Climate Matrix
Climate Type
Precipitation Levels/ Is
there a Rainy/Dry
Season?
Temperatures / Is there
a warmer/cooler time of
year?
Location / Where on
the planet can you find
it?
daily rain, 80 + inches a
always hot, above 80
Central/South America,
year
degrees
Africa, SE Asia. Near
Tropical Wet
the Equator
Tropical wet and
rainy summer, dry winter
dry
always warm; rainy
Near tropic of
season in summer; dry
cancer/Capricorn; next
season in winter
to tropical wet climates.
(Africa, South/Central
Asia/America)
Desert
less than 10 inches of rain
some hot deserts some
middle latitudes; it is the
a year
are cold deserts
rain shadow side of
mountains
Semiarid
Mediterranean
16 inches of rain a year
hot summers, winters are
interior of continents
mild to cold
and around deserts
rainy winters; dry summers hot and dry summer
rainy and cool winters
West coast in the middle
latitudes; around
Mediterranean sea, west
coast of US and
Australia
Humid subtropical
Year round Rain; long
long hot and humid
east coast of continent;
periods of summer heat
summers; mild-cool short
SE US, coastal China,
and humidity
winters
climate varies
depending on latitude
Marine west coast
rains year round, evenly
oceans keep temperatures
West coast in the upper
distributed throughout the
moderate (relatively
latitudes (west coast of
year
constant)
US and Canada and
most of Europe)
Humid continental
Rainy spring. Some rain
4 distinct Seasons
year round. Great variety
Middle latitude interiors
of landmasses in the
northern hemisphere
Subarctic
steady rain and snow
short warm summer, long
Canada, Russia, Siberia
cold winter; ½ year
freeze
high latitudes; forms
Tundra
Less than 15 inches of rain
less than one month of
around the Arctic Ocean
a year
summer; permafrost
Varies with latitude,
Cool and cold
High mountain areas
Less than 10 inches of rain
Cold, rarely above
Polar ice caps
a year
freezing
Highland
elevation, continental
location
Ice cap