CLIMATE RegionsCLIMATE Regions

Warm up:

• Yesterday you created a Climate and Vegetation Pyramid.

• Today, turn to page 21 in your ISN, and cover up that Pyramid.

• Try to draw the Pyramid with the correct labels below your copied pyramid. Think about the pictures you drew of vegetation types to help you remember.

Low-Latitude ~ Tropical Low-Latitude ~ Tropical Climate Region (2)Climate Region (2)

•HUMID TROPICAL(TROPICAL RAIN HUMID TROPICAL(TROPICAL RAIN FOREST)CLIMATEFOREST)CLIMATE

•TROPICAL SAVANNATROPICAL SAVANNA

HUMID TROPICALHUMID TROPICAL(TROPICAL RAIN FOREST)(TROPICAL RAIN FOREST)

CLIMATECLIMATE• Location: Parts of … South America (largest part

located in the Amazon River Basin), Caribbean Area, Asia, and Africa

• Characteristics: Low Latitude, Average temperature is 80°F, Warm and Humid Air saturated w/ moisture causing a daily rain (80 in. yr.)

• Vegetation: Lush … Growing in thick layers with vines and other shade like plants at bottom, then bushes, shorter trees, and finally tall teak and mahogany trees at the top.

HUMID TROPICALHUMID TROPICAL(TROPICAL RAIN FOREST)(TROPICAL RAIN FOREST)

CLIMATECLIMATE

Tropical SavannaTropical Savanna CLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: Parts of … Africa, Central and South America, Asia, and Australia

• Characteristics: Low Latitude, Dry Winters and Wet Summers (accompanied w/ high year-round temps.

• Vegetation: dry season – ground covered w/ clumps of thick grass and you will find fewer trees than in the humid tropical climate region.

TROPICAL SAVANNA TROPICAL SAVANNA CLIMATECLIMATE

Dry Climate Region – Dry Climate Region – (2)(2)

•DESERTDESERT

•STEPPESTEPPE

DesertDesert CLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: Worldwide … largest … Sahara, extending over almost the entire northern 1/3rd of the African Continent.

• Characteristics: Yearly rainfall is not usually going to be more than 10in., Temps. vary widely from daytime heat and nighttime cool and also from season to season. Desert climates make up close to a 1/3rd of the Earth’s total land area.

• Vegetation: very little – scrub and cactus, in areas w/ an underground spring (oasis) you also will find this area to have lush vegetation.

DESERT DESERT CLIMATECLIMATE

SteppeSteppe CLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: Largest stretches across Eastern Europe and western and central Asia. Steppes are also found in N. America, South America, Africa, and Australia (anywhere that a desert could be found)

• Characteristics: Border desert areas and are also dry areas, Yearly Rainfall 10 – 20 inches

• Vegetation: treeless grasslands

STEPPESTEPPECLIMATECLIMATE

Mid-Latitude Climates Mid-Latitude Climates (4)(4)

•MARINE WEST COASTMARINE WEST COAST

•MEDITERRANEANMEDITERRANEAN

•HUMID SUBTROPICALHUMID SUBTROPICAL

•HUMID CONTINENTALHUMID CONTINENTAL

Marine West CoastMarine West Coast CLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: Along western coastlines, btwn. the lat. Of 30° and 60° north and south, are regions w/ a marine west coast climate. The Pacific coast of N. America, much of Europe, and parts of S. America, Africa, Australia, and N. Zealand.

• Characteristics: Ocean winds bring cool summers and damp winters.

• Vegetation: Coniferous and deciduous trees found in this region (mixed forests).

MARINE WEST COAST CLIMATEMARINE WEST COAST CLIMATE

MediterraneanMediterranean CLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: Lands surrounding the Med. Sea and any coastal mid-lat. areas w/ similar climate and vegetation… including S. California and parts of S. Australia

• Characteristics: Mild, rainy winters and hot, sunny summers

• Vegetation: Chaparral

MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATEMEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE

Humid SubtropicalHumid Subtropical CLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: SE US and in SE of SA and Asia

• Characteristics: Short, mild winters and nearly year around rain. Wind patterns and high pressure related to nearby oceans are responsible for high humidity levels.

• Vegetation: Prairies (inland grasslands) and forests of deciduous trees

HUMID SUBTROPICAL CLIMATEHUMID SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE

Humid ContinentalHumid Continental CLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: N. Hemisphere such as S. Canada, W. Russia, and NE China

• Characteristics: Climate influenced more by landforms than winds, precipitation, or ocean temp. The farther NORTH you are, the Winters will be longer and more severe and Summers will be shorter and cooler.

• Vegetation: Similar to Marine West Coast … mixed forests … more coniferous than deciduous the further north you get.

HUMID CONTINENTAL CLIMATEHUMID CONTINENTAL CLIMATE

High -Latitude Climates High -Latitude Climates (3)(3)

•ICE CAPICE CAP

•TUNDRATUNDRA

•SUBARCTICSUBARCTIC

Ice CapIce CapCLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: almost all of Antarctica, and Greenland’s interior

• Characteristics: Snow and ice, usually more than 2 miles thick constantly cover the surface. Ave. temps. – below freezing

• Vegetation: lichen

ICE CAP CLIMATEICE CAP CLIMATE

TundraTundraCLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: Closer to the Polar Regions

• Characteristics: Very COLD … winter darkness and bitter cold last 6 months and the sun’s indirect rays bring constant summer light but little heat.

• Vegetation: shrubs and lichen

TUNDRA CLIMATETUNDRA CLIMATE

SubarcticSubarctic CLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: Just south of the Arctic Circle

• Characteristics: Winters are bitterly cold and summers very short and cool. Only a thin layer of surface soil thaws each summer and below this is permafrost

• Vegetation: Coniferous

SUBARCTIC CLIMATESUBARCTIC CLIMATE

ELEVATION CLIMATES ELEVATION CLIMATES (1)(1)

•HIGHLAND (MOUNTAINS) HIGHLAND (MOUNTAINS)

HighlandHighland CLIMATECLIMATE

• Location: Mountains … anywhere … low and mid lat.

• Characteristics: Elevation and Climate go hand in hand … regardless of the latitude. The further you go, the thinner the atmosphere becomes, giving mountain areas similar high-latitude climates, characteristics and vegetation.

• Vegetation: Base – mixed, Mid – meadows and small trees and shrubs, High – shrubs

and lichen

HIGHLAND CLIMATEHIGHLAND CLIMATE

Sea Level

1,000 ft

3,300 ft

6,600 ft

9,900 ft

13,200 ft

16,500 ft

19,800 ft

81°F

77°F

70°F

57°F

49°F

34°F

21°F

9°F

*GuayaquilGuayaquil

*QuitoQuito

Hot ZoneHot Zone

TemperateTemperate ZoneZone

Cold ZoneCold Zone

TundraTundra

Snow capSnow cap