Difference between revisions of "Köppen Climate Classification System"
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===Temperate climates (C)=== | ===Temperate climates (C)=== | ||
====Mediterranean Climate (Cs): [[Chaparral]] biome==== | ====Mediterranean Climate (Cs): [[Chaparral]] biome==== | ||
| − | * [[Southern | + | * Much of [[Southern Europe]] |
| − | ==== | + | ====Oceanic climate (Cf)=== |
| + | [[British Isles]], [[Benelux]], Western [[France]], most of [[Germany]], [[New Zealand]] | ||
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| + | ====Subtropical highland (Cw)==== | ||
| + | High-altitude parts of [[East Africa]] and [[Southern Africa]] | ||
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| + | ===Continental climate=== | ||
| + | ====Humid Continental Climate (Df): [[Continental climate|Continental temperate forest]] biome==== | ||
*Eastern parts of the [[United States]] and southern [[Canada]] | *Eastern parts of the [[United States]] and southern [[Canada]] | ||
*[[China]] | *[[China]] | ||
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*[[Northern Europe]] | *[[Northern Europe]] | ||
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| − | ====Boreal forest Climate ( Dfc): [[Taiga]] biome==== | ||
*Central and western [[Alaska]] | *Central and western [[Alaska]] | ||
*[[Canada]], from the [[Yukon Territory]] to [[Labrador]] | *[[Canada]], from the [[Yukon Territory]] to [[Labrador]] | ||
*[[Eurasia]], from northern Europe across all of [[Siberia]] to the [[Pacific Ocean]] | *[[Eurasia]], from northern Europe across all of [[Siberia]] to the [[Pacific Ocean]] | ||
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====Tundra Climate (E): [[Tundra]] biome==== | ====Tundra Climate (E): [[Tundra]] biome==== | ||
[[File:Polar bears.jpg|thumb|right|300px]] | [[File:Polar bears.jpg|thumb|right|300px]] | ||
Revision as of 12:48, September 6, 2016
The Köppen Climate Classification System is the most widely used for classifying the world's climates. Most classification systems used today are based on the one introduced in 1900 by the Russian-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen. Köppen divided the Earth's surface into climatic regions that generally coincided with world patterns of vegetation and soils.
The Köppen Climate Classification System
The Köppen system recognizes five major climate types based on the annual and monthly averages of temperature and precipitation. Each type is designated by a capital letter.
- A - Moist Tropical Climates are known for their high temperatures year round and for their large amount of year round rain.
- B - Dry Climates are characterized by little rain and a huge daily temperature range. Two subgroups:
- C - Humid Middle Latitude Climates have warm,dry summers and cool, wet winters.
- D - Continental Climates can be found in the interior regions of large land masses. Total precipitation is not very high and seasonal temperatures vary widely.
- E - Cold Climates are part of areas where permanent ice and tundra are always present.
- H - Alpine climates
Further subgroups are designated by a second, lower case letter which distinguish specific seasonal characteristics of temperature and precipitation.
- f - Moist with adequate precipitation in all months and no dry season. This letter usually accompanies the A, C, and D climates.
- m - Rainforest climate in spite of short, dry season in monsoon type cycle. This letter only applies to A climates.
- s - There is a dry season in the summer of the respective hemisphere (high-sun season).
- w - There is a dry season in the winter of the respective hemisphere (low-sun season).
To further denote variations in climate, a third letter was added to the code.
- a - Hot summers. These can be found in C and D climates.
- b - Warm summer. These can also be found in C and D climates.
- c - Cool, short summers in the C and D climates.
- d - Very cold winters in the D climate only.
- h - Dry-hot in B climates only.
- k - Dry-cold in B climates only.
Tropical climates (A)
Tropical Moist Climates (Af): Rainforest
- Amazon Basin
- Congo Basin of equatorial Africa
- East Indies, from Sumatra to New Guinea
Wet-Dry Tropical Climates (Aw): Savanna
- Parts of India
- Indochina
- West Africa
- Southern Africa
- Northern South America
- North coast of Australia
Arid and semi-arid climates (B)
Dry Tropical Climate (BW): Desert biome
- Southwestern United States and northern Mexico
- Western South America
- Northern Africa
- Southern Africa
- Much of Australia
Semi-arid Climates (BS): Steppe
- Western North America (Great Basin, Columbia Plateau, Great Plains)
- Eurasian interior, from steppes of Eastern Europe to the Gobi Desert and North China
- Western North America (Great Basin, Columbia Plateau, Great Plains)
Temperate climates (C)
Mediterranean Climate (Cs): Chaparral biome
- Much of Southern Europe
=Oceanic climate (Cf)
British Isles, Benelux, Western France, most of Germany, New Zealand
Subtropical highland (Cw)
High-altitude parts of East Africa and Southern Africa
Continental climate
Humid Continental Climate (Df): Continental temperate forest biome
- Eastern parts of the United States and southern Canada
- China
- Korea
- Japan
- Northern Europe
Boreal forest Climate (Dfc): Taiga biome
- Central and western Alaska
- Canada, from the Yukon Territory to Labrador
- Eurasia, from northern Europe across all of Siberia to the Pacific Ocean
Tundra Climate (E): Tundra biome
- Arctic zone of North America
- Hudson Bay region
- Greenland coast
- Northern Siberia bordering the Arctic Ocean
Highland Climate (H): Alpine Biome
- Rocky Mountain Range in North America
- The Andean mountain range in South America
- The Alps in Central Europe
- Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa
- The Himalayans in Tibet
- Mt. Fuji in Japan