Climate & Changes: Climate Regions
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Climate & Climate Regions
Classification of Climates
2 factors
Weather
Temperature
Tropical Rainy
2 types
Tropical Wet: Low lying areas near the equator
Most days have rain (many days out of the year)
Rain Forest: Happen in tropical wet climates and have rainfall year round.
Tropical Wet and Dry: Areas near the equator that have distinct dry and rainy seasons
Savannas: Tropical grasslands that have scattered clumps of trees that can survive the dry
season.
Dry
2 Types
Arid: Less than 25 cm of rain per year with extreme temperatures
Deserts: Arid regions that get less than 25 cm of rain a year. Can be hot and sandy, or cold and
rocky.
Semiarid: Found at the edges of deserts. They are dry, but have enough rainfall to support
small plant life.
Steppe: Area that is dry, but gets enough rainfall for short grasses and low bushes to grow.
Temperate Marine Climates
Found near oceans
All types have humid, mild winters
Marine West Coast: Coolest, mild rainy winters, summer precipitation varies (Found on west
coast of US). Allows for thick forests and tall trees.
Mediterranean: Drier and warmer (S. Coast of California and Mediterranean sea). Mild
temperatures, winter---rainy, summer---little rain
Humid Subtropical: Found in the edges along the tropical/temperate zone. Climates are wet
and warn, but not constantly hot. Found in the southern tips of the US.
Temperate Continental Climates
Only on Continents in N. Hemisphere
Humid Contental: Tropical and polar air masses shift, changing temperature and precipitation
constantly. In winter, cold weather moves in from the polar, and in summer, tropical bring heat
and humidity. These areas receive moderate rain in the summer, and small amounts in the
winter.
Subarctic: North of the humid continental. Has short, cool summers, and Long very cold
winters.
Polar Climates
Coldest climate region
Ice Cap: Found on greenland and Antartica
Avg. temps at or below freezing
Covered with ice and snow year round
Very dry air---due to ice
Tundra: Short, cool summers….Long Cold winters
Permafrost: Permanently frozen tundra soil
Highlands
Areas of high elevation within other regions
High elevation makes them colder than the areas around them
Usually has low temperatures and more precip than areas around them.
Will have a tree line where areas at a certain elevation are too cold for trees to grow.