Climate Chapter 8 Flashcards
Koppen climate classification
based only on average annual + monthly values for temp + precip
How to read Koppen letter code
First letter = climate group
second letter = precipitation patterns
third letter = temperature patterns
What are the 5 big categories for Koppen (first letter in code)
A = tropical humid
B = dry
C = mild midlatitude
D = severe midlatitude
E = Polar
H = Highland
What is a climograph
12 columns for each month w. temperature scale on left + precip on right + monthly temperatures connected by curved line at top of graph
shows important climate details + used to classify climate of particular region
Tropical Humid Climates (Group A)
occupy majority of land area in TROPICS
lack cold winters
3 classifications = tropical wet (rainfall every month) tropical savanna (low sun dry season + rainy high sun season) tropical monsoon = (dry season + very very rainy high-sun)
low sun vs high sun
low sun = winter
high sun = summer
use this terminology since some places don’t have a winter
Tropical Wet (Af)
mainly equatorial, extends to about 10 degrees N/S
seasonless climate, with all months having similar average temp of 27
cumulus clouds in morning, no clouds afternoon
high relative humidity, always feels warm
Tropical Wet (Af) control
Mainly latitude
(little variation in day length)
Tropical Savanna Climate (Aw)
north + south of Af climates
clear cut summer + winter dry periods
more temperature variation than Af
Tropical Savanna Climate (Aw) controls
unstable converging air of ITCZ = explains characteristic rainfall there
summer = ITCZ moves poleward = causes rain, opposite happens in winter
Tropical Monsoon Climate (Am)
mainly India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand BUT parts of Africa, South America, Australia
high sun season - ENORMOUS amount of rain
higher temps in spring bc in summer cloud cover reduces insolation
ITCZ moves up in summer, bringing convergent lifting + bringing SE tradewinds which bring onshore moist winds BUT in summer ITCZ moves down, bringing NE tradewinds which bring offshore winds taking moisture away
Tropical Monsoon climate (Am) controls
summer monsoon brings moist onshore winds so LOTS of rain
low sun (winter) season = offshore winds (push away moist clouds) = lack of rain
Dry Climates (Group B)
cover 30% of world land area
largest expanse of dry area in subtropical latitudes
lack of air uplift + lack of moisture characteristic of dry climate
main categories desert + steppe, which further divided into subtropical + midlatitude
Subtropical desert climate (BWh)
lie near STH
2 major deserts in this band = Sahara + Arabian desert
characteristics:
- scarce rain (almost rainless)
- unreliable rain (average rainfall in BWh unreliable)
- intense = when it does rain it’s intense
Subtropical desert climate (BWh) controls
STH strong effect + cool oceans stabilize air
foggy deserts possible = cool currents from ocean going over desert produces fog
Subtropical Steppe Climate (BSh)
surrounds BWh climates
Midlatitude Desert (BWk)
deep interior of continents
mainly in central Eurasia + protected by mountains so monsoon doesn’t come
characteristics:
severely cold winters + may have snow
Midlatitude Desert Controls
band of westerlies + located in rain shadows
Mild Midlatitude (C) Climates
located in equatorward margin of midlatitudes
transition between warm tropical climates + cold severe midlatitude climates
Long, hot summers + short, mild winters
3 categories = mediterranean, humid subtropical, marine west coast
Mediterranean Climate (Csa, Csb)
WESTERN SIDE OF CONTINENTS
Coast of California, central Chile, southern tip of Africa, two southwestern corners of Australia
Characteristics:
1) modest annual precip in winter, summers rainless
2) winter temps mild + summers warm - hot
3) clear skies + lots of sun
Mediterranean Climate (Csa, Csb) controls
STH provides dry subsiding air for summer = hence no rain bc high pressure
winter = westerlies shift downward bringing rain
Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa, Cwa, Cwb)
EASTERN SIDE OF CONTINENTS
summers generally warm to hot
precip max in summer + winter has diminished precip
cooler than mediterranean regions
Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa) controls
westerly winds bring midlatitude cyclones + precip to regions
summer = cool ocean water + STH stabalize it bringing dry weather
Marine west coast (Cfb, Cfc)
West coast of continents btwn 40-60 N/S
most extensive marine west coast climate is Western + Central Europe
Characteristics:
oceanic influences keeps it mild
wettest in midlatitudes
rains majority of time
Marine west coast (cfb) controls
maritime influence keeps region mild
Severe midlatitude climates (Group D)
Northern hