Climatic Zones
P. 75
fig. 5.1
p. 75-81
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6 climate regions
Each has sub-regions
Tropical Climates - Common
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Temp. over
180C every day
A relatively flat
temperature
line
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Low latitude
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Between the
“Tropics!”
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Warm ocean
currents and
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Prevailing
winds.
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Tropical Climates-Sub Regions
Tropical Wet & Dry Subregion
•Very heavy summer rain
•Very dry winter due to
seasonal shift in
prevailing winds.
Tropical Wet Subregion
•Monsoon regions
•Resulting convectional
rain.
•Seasons- dry or wet
•Heavy rain all year due to
high temp
•Precipitation in each
month is high
Tropical Wet & Dry - Climate graphs
•Precipitation is very high in summer months and very
low in winter months
•Relatively flat temperature line
•Temperature relatively constant & high (19-270C)
•Wet and dry
seasons
•Wet and dry
monsoons
Tropical Wet - Climate graphs
•Precipitation in each month is high
•Temperature constant & high (19-270C)
•Relatively flat temperature line
Dry Climates
Dry Climates
All Dry climates:
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< 500mm precipitation annually
More evaporation than precipitation
No cloud cover
High daytime temperatures
Low nighttime temperatures
Temperatures may vary seasonally
Cold ocean currents
Rain shadow areas
Dry Climates
• Arid or Desert Subregion
– Occur between 10-30oN &
• Semi-arid steppe Sub10-30oS
Region
– 10-250mm rain annually
– Cold ocean currents and
– Transition Zone
rain shadow areas
between desert &
– Hot days but cool nights
Forest
– Little cloud cover allows
– 250-500mm rain
heat in during day but
annually
heat to escape at night
– Seasonal shift in
prevailing wind
– Hot days but cool
nights – little cloud
cover
Arid - Climate graphs
Arid /desert Climograph p. 76 fig. 5.2
Below is a climate graph for Berbera, Somalia
•Precipitation in each month is low (total less than 250mm)
•Temperature may vary seasonally
Semi-Arid - Climate graphs
•Monthly precipitation is fairly low
•Annual total is less than 500mm
•Temperature may vary seasonally
REMEMBER!!!!
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The main factor that characterizes the
DRY climate zone is the amount of
precipitation – there is not very much!
Temperate Mild winter
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Temperate Mild Winter
 Usually near oceans (coastal)
 Four seasons
 Higher latitudes result in cooler winters
but warm summers
 Temperature in coldest month is above –3oC
 Close enough to equator to affect
temperature
Temperate Mild winter
Marine west coast
• Coastal regions
• Many found on
west coast of
continents…
• Winters are mild
• Warmed by warm
ocean current
• Summers are cool
and wet
• Orographic
precipitation on
mountains
Temperate Mild winter
Mediterranean
• Mostly around
Mediterranean
sea area. (Italy,
Greece)
• Hot and DRY
summers
• Wind from land
has little
moisture
• Mild winters
• Moderating
warm wind
from the ocean
Temperate Mild Winter - Subtropical
• Close to
“Tropics”
• Hotter summers
Colder Winters
& More
precipitation
• Less moderated
by ocean but
frontal rainfall as
polar and tropical
air meets
• More summer
precipitation
• Convectional rain
due to high
temperatures
Which is: Marine West Coast , Mediterranean,
Subtropical?
Marine West Coast
Mediterranean
Subtropical
Temperate cold winter
Also called Continental
Locations generally affected by continentality
Generally the mid Latitudes
Main distinguishing factor for the 3 subregions
in this group is latitude – closer to equator vs.
further from the equator
Temperature of the coldest month is below –3oC
Higher latitudes increase seasonal affect.
Temperate cold winter Continental Warm Summer
Compared to
the other
sub-regions
in this group:
• Summer is
warmer
• Lower
latitude closer to the
equator
Temperate cold winter Continental Cool Summer
• Further north
than the
Continental
Warm Summer.
• Result Summer is
cooler than in
the Continental
Warm Summer.
• Also means
less
precipitation
than in the
Continental
Warm Summer.
Continental Subregion
* Temp Range increases as you move inland.
Away from moderating influence of ocean.
* Summer days are very long.
Higher latitude – increases effect of earth’s tilt.
* Summer temp decreases as latitude increases.
Further from direct rays of sun.
* Summer has highest precipitation.
Frontal rainfall as polar and tropical air masses meet.
Temperate cold winter Subarctic
• Winters are
long and very
cold –
• High latitude
• Little
precipitation
• Too cold
• Heavy snow
• Too cold for
snow to melt
Which is: Continental Warm Summer, Continental
Cool Summer, Subarctic?
Subarctic
Compare precipitation and
temperature!!
Continental Warm Summer
Continental Cool Summer
Which is further north??
Polar
Region
Polar Region
High latitudes
(+60o latitude)
Near poles
POLAR CLIMATES
Temperature never goes above 100 C
High Latitude
Sun may not shine for months
High latitudes increase the effect of the tilt of the earth
Polar Region – Tundra
• Less severe on the coast
• Has moderating influence of the ocean
Polar Region –Ice Cap
• More severe inland, away from the ocean
• Temperatures never go above 0o C
• Continentality makes it colder.
• Away from moderating influence of ocean
Ice Cap
Notice how
little
precipitation
occurs.
Which is
Tundra, which
is Ice Cap?
Tundra
Highlands
• Elevations over 1000 m
• Colder conditions than the lower lying
areas surrounding it.
• Elevation decreases temperatures
Patterns of climatic zones
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Globally speaking where is each climatic zone concentrated?
1. Tropical ____
2. Dry ____
3. Temperate ___
4. Polar ____
5. Highland ____
Practice
Georgetown, Guyana
•
Tropical
•
(Tropical wet)
Bombay, India
•
Tropical - Monsoonal
•
(Tropical Wet & Dry)
Montreal
•
Temperate Cold Winter
•
(Continental Warm
Summer)
Alice Springs Australia
•
Dry (arid/semiarid)
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Question #2 p. 75 Part a
Practice
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Question #2 p. 75 Part b
•
Montreal & Alice Springs have
wide temperature ranges
•
Re. Temperature ; colder
winter in Montreal
•
Re. precipitation; more in
Montreal
•
Re. Months of summer;
opposite summer months due
to North & south Hemispheres
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Question #2 p. 75 Part c
Different hemispheres
give opposite seasons
• Question #2 p. 75 Part d
• Montreal = temperate cold
winter (Cont. Warm
Summer)
• Alice springs = Dry (Semiarid)
• Question #3 p. 77 is a
good practice question
too.
Practice