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WorldClimateZones
Haveyoueverwonderedwhyoneareaoftheworldisadesert,
anotheragrassland,andanotherarainforest?Whyarethere
differentforestsanddeserts,andwhyaretheredifferenttypesoflife
ineacharea?Theanswerisclimate.

Climateisthecharacteristicconditionoftheatmospherenearthe
earth'ssurfaceatacertainplaceonearth.Itisthelongtermweather
ofthatarea(atleast30years).Thisincludestheregion'sgeneral
patternofweatherconditions,seasonsandweatherextremeslike
hurricanes,droughts,orrainyperiods.Twoofthemostimportant
factorsdetermininganarea'sclimateareairtemperatureand
precipitation.

Worldbiomesarecontrolledbyclimate.Theclimateofaregionwill
determinewhatplantswillgrowthere,andwhatanimalswillinhabit
it.Allthreecomponents,climate,plantsandanimalsareinterwoven
tocreatethefabricofabiome.

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Somefactsaboutclimate
Thesun'srayshittheequatoratadirectanglebetween23Nand23
Slatitude.Radiationthatreachestheatmospherehereisatitsmost
intense.

Inallothercases,theraysarriveatanangletothesurfaceandare
lessintense.Thecloseraplaceistothepoles,thesmallertheangle
andthereforethelessintensetheradiation.

Ourclimatesystemisbasedonthelocationofthesehotandcoldair
massregionsandtheatmosphericcirculationcreatedbytradewinds
andwesterlies.

Tradewindsnorthoftheequatorblowfromthenortheast.Southof
theequator,theyblowfromthesoutheast.Thetradewindsofthe
twohemispheresmeetneartheequator,causingtheairtorise.As
therisingaircools,cloudsandraindevelop.Theresultingbandsof
cloudyandrainyweatherneartheequatorcreatetropicalconditions.

WesterliesblowfromthesouthwestontheNorthernHemisphere
andfromthenorthwestintheSouthernHemisphere.Westerlies
steerstormsfromwesttoeastacrossmiddlelatitudes.

Bothwesterliesandtradewindsblowawayfromthe30latitude
belt.Overlargeareascenteredat30latitude,surfacewindsare
light.Airslowlydescendstoreplacetheairthatblowsaway.Any
moisturetheaircontainsevaporatesintheintenseheat.Thetropical
deserts,suchastheSaharaofAfricaandtheSonoranofMexico,
existundertheseregions.

Seasons
TheEarthrotatesaboutitsaxis,whichistiltedat23.5degrees.This
tiltandthesun'sradiationresultintheEarth'sseasons.Thesun
emitsraysthathittheearth'ssurfaceatdifferentangles.Theserays
transmitthehighestlevelofenergywhentheystriketheearthata
rightangle(90).Temperaturesintheseareastendtobethehottest
placesonearth.Otherlocations,wherethesun'srayshitatlesser
angles,tendtobecooler.

AstheEarthrotatesonit'stiltedaxisaroundthesun,differentparts
oftheEarthreceivehigherandlowerlevelsofradiantenergy.This
createstheseasons.

KppenClimateClassificationSystem
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TheKppenClimateClassificationSystemisthemost
widelyusedforclassifyingtheworld'sclimates.Most
classificationsystemsusedtodayarebasedontheone
introducedin1900bytheRussianGermanclimatologist
WladimirKppen.KppendividedtheEarth'ssurfaceinto
climaticregionsthatgenerallycoincidedwithworld
patternsofvegetationandsoils.

TheKppensystemrecognizesfivemajorclimatetypes
basedontheannualandmonthlyaveragesoftemperature
andprecipitation.Eachtypeisdesignatedbyacapital
letter.

AMoistTropicalClimatesareknownfortheir
hightemperaturesyearroundandfortheir
largeamountofyearroundrain.

BDryClimatesarecharacterizedbylittlerain
andahugedailytemperaturerange.Two
subgroups,Ssemiaridorsteppe,andWarid
ordesert,areusedwiththeBclimates.

