Exam 2: Chapter 8

tropical wet

Abundant rainfall every month of hte year.

Subtropical Desert Climate (BWh)

Centered at latitudes 25-30 degrees on western sides of continents, extending into interiors; most extensive in northen Africa and southwestern asia. Very hot summers, relatively mild winters. Teh distinctive climatic characteristic of deserts is lack of moisture: scare, unreliable, intense.

Doppen Letter Code System

First Letter = the major climate group Second Letter = precipitation patterns Third letter = temperature patterns

Subarctic Climate (Dfc, Dfd, Dwc, Dwd)

Teh subarctic climate occupies the higher midlatitudes generally between 50 and 70 degrees. Annual temperature ranges in this climate are the largest in the world. Summer is short, and winter is dominant. Low temperatures allow for little moisture in the air.

Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa,Cwa)

Humid subtropical climates are found on teh eastern side of continents at about the same latitude as Csa. It covers more extensive area both latitudinally and longitudinally. Teh humid subtropical climates differ from mediterranean climates: 1. Higher humididty in summer, higher temperatures. 2. Precipitation in humid subtropical regions tends to have a summer maximum 3. Winters are colder

Ice Cap Climate (EF)

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Midlatitude Desert Climate (BWk)

BWk climates occur primarily in the deep interior of continents, where they are either far removed geographically or blocked from oceanic influence by mountain ranges. The principal climatic differences between midlatitude and subtropical deserts are in temperature, especially winter temperature, with BWk regions having severely cold winters.

Tropical Savanna

Characterized by a low-Sun dry season and a prominent but not extraordinary high-sun wet season.

D - Severe Midlatitude Climates

Climate Type: -Humid Continental: Dfa -> Severe winter; no dry season; hot summer -Subarctic: Dfc -> Severe winter; no dry season; cool summer

C - Mild Midlatitude Climates

Climate Type: -Mediterranean: Csa -> Dry, hot summer -Humid Subtropical: Cfa -> No dry season; hot summer -Marine West Coast: Cfb -> No dry season; warm summer

B - Dry Climates

Climate Type: -Subtropical Desert: BWh -> low-latitude hot desert. -Subtropical Steppe: BSh -> Low-latitude hot semiarid -Midlatitude Desert: BWk ->MIdlatitude cold desert -Midlatitude Steppe: BSk -> Midlatitude cold semiarid

A - Tropical Humid Climates

Climate Type: -Tropical Wet: Af --> rain throughout year -Tropical Savanna: Aw -> Winter dry season -Tropical Monsoon: Am -> Short dry season; heavy rains in other months

E - Polar Climates

Climate Type: -Tundra: ET -> Polar tundra with no true summer -Ice Cap: EF -> Polar ice cap

H - Highland Climates

H -> High elevation climates

Tropical monsoon

Has a dry season and a distinct very rainy high-Sun wet season.

Polar Climates (Group E)

Known for enduring cold. COld and dry. Tundra: has at least one omonth with an average temperature exceeding the freezing point Ice Cap: Has no months exceeding freezing point.

Tropical Savanna Climate (Aw)

Lies both to the north and south of the Af. The distinctive characteristic of he Aw climate is it's clear-cut seasonal alternation of wet and dry periods. During the low-Sun season (winter), all wind and air-pressure systems shift toward the opposite hemisphere so that savanna regions are dominated by subtropical high-pressure conditions. In summer, the systems shift in the opposite direction, bringing the ITCZ and its wet tropical weather patterns into the Aw region.

Marine West Cost Climate (Cfb, Cfc)

Marine west coast climats are situated on teh western side of continents between about 40 and 65 degrees; this is a windward location in teh band of the westerlies.

Mediterranean Climate (Csa, Csb)

Mediterranean climates are found on the western side of continents. Cs climates have three distinctive characteristics: 1. the modest annual precipitation falls in winter, summers being virtually rainless. 2. Winter temperatures are unusually mild for the midlatitudes, and summers vary from hot to warm. 3. Clear skies and abundant sunshine are typical especially in summer.

Tropical Humid Climates (Group A)

Occupy almost all the land area of Earth within some 15-20 degrees of the equator in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. A climates are noted not so much for warmth as for lack of coldness. Moderately high temperatures throughout the year. Warm, moist, unstable air masses frequent the oceans of these latitutes. Moreover, onshore winds and thermal convection are commonplace phenomena. A group has not only abundant sources of moisture, but also abundant mechanisms for uplift.

Tropical Wet Climate (Af)

The average daily temperature range exceeds the average annual temperature range. Convective lifting causes a lot of precipitation.

Tropical Monsoon Climate (Am)

The distinctiveness of the Am climate is shown primarily in its rainfall pattern. During high-Sun season, an enormous amount of rain falls in association with the 'summer' monsoon. During low-Sun season, Am climates are dominated by offshore winds. Teh "winter" monsoon during this season produces little precipitation.

Dry Climates (Group B)

The dry climates cover about 30 percent of the land area of the world, more than any other climatic zone. The arid regions of the world develop either as a result of the lack of air uplift necessary for cloud formation, or from the lack of moisture in the air. Teh largest expanss of dry areas are in subtropical latitudes.

Tundra climate (ET)

The generally accepted equatorward edge of tundra climate is the 10 degrees C isothem for teh average temperature of the warmest month.

Humid Continental Climate (Dfa, dfb, Dwa, Dwb)

The latitudinal range of humid continental climate in North America and Asia is between 35 and 55 degrees. Variability, then, both seasonal and daily, s a prominent characteristic.

Mild Midlatitude Climates (Group C)

The middle latitudes exhibit great short-run weather variability.. Seasonal contrasts are also marked in these latitudes, which lack both the constant heat of the tropics and the almost-continuous cold of the polar regions. Summers in the C climates are long and usually hot winters are short and relatively mild. The C climates are subdivided into three types primarily on the basis of precipitation seasonality and secondarily on the basis of summer temperatures

Severe Midlatitude Climates (Group D)

The severe midlatitude climates occur only in the northern Hemisphere because the Southern Hemisphere has limited landmasses at the appropriate latitudes - between 40 and 70 degrees. These climates have four clearly recgnizable seasons: a long, cold winter, a relatively short summer that varies from warm to hot, and transition periods in spring and fall. Annual temperature ranges are very large, particularly at more northerly locations where winters are most severe.

Modified Koppen System

The system of climatic classification

Midlatitude Steppe Climate (Bsk)

Typically midlatitude steppes have more precipitation than midlatitude deserts and lesser temperature extremes.

Climograph

most useful tool in a general study of world climatic classfication: a simple graphic representation of monthly temperature and precipitation for a specific weather station.

Subtropical Steppe Climate (BSh)

same conditions as BWh only a bit more moderate