2.7 Climatic Conditions and Zones (Pages 74-82)
Page 75 - Figure 5.1
Read – Textbook – Page 74
• A climatic region is set apart from other climatic
regions by a set of characteristics (i.e.
temperature range, precipitation levels, patterns
of sunniness or cloudiness, wind conditions,
length of each season, and the way its seasons
vary).
• There are six climatic regions, which include: 1.
Tropical; 2. Dry; 3. Temperate Mild Winter;
4. Temperate Cold Winter; 5. Polar; and 6.
Highlands.
2.7.1 Describe climatic conditions
within selected zones (Page 75)
• Each of the 6 climate regions has sub-regions.
2.7.1 Continued
1. Tropical Climates
- Tropical Wet
- Tropical Wet and Dry
2. Dry Climates
- Semi-Arid or Steppe
- Arid or Dry
3. Temperate Mild Winter Climates
- Mediterranean
- Subtropical
- Marine West Coast
2.7.1 Continued
4.
Temperate Cold Winter Climates
- Continental, Warm Summer
- Continental, Cool Summer
- Subarctic
5.
Polar Climates
- Tundra
- Icecap
6.
Highlands Climate
Stuff About Climographs
• Temperature is plotted
as a line graph joining
the 12 months of the
year.
• Precipitation is shown
as a series of bars, one
for each month.
1. Tropical Climates
•
All Tropical Climates
Temperatures over 18 0C
every day due to low latitude
and warm ocean currents and
prevailing winds blowing
from equatorial region.
Tropical Wet; heavy rain
all year due to hot
temperatures and resulting
convectional rain.
Tropical Wet and Dry; very heavy summer rain and
very dry winter due to seasonal shift in prevailing
winds. (remember monsoons from the previous
section?
Tropical Climographs
Tropical Wet Climograph
• Precipitation in each month is high.
• Temperatures are constant and high (19-27 0C) (always above
18 º C).
Tropical Climographs
Tropical Wet and Dry
Climograph
• E.g. Page 76 – Bombay, India
• Precipitation is very high in
summer months and very low in
winter months (MONSOONS)
• Temperatures are relatively
constant and high (19-27 0C)
(always above 18 º C).
2. Dry Climates
• All Dry Climates
– Receive < 500 mm of
precipitation annually.
– More evaporation than
precipitation.
– Little vegetation and is windy.
• Semi-arid or
Steppe
– Transition zone
between desert
and forest.
– 250-500 mm of
rain annually.
• Arid or Desert
– Occurs between 10-30 oN and
10-30 oS.
– 10-250 mm of rain annually.
Dry Climographs
Arid or Desert Climograph
• E.g. Page 76 - Figure 5.2 Alice Springs, Australia.
• Precipitation in each month is low (total less than 250 mm).
• Temperature may vary seasonally.
Dry Climographs
Semi-arid or Steppe Climograph
• E.g. Page 77 - Figure 5.4 (top left climograph).
• Precipitation in each month is fairly low (total less than 500
mm).
• Temperature may vary seasonally.
3. Temperate Mild Winter Climate
• All Temperate Mild Winter
– Located in the mid-latitudes.
– Mild winters.
– Temperatures vary with
seasons.
• Marine West Coast
• Is located further from
the equator.
• Is warmed by warm
ocean currents.
• Mediterranean
• Limited to the
Mediterranean Sea area.
• Subtropical
• East coast of continents.
• Close to the tropics.
Temperate Mild Winter Climographs
• Summer temperatures vary, but winter months (even the
coldest month) are warmer than –3 oC.
Marine West
Coast
4. Temperate Cold Winter Climates
• Summer temperatures vary, but some winter months are colder
than –3 oC. Only occurs in the Northern Hemisphere
Continental
Warm Summer
5. Polar Climates
• Short summer season.
• Small amounts of precipitation.
Ice Caps: Summer
temperature are
never above 0 oC.
Tundra: Summer
temperatures are
never above 10 oC.
6. HIGHLANDS
(Alpine)
Due to elevation and involves areas
higher than 1000 m.
Highland climates vary depending on a
combination of four factors:
1. Latitude
2. Elevation (Altitude)
3. Topography
4. Continental Location
Remember: 2°C decrease/300m increase
2.7.2 Patterns of Climatic Zones
• Globally speaking, where is each climatic zone
concentrated?
1. Tropical?
2. Dry?
3. Temperate?
4. Polar?
5. Highlands?
Answers
• Tropical = Near the equator and between 23.5 º N and S
(i.e. Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn). The
Tropical Wet and Dry sub-region is farther from the
equator from the Tropic Wet sub-region.
• Dry (Desert or Arid) = Between 10 º and 30 º N and S.
Also, on the west coasts of continents and on the leeward
side of mountains.
• Dry (Semi-Arid or Steppe) = Between the Tropical Wet
and Dry sub-region and the dry Desert or Arid sub-region.
• Temperate Mild Winter = Found in the mid-latitudes or
on seas or ocean coasts. Mediterranean = West coasts of
continents and in areas around the Mediterranean Sea.
Subtropical = East coasts of continents. Marine West
Coast = West coasts of continents, but at higher latitudes.
Answers
• Temperate Cold Winter = Mid-latitudes similar to
temperate mild winter; however, it is more continental
(meaning farther inland). Subarctic sub-region = Between
50 and 70 º N.
• Polar = Located north and south of 60 º. Tundra = Closer
to oceans. Icecaps = Farther inland.
• Highlands = Due to elevation and involves areas higher
than 1000 m.
2.7.2 Practice
• Do Question #2 on page 75 (Part A Only).
Georgetown, Guyana – Tropical Wet
Bombay, India – Tropical Wet and Dry –
Monsoonal, Dry winter months, and Hot.
Montreal, Canada – Temperate Cold Winter –
Seasonal.
Alice Springs, Australia – Between Arid and SemiArid – Dry, Seasonal, Hot Summer.
2.7.2 Practice
• Do Question #2 on page 75
(Part B Only)
•
Montreal and Alice Springs have the
widest temperature ranges.
•
RE: Temperature; colder winter in
Montreal and warmer summer in Alice
Springs.
•
RE: Precipitation; more in Montreal
and evenly distributed.
•
RE: Months of Summer; opposite
summer months due to northern (J, J,
A) and southern (D, J, F, M)
hemispheres.
2.7.2 Practice
• Do Question #2 on page 75 (Part C Only)
• Different hemispheres give opposite seasons based on
which months each hemisphere is tilted towards the sun
and away from the sun.
• Do Question #2 on page 75
(Part D Only).
• Montreal = Temperate Cold
Winter
• Alice Springs = Semi-Arid or
Steppe
Page 77 – Sites A, B, and C
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Site C = Singapore = Tropical Wet
Flat and high temperature line.
Rainfall is heavy all year long.
Site B = Toronto = Continent, Cool Summer
(Temperate Cold Winter)
High temperature range.
Coldest winter month is below -3 º C.
Site A = New Zealand = Marine West Coast
(Temperate Mild Winter)
Warm winters.
Precipitation in both winter and summer.
Random Questions
• What is the most widespread climatic zone in the low
latitudes?
• What are two climatic zones that have dry conditions for
most of the year?
• Which climatic zone is most widespread in North Africa?
• Which continents do not experience continental climates
(3)?
• What climate zone represents St. John’s, Newfoundland?