OTHER TOPICS -----> Intro./Maps Atmosphere Pressure/Wind Moisture
Storms Forecasting Climates and Change Optics

CLIMATE AND CHANGE CHAPTERS -----> Pollution Climate Climate Change

Climates

I.   CLIMATE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS

A.   Purpose

B.   Climate Controls

  1. latitude
  2. land/water relationship (continentality)
  3. ocean currents
  4. atmospheric circulation (winds)
  5. altitude
  6. topographic barriers

II. GREEK CLIMATE SYSTEM (latitude based)

A.   torrid zone

B.   temperate zone

C.   frigid zone

III. MODIFIED KÖPPEN CLIMATE SYSTEM

(based on vegetation types)

A.   Three letter system (descriptive terms)

  1. First (upper case) letter is a general temperature profile based on latitude:

    A -- tropical (torrid) no winter
    C -- warm temperate cool winter
    D -- cool temperate cold winter
    E -- cold (frigid) no summer

    B climates based on relationship between temperature and evapotranspiration.

    H climate occurs in mountainous terrain where rapid elevation changes cause rapid climatic changes over short distances.

  2. Second letter (lower case) = additional precision in precipitation pattern:

    f -- wet year-round (German = "feucht")
    s -- dry summer season
    w -- dry winter season
    m -- monsoon

  3. Third letter (lower case) = additional precision in temperature pattern:

    a -- hot summer
    b -- warm summer
    c -- cool summer
    d -- very cold winters

B.   Specific Koppen Climates
  1. Tropical Rainforest (Af):
    • location = equator
    • temperatures = warm year-round
    • precipitation = no dry season
    • Hilo, HI
  2. Tropical Savanna (Aw):
    • location = adjacent to trop. rainforest climate
    • temperatures = warm year-round
    • precipitation = dry winter
    • Togo (Africa)
  3. Tropical Monsoon (Am):
  4. Humid Subtropical (Cfa):
  5. Mediterranean (Cs):
    • location = 30-35° lat., W side of continents
    • temperatures = warm summer, mild winter
    • precipitation = dry summer
    • Los Angeles
  6. Marine West Coast (Cfb):
    • location = poleward of Mediterranean climate
    • temperatures = mild year-round
    • precipitation = no dry season
    • Eugene, OR
    • British Columbia
  7. Humid Continental (Dfa):
    • location = central and east portion of continents
    • temperatures = warm summer, cold winter
    • precipitation = no dry season
    • Chicago
    • Duluth
    • Toronto
  8. Sub Arctic (Dfc):
    • location = 50-70° lat. (Siberia)
    • temperatures = mild summer, frigid winter
    • precipitation = no dry season
    • Yukon
  9. Tundra (ET):
  10. Ice Cap (EF):
    • location = Antarctica and Greenland
    • temperatures = cold; below freezing even in summer
    • McMurdo
  11. Desert (BW):
    • location = 20-30° latitude
    • temperatures = vary
    • precipitation = evaporation exceeds precipitation !!
    • Phoenix
    • Aswan, Egypt
  12. Steppe (BS):
  13. Highland (H):

 

 

CLIMATE AND CHANGE CHAPTERS -----> Pollution Climate Climate Change