Climate classification
Climate classifications are systems that categorize the world's climates. A climate classification may correlate closely with a biome classification, as climate is a major influence on life in a region. One of the most used is the Köppen climate classification scheme first developed in 1884.[1]
There are several ways to classify climates into similar regimes. Originally,
Types of climate
- Alpine climate
- arid climate
- Humid continental climate
- Humid subtropical climate
- Ice cap climate
- Oceanic climate
- Subarctic climate
- Semi-arid climate
- Mediterranean climate
- Tropical monsoon climate
- Tropical rainforest climate
- Tropical savanna climate
- Tundra climate
- Polar climate
Systems
Climate classification systems include:
- Aridity index – part of many systems
- Alisov climate classification (ru)
- Berg climate classification
- Köppen climate classification – most widely used in the 1954 Köppen–Geiger variant
- Holdridge life zone classification – relatively simple
- Lauer climate classification
- Strahler climate classification
- Thornthwaite climate classification
- Trewartha climate classification – 1967 modification of Köppen
- Troll climate classification
- Vahl climate classification
- Zhou climate classification (zh)
Bergeron and Spatial Synoptic
The simplest classification is that involving
Based upon the Bergeron classification scheme is the Spatial Synoptic Classification system (SSC). There are six categories within the SSC scheme: Dry Polar (similar to continental polar), Dry Moderate (similar to maritime superior), Dry Tropical (similar to continental tropical), Moist Polar (similar to maritime polar), Moist Moderate (a hybrid between maritime polar and maritime tropical), and Moist Tropical (similar to maritime tropical, maritime monsoon, or maritime equatorial).[7]
Köppen
The Köppen classification depends on average monthly values of temperature and precipitation. The most commonly used form of the Köppen classification has five primary types labeled A through E. These primary types are A) tropical, B) dry, C) mild mid-latitude, D) cold mid-latitude, and E) polar.
Tropical climates are defined as locations where the coolest monthly mean temperature is above 18 C (64.4 F). This tropical zone is further broken down into rainforest, monsoon, and savanna based on seasonal rainfall. These climates are most often located between the Equator and 25 north and south latitude.
A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months, ushering in a region's rainy season.
A tropical savanna is a
The humid subtropical climate zone where winter rainfall (and sometimes light
A humid continental climate is marked by variable weather patterns and a large seasonal temperature variance, cold and often very snowy winters, and warm summers. Places with more than three months of average daily temperatures above 10 °C (50 °F) and a coldest month temperature below −3 °C (27 °F) and which do not meet the criteria for an
An oceanic climate is typically found along west coasts in higher middle latitudes of all the world's continents, and in southeastern Australia, and is accompanied by plentiful precipitation year-round, cool summers, and small annual ranges of temperatures. Most climates of this type are found from 45 latitude to 55 latitude.[17]
The Mediterranean climate regime resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, parts of western North America, parts of Western and South Australia, in southwestern South Africa and in parts of central Chile. The climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.[18]
A steppe is a dry grassland with an annual temperature range in the summer of up to 40 °C (104 °F) and during the winter down to −40 °C (−40 °F).[19]
A subarctic climate has little precipitation,[20] and monthly temperatures which are above 10 °C (50 °F) for one to three months of the year, with permafrost in large parts of the area due to the cold winters. Winters within subarctic climates usually include up to six months of temperatures averaging below 0 °C (32 °F).[21]
Tundra occurs in the far Northern Hemisphere, north of the taiga belt, including vast areas of northern Russia and Canada.[22]
A polar ice cap, or polar ice sheet, is a high-
A desert is a
Trewartha
The Trewartha climate classification (TCC) or the Köppen–Trewartha climate classification (KTC) is a climate classification system first published by American geographer Glenn Thomas Trewartha in 1966. It is a modified version of the Köppen–Geiger system, created to answer some of its deficiencies.[25] The Trewartha system attempts to redefine the middle latitudes to be closer to vegetation zoning and genetic climate systems.
The Trewartha climate classification changes were seen as most effective on the large landmasses in Asia and North America, where many areas fall into a single group (C) in the Köppen–Geiger system.[26] For example, under the standard Köppen system, Washington and Oregon are classed into the same climate zone (Csb) as parts of Southern California, even though the two regions have strikingly different weather and vegetation. Another example was classifying cities like London or New York in the same climate group (C) as Brisbane or New Orleans, despite great differences in seasonal temperatures and native plant life.[27]
Scheme
Trewartha's modifications to the 1899 Köppen climate system sought to reclass the middle latitudes into three groups: C (
Thornthwaite
Devised by the American climatologist and geographer C. W. Thornthwaite, this climate classification method monitors the soil water budget using evapotranspiration.[28] It monitors the portion of total precipitation used to nourish vegetation over a certain area.[29] It uses indices such as a humidity index and an aridity index to determine an area's moisture regime based upon its average temperature, average rainfall, and average vegetation type.[30] The lower the value of the index in any given area, the drier the area is.
The moisture classification includes climatic classes with descriptors such as hyperhumid, humid, subhumid, subarid,
Thermal classifications within the Thornthwaite scheme include microthermal, mesothermal, and megathermal regimes. A microthermal climate is one of low annual mean temperatures, generally between 0 °C (32 °F) and 14 °C (57 °F) which experiences short summers and has a potential evaporation between 14 centimetres (5.5 in) and 43 centimetres (17 in).[35] A mesothermal climate lacks persistent heat or persistent cold, with potential evaporation between 57 centimetres (22 in) and 114 centimetres (45 in).[36] A megathermal climate is one with persistent high temperatures and abundant rainfall, with potential annual evaporation in excess of 114 centimetres (45 in).[37]
See also
- Ecological land classification
- Biogeographical realm
- Biome
- Geographical zone
- Hardiness zone
- Mediterranean climate or dry summer climate
References
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- ^ Field behavior of chemical, biological, and radiological agents. Dept. of Defense Depts. of the Army and the Air Force. 1969.
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- ^ Central, Brian. "The Bright Side of 13 Years of Clouds in 1 Map". Scientific American. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
- ^ Woodward, Susan. "Tropical Savannas". Archived from the original on 25 February 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ "Cloud Fraction (1 month – Terra/MODIS) – NASA". Cloud Fraction (1 month – Terra/MODIS) – NASA. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
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- ^ "The Tundra Biome". The World's Biomes. Retrieved 5 March 2006.
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