast of South Africa & Australia, New Zealand

lower-case h

hot to warm average yearly temperatures

* Potential Evapotranspiration (PE)

the amount of moisture that, if it were available, would evaporate from a given area.

'B' climates

the only climates based on precipitation. Cover 25 - 35% of Earth's land area. Precipitation is quite variable, both spatially & temporally.

lower-case k

warm to cool average yearly temperatures

Humid Continental (Location)

~ 40° to 55° N; Midwest U.S. to east coast, s Canada; e Europe & Scandinavia to cent Russia.

Ice Cap (Characteristics)

*Average T° of warmest month < 0°C.*Lowest T°'s ever recorded, -88.3°C(-126.9°F) at Vostok, Antarctica.*Permanent ice & snow cover.

Tundra (Characteristics)

*Average T° warmest month > 0°C & < 10°C.*Severe winters & cool summers, with low precipitation.

Ice Cap (Location)

*Confined to the ice caps of Greenland & Antarctica.

Tundra (Mechanisms)

*Dominance by stable air & Polar High Pressure cell. *Cold air cannot hold much moisture = low precipitation.

Mediterranean (Mechanisms)

*Dominated by frontal activity in winter as a result of the interaction between mP and mT air masses. *Dominated by the stable eastern side of an oceanic STH cell in summer. This weakens in winter and allows the frontal systems to move in from off the adjacent ocean.*Cs climate areas are also influenced by cold water currents in the adjacent oceans.

Humid Subtropical (Mechanisms)

*Dominated by mT & cP air masses.*unstable air associated with western side of STH in summer

Mediterranean (Characteristics)

*Dry summers & wet winters with annual precipitation between 40 & 80 cm (16 - 32 in).*High incidence of fog in many Csa areas.

Highland Climates

Areas of high elevation with generally cooler & wetter conditions than surrounding lowlands.

BW

Arid or desert

Humid continental & Subarctic climates

Average Tº of coldest month is <= -3ºC (26ºF) & avg. T of warmest month is > 10ºC (50ºF).

Humid Continental (Characteristics)

COLD winters, warm summers;*large annual T° variations; cP air dominates