CInHumidMiddleLatitudeClimates
land/waterdifferencesplayalargepart.These
climateshavewarm,drysummersandcool,wet
winters.

DContinentalClimatescanbefoundinthe
interiorregionsoflargelandmasses.Total
precipitationisnotveryhighandseasonal
temperaturesvarywidely.

EColdClimatesdescribethisclimatetype
perfectly.Theseclimatesarepartofareaswhere
permanenticeandtundraarealwayspresent.
Onlyaboutfourmonthsoftheyearhaveabove
freezingtemperatures.

Furthersubgroupsaredesignatedbyasecond,lowercase
letterwhichdistinguishspecificseasonalcharacteristicsof
temperatureandprecipitation.

fMoistwithadequateprecipitationinall
monthsandnodryseason.Thisletterusually
accompaniestheA,C,andDclimates.

mRainforestclimateinspiteofshort,dry
seasoninmonsoontypecycle.Thisletteronly
appliestoAclimates.

sThereisadryseasoninthesummerofthe
respectivehemisphere(highsunseason).

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wThereisadryseasoninthewinterofthe
respectivehemisphere(lowsunseason).

Tofurtherdenotevariationsinclimate,athirdletterwas
addedtothecode.

aHotsummerswherethewarmestmonthis
over22C(72F).ThesecanbefoundinCand
Dclimates.

bWarmsummerwiththewarmestmonth
below22C(72F).ThesecanalsobefoundinC
andDclimates.

cCool,shortsummerswithlessthanfour
monthsover10C(50F)intheCandD
climates.

dVerycoldwinterswiththecoldestmonth
below38C(36F)intheDclimateonly.

hDryhotwithameanannualtemperature
over18C(64F)inBclimatesonly.

kDrycoldwithameanannualtemperature
under18C(64F)inBclimatesonly.

Threebasicclimategroups.
Threemajorclimategroupsshowthedominanceof
specialcombinationsofairmasssourceregions.

GroupI

LowlatitudeClimates:Theseclimatesare
controlledbyequatorialatropicalairmasses.

TropicalMoistClimates(Af)rainforest
Rainfallisheavyinallmonths.Thetotalannual
rainfallisoftenmorethan250cm.(100in.).
Thereareseasonaldifferencesinmonthlyrainfall
buttemperaturesof27C(80F)mostlystaythe
same.Humidityisbetween77and88%.

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Highsurfaceheatandhumiditycausecumulus
cloudstoformearlyintheafternoonsalmost
everyday.

Theclimateoneasternsidesofcontinentsare
influencedbymaritimetropicalairmasses.These
airmassesflowoutfromthemoistwesternsides
ofoceanichighpressurecells,andbringlotsof
summerrainfall.Thesummersarewarmandvery
humid.Italsorainsalotinthewinter

Averagetemperature:18C(F)
AnnualPrecipitation:262cm.(103in.)
LatitudeRange:10Sto25N
GlobalPosition:AmazonBasinCongoBasin
ofequatorialAfricaEastIndies,from
SumatratoNewGuinea.

WetDryTropicalClimates(Aw)savanna
Aseasonalchangeoccursbetweenwettropicalair
massesanddrytropicalairmasses.Asaresult,
thereisaverywetseasonandaverydryseason.
Tradewindsdominateduringthedryseason.It
getsalittlecoolerduringthisdryseasonbutwill
becomeveryhotjustbeforethewetseason.

TemperatureRange:16C
AnnualPrecipitation:0.25cm.(0.1in.).All
monthslessthan0.25cm.(0.1in.)
LatitudeRange:15to25NandS
GlobalRange:India,Indochina,West
Africa,southernAfrica,SouthAmericaand
thenorthcoastofAustralia

DryTropicalClimate(BW)desertbiome
Thesedesertclimatesarefoundinlowlatitude
desertsapproximatelybetween18to28inboth
hemispheres.theselatitudebeltsarecenteredon
thetropicsofCancerandCapricorn,whichliejust
northandsouthoftheequator.Theycoincide
withtheedgeoftheequatorialsubtropicalhigh
pressurebeltandtradewinds.Windsarelight,
whichallowsfortheevaporationofmoisturein
theintenseheat.Theygenerallyflowdownward
sotheareaisseldompenetratedbyairmasses
thatproducerain.Thismakesforaverydryheat.

