World Climate Regimes Geog403. Climate classifications Empirical Classification: based on the...
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Transcript of World Climate Regimes Geog403. Climate classifications Empirical Classification: based on the...
World Climate Regimes
Geog403
Climate classifications
• Empirical Classification: based on the results (temperature, precipitation, vegetation, etc.)
Examples: Köppen’s classification; Thornthwaite’s classification
• Genetic Classification: based on the causes (air masses, atmospheric circulation; geographical location, etc.)
Examples: Strahler and Strahler; Mather
Köppen Climate Classification (based on vegetation distribution)
A: Equatorial (tropical) Climate
Af-humid, no dry season (tropical rainforest)
Am- short dry season (monsoon)
Aw-wet and dry seasons (Savanna)
Rainforest
Monson
Tropical Savanna
Koppen- Desert
B: Dry climate
Bs: semiarid
Bw: arid
Low-Latitude Hot
Desert
Mid-Latitude Cold Desert
Low-Latitude Hot Steppe
Köppen-Mesothermal
C: Humid Temperate climate
Cf-no dry seasonCw-dry winter
(subtropical monsoon; interior)
Cs-dry summer (mediterranean)
Humid Subtropical Hot-Summer
Humid Subtropical Hot-Summer
Humid Subtropical Winter-Dry
Figure 10.12
Marine West Coast
Marine West Coast
Mediterranean Climates
KÖppen-MicrothermalD: Humid Cold
Climate
Df-no dry season
Dw-dry winter (interior, high latitude, shorter, cooler summer)
Humid Continental
Hot-Summer Climates
Humid Continental Mild-Summer Climates
Subarctic Cool Summer Climates
Extreme Subarctic Cold Winter
Polar and Highland climates
E: Cold polar climate (too cold to support vegetation)
F: High Land climate
Genetic classificationAir masses:cP: continental polar (cold
and dry; source: northern Canada, Siberia)
mP: maritime polar (cool and moist; Source: northern Pacific and Atlantic Ocean)
cT: continental tropical (hot and dry; source: desert)
mT: maritime tropical (warm and moist; tropical oceans)
mT mTcT
cPmP mP
General Circulation patterns
ITCZ: inter-tropical convergence zone (wet)
NE trade windSubtropical high
(dry)WesterliesPolar front (wet)NE wind
Potential evapotranspiration
Defined by Thornwaite
The demand of water by a continuous vegetation cover with uniform height that never lacks of water
It is determined by the latitude (solar radiation) and time of the year (solar angle) only. (or represents the air temperature)
Genetic Climate regimes
Low latitudes (30ºS-30ºN)1. Wet equatorial 10ºS-10ºN, warm
to hot, abundant rain.2. Tropical wet and dry: 5º-25º N or
S, warm to hot, distinct wet and dry seasons (savanna)
3. Trade wind littoral (monsoon and trade wind), east coast 10º-25º N or S.
4. Tropical desert/steppe: 15º-35ºN or S, world’s hottest desert
5. West coast desert: 15º-30ºN or S, west coast.
PEP
J D
PEP
PE
P
J
1 & 3
2
4 & 5
Middle latitudes (30º-60ºN or S)6. Humid subtropical: 25º-40ºN or S
eastern continent, hot and humid summer, mild winters, ample rain year around.
7. Mediterranean: 30º-40ºN or S west coast, hot and dry summer, and rainy winters
8. Maritime west coat (40º-60ºN or S), warm summers and cool winters with more rain in winter.
9. Middle-latitude desert and steppe: 35º-60ºN or S interior, not as hot and dry.
10. Humid continental: 35º-60ºN or S, cold winters and warm summers, ample precipitation through out the year.
P
PE
PE
P
PPE
6
7
8
PEP
9
PE
P
10
High latitudes (60º-90ºN)• Continental subarctic: 50º-70ºN
interior, short, cool summers and long bitterly cold winters.
• Marine subarctic: 50º-60º west coast, cool summers, mild winters.
• Tundra: 50ºN, long severe winters (proximity to Arctic ocean).
• Ice cap: bitterly cold temperatures, temperature remains below freezing in summer.
60N
30N
Tropical wet
West C
oat D
esert Tropical wet & dry
Desert and Steppe
Trade wind littoral
MediterraneanHumid tropicalDesert
Humid continentalMarine west coast
Marine subarctic
Continental subarctic
Tundra
Ice cap
0N
90N