3.20 Describing Climate
Nelson Science Perspectives 8.2, 8.5
Quantitative Graphs and Comparative
Zone Systems
Climatographs, Climate Zones,
Ecoregions, Bioclimatic Profiles
Climate Zones
 Russian Scientist Vladimir Köppen
 In 1884, he published the first
version of his map of climatic zones
in which the seasonal temperature ranges
were plotted.
 Köppen’s work was published as the Köppen climate
classification system around 1900, and was modified several
times until 1936.
 The Köppen system of classification is based on
– temperature
– precipitation
– plant communities
 Several other scientists have added to Köppen's work and have
“cloned” his system, i.e.: Trewartha climate classification
2
Köppen Classification System
Source: http://wpcontent.answers.com/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/World_Koppen_Map.png/400px-World_Koppen_Map.png
3
Köppen Climate Zones
 The Köppen system recognizes five major
climatic types; each type is designated by a
capital letter.
 A - Tropical Moist Climates: all months have average temperatures above
18° Celsius.
 B - Dry Climates: with deficient precipitation during most of the year.
– Two “B” subgroups, S - semiarid or steppe, and W - arid or desert
 C - Moist Mid-latitude Climates with Mild Winters.
 D - Moist Mid-Latitude Climates with Cold Winters.
 E - Polar Climates: with extremely cold winters and summers.
–
Two subgroups, T – tundra, and E - icecap.
 Canada has no type A regions
4
Köppen Climate Zones





Further subgroups are designated by a
second, lower case letter which distinguish
specific seasonal characteristics of
temperature and precipitation.
f - Moist with adequate precipitation in all
months and no dry season. This letter
usually accompanies the A, C, and D
climates.
m - Rainforest climate in spite of short, dry
season in monsoon type cycle. This letter
only applies to A climates.
s - There is a dry season in the summer of
the respective hemisphere (high-sun
season).
w - There is a dry season in the winter of
the respective hemisphere (low-sun
season).







To further denote variations in climate, a third
letter was added to the code.
a - Hot summers where the warmest month is
22°C or greater. These can be found in C and
D climates.
b - Warm summer with the warmest month
below 22°C. These can also be found in C
and D climates.
c - Cool, short summers with less than four
months over 10°C in the C and D climates.
d - Very cold winters with the coldest month
below -38°C (-36°F) in the D climate only.
h - Dry-hot with a mean annual temperature
over 18°C in B climates only.
k - Dry-cold with a mean annual temperature
under 18°C in B climates only.
5
Köppen’s Climatic Map of Canada
Source: Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada
ET
EF
Cfb
Dfc
Dfb
Csb
Dfa
BSk
6
Other Classifications
 Several other classification systems exist for
climate. These include classification by:
– Ecoregions
– Bioclimates
7
Ecoregions
 Another way to classify a climate zone. Ecoregions focus on
the ecology of a region. This classification looks at:
– Landforms
– Soil
– Plants
– Animals
– Climate
 There are 867 global Ecoregions
 Complete classifications is done by:
– Zones
– Provinces
– Regions
– Districts
8
Example of Classification
Ecozone 15
top of hierarchy- sub-continental scale. Large and generalized
ecological units characterized by interactive and adjusting abiotic
and biotic factors.
Ecoprovince
characterized by structural or surface forms, faunal realms, and
vegetation, hydrology, soil, and macro climate.
eg, Newfoundland ecoprovince (no. 6.4) is one of 6 ecoprovinces
in Boreal Shield Ecozone.
53
Ecoregion
194
characterized by regional factors, including climate,
physiography, vegetation, soil, water, and fauna.
eg, Maritime Barrens ecoregion (no. 114) is one of 9 ecoregions
in Newfoundland ecoprovince.
Ecodistrict
1021
characterized by assemblages of relief, landforms, geology, soil,
vegetation, water bodies and fauna.
eg, the Jeddore Lake ecodistrict (no. 473) is one of 5 in Maritime
Barrens ecoregion.
Source: http://sis.agr.gc.ca/cansis/nsdb/ecostrat/intro.html
Terrestrial Ecoregions of Canada
10
Source: http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/archives/5thedition/environment/ecology/mcr4164/?maxwidth=1600&maxheight=1400&mode=navigator&upperleftx=0&upperlefty=0&lowerrightx=5352&lowerrighty=4704&mag=0.125
From - http://www.ec.gc.ca/soer-ree/English/Framework/Nardesc/Canada_e.cfm
11
Bioclimate Profiles
 Series of Graphs which describe only temperature and moisture
conditions for a location
 Describe climate conditions and predict possible changes over
next 40-80 years.
Source: http://www.utoronto.ca/imap/
12
Climatographs
Climatographs
 Provide a
quantitative
breakdown of
temperature and
precipitation
 Shows fluctuation
seasonally
13
Constructing Climatographs
 the letters along the bottom of the graphs identify the months of
the year starting with "J" for January
 plot the dot in the middle of the bar for all months then join with
a smooth curving line to indicate the temperature conditions
(the scale is given at the left in Celcius)
– Convention: when using colour this line is usually 'red'
 twelve vertical bars which indicate the average monthly amount
of precipitation. Use the millimetre (mm) scale to the right to
measure the amounts– Convention: when using colour the bars are usually coloured in 'blue'
14
Group Exercise
You are given mean temperature and precipitation data for the following seven Canadian cities:
 Vancouver, BC
 Victoria, BC
 Ottawa, ON
 Iqaluit, NU
 Windsor, ON
 Yellowknife, NWT
 Medicine Hat, AB

Each of the above cities belongs to a different climate region in Canada.
Your task is as follows:

 Using the temperature and precipitation data from Table 1, determine the Köppen climate region that the data
originates from.
 When you have completed the task, match the cities in the table to one of the 7 cities listed above and create
the climatograph for each of the cities.
 Explain the differences that you see among the 7 climate zones.
15
Classifying Climate
BACKUP SLIDES
16
From - http://www.dbs-sar.com/images/World_ecoregion.bmp
17
From -http://assets.panda.org/img/ecoregions_232886.jpg
18
From - http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/wildspace/wsimages/ws-map-ontforest.gif
19
Methods of describing Climate
Ecoregions
 Also consider landforms, plants, soil type
and animals
 867 global Ecoregions
 SUBDIVIDED
– Zones,
– Provinces,
– Regions
– Districts
Source: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/ecoregions/images/maps/ecoregions-north-america.gif
20
Methods of describing Climate
Bioclimatic Profiles
 Describe only climatic Conditions
 Describe climate
conditions and
predict possible
changes over
next 40-80 years
From - http://www.planthardiness.gc.ca/images/cfs11x8E.jpg
21