Climate Zones
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Photo credit: Peel, M.C., Finlayson, B.L., &
McMahon, T.A. University of Melbourne,
Wikimedia
Essential Questions
1. What are climate zones?
2. How are climate zones useful?
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Enduring Understandings
1. One definition of time zones is that they
are a series of zones that represent
different climatic conditions in the United
States and Canada, based on
temperature.
2. Climate zones are useful to horticulturists
for rating the hardiness of plants.
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Types of Climate Zones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The polar zone (E)
The dry zone (B)
The humid tropical zone (A)
Moist-mid latitude (mild winters) zone (C)
Moist-mid latitude (severe winters) zone
(D)
Source: http://www.csun.edu/~psk17793/ES9CP/ES9%20climate_zones.htm
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E:The Polar Zone: Sub-climates
• Tundra (always cold & dry with short cold
summers)
• Ice-cap (freezing temperatures all year)
• Highland (temperatures vary widely with
latitude, elevation and direction of exposed
areas
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B:The Dry Zone: Sub-climates
• Desert (< 10 inches of rain per year with
hot days. Large temperature fluctuations
between day and night).
• Semiarid (slightly more than 10
inches/year)
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A:The Humid-Tropical Zone:
Sub-climates
• Tropical wet (hot & rainy throughout
the year)
• Tropical wet & dry (hot with wet & dry
seasons)
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C:Moist-mid latitude: Sub-climates
• Humid subtropical (hot humid summers
and mild winters)
• Marine west coast (mild and rainy all year)
• Mediterranean (hot & dry summers and
mild winters)
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D: Moist-mid latitude: Sub-climates
• Humid continental (warm summers
and cold snowy winters)
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How are Climate Zones Useful?
• Knowledge of climate zones, helps
horticulturists when selecting a
particular plant to farm.
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