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Thedryariddesertisatruedesertclimate,and
covers12%oftheEarth'slandsurface.

TemperatureRange:16C
AnnualPrecipitation:0.25cm(0.1in).All
monthslessthan0.25cm(0.1in).
LatitudeRange:1525NandS.
GlobalRange:southwesternUnitedStates
andnorthernMexicoArgentinanorth
AfricasouthAfricacentralpartof
Australia.

GroupII
MidlatitudeClimates:Climatesinthiszoneare
affectedbytwodifferentairmasses.Thetropicalair
massesaremovingtowardsthepolesandthepolarair
massesaremovingtowardstheequator.Thesetwoair
massesareinconstantconflict.Eitherairmassmay
dominatethearea,butneitherhasexclusivecontrol.

DryMidlatitudeClimates(BS)steppe

Characterizedbygrasslands,thisisa
semiaridclimate.Itcanbefoundbetween
thedesertclimate(BW)andmorehumid
climatesoftheA,C,andDgroups.Ifit
receivedlessrain,thesteppewouldbe
classifiedasanariddesert.Withmore
rain,itwouldbeclassifiedasatallgrass
prairie.

Thisdryclimateexistsintheinterior
regionsoftheNorthAmericanand
Eurasiancontinents.Moistoceanair
massesareblockedbymountainrangesto
thewestandsouth.Thesemountainranges
alsotrappolarairinwinter,making
wintersverycold.Summersarewarmto
hot.

TemperatureRange:24C(43F).
AnnualPrecipitation:lessthan10cm
(4in)inthedriestregionsto50cm
(20in)inthemoistersteppes.
LatitudeRange:3555N.

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GlobalRange:WesternNorth
America(GreatBasin,Columbia
Plateau,GreatPlains)Eurasian
interior,fromsteppesofeastern
EuropetotheGobiDesertandNorth
China.

MediterraneanClimate(Cs)chaparral
biome

Thisisawetwinter,drysummerclimate.

Extremelydrysummersarecausedbythe
sinkingairofthesubtropicalhighsand
maylastforuptofivemonths.

Plantshaveadaptedtotheextreme
differenceinrainfallandtemperature
betweenwinterandsummerseasons.
Sclerophyllplantsrangeinformations
fromforests,towoodland,andscrub.
Eucalyptusforestscovermostofthe
chaparralbiomeinAustralia.

FiresoccurfrequentlyinMediterranean
climatezones.

TemperatureRange:7C(12F)
AnnualPrecipitation:42cm(17in).
LatitudeRange:3050NandS
GlobalPosition:centralandsouthern
Californiacoastalzonesbordering
theMediterraneanSeacoastal
WesternAustraliaandSouth
AustraliaChileancoastCapeTown
regionofSouthAfrica.

DryMidlatitudeClimates(Bs)
grasslandsbiome

Thesedryclimatesarelimitedtothe
interiorsofNorthAmericaandEurasia.

Oceanairmassesareblockedbymountain
rangestothewestandsouth.Thisallows
polarairmassestodominateinwinter
months.Inthesummer,alocalcontinental
airmassisdominant.Asmallamountof
rainfallsduringthisseason.

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Annualtemperaturesrangewidely.
Summersarewarmtohot,butwintersare
cold.

TemperatureRange:31C(56F).
AnnualPrecipitation:81cm.(32in.).
LatitudeRange:3055NandS
GlobalPosition:westernNorth
America(GreatBasin,Columbia
Plateau,GreatPlains)Eurasian
interior.

MoistContinentalClimate(Cf)
DeciduousForestbiome

Thisclimateisinthepolarfrontzonethe
battlegroundofpolarandtropicalair
masses.Seasonalchangesbetween
summerandwinterareverylarge.Daily
temperaturesalsochangeoften.Abundant
precipitationfallsthroughouttheyear.Itis
increasedinthesummerseasonby
invadingtropicalairmasses.Coldwinters
arecausedbypolarandarcticmasses
movingsouth.

TemperatureRange:31C(56F)
AverageAnnualPrecipitation:81cm
(32in).
LatitudeRange:3055NandS
(Europe:4560N).
GlobalPosition:easternpartsofthe
UnitedStatesandsouthernCanada
northernChinaKoreaJapan
centralandeasternEurope.

GroupIII
Highlatitudeclimates:Polarandarcticairmasses
dominatetheseregions.CanadaandSiberiaaretwoairmass
sourceswhichfallintothisgroup.Asouthernhemisphere
counterparttothesecontinentalcentersdoesnotexist.Air
massesofarcticoriginmeetpolarcontinentalairmassesalong
the60thand70thparallels.

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BorealforestClimate(Dfc)taigabiome
Thisisacontinentalclimatewithlong,verycold
winters,andshort,coolsummers.Thisclimateis
foundinthepolarairmassregion.Verycoldair
massesfromthearcticoftenmovein.The
temperaturerangeislargerthananyotherclimate.
Precipitationincreasesduringsummermonths,
althoughannualprecipitationisstillsmall.

Muchoftheborealforestclimateisconsidered
humid.However,largeareasinwesternCanada
andSiberiareceiveverylittleprecipitationandfall
intothesubhumidorsemiaridclimatetype.

TemperatureRange:41C(74F),lows25
C(14F),highs16C(60F).
AverageAnnualPrecipitation:31cm(12in).
LatitudeRange:5070NandS.
GlobalPosition:centralandwesternAlaska
Canada,fromtheYukonTerritoryto
LabradorEurasia,fromnorthernEurope
acrossallofSiberiatothePacificOcean.

TundraClimate(E)tundrabiome
Thetundraclimateisfoundalongarcticcoastal
areas.Polarandarcticairmassesdominatethe
tundraclimate.Thewinterseasonislongand
severe.Ashort,mildseasonexists,butnotatrue
summerseason.Moderatingoceanwindskeepthe
temperaturesfrombeingassevereasinterior
regions.

TemperatureRange:22Cto6C(10Fto
41F).
AverageAnnualPrecipitation:20cm(8in).
LatitudeRange:6075N.
GlobalPosition:arcticzoneofNorth
AmericaHudsonBayregionGreenland
coastnorthernSiberiaborderingtheArctic
Ocean.

HighlandClimate(H)AlpineBiome
Highlandclimatesarecooltocold,foundinmountains
andhighplateaus.Climateschangerapidlyon
mountains,becomingcolderthehigherthealtitude
gets.Theclimateofahighlandareaiscloselyrelatedto
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theclimateofthesurroundingbiome.Thehighlands
havethesameseasonsandwetanddryperiodsasthe
biometheyarein.

Mountainclimatesareveryimportanttomidlatitude
biomes.Theyworkaswaterstorageareas.Snowis
keptbackuntilspringandsummerwhenitisreleased
slowlyaswaterthroughmelting.

TemperatureRange:18Cto10C(2Fto
50F)
AverageAnnualPrecipitation:23cm(9in.)
LatitudeRange:foundallovertheworld
GlobalPosition:RockyMountainRangeinNorth
America,theAndeanmountainrangeinSouth
America,theAlpsinEurope,Mt.Kilimanjaroin
Africa,theHimalayansinTibet,Mt.Fujiin
Japan.

Bibliography:
Strahler,ArthurN.,Strahler,ArthurH.,ElementsofPhysicalGeography.JohnWiley&Sons,
1984.

OurPlanet WorldBiomes Plants Animals

Index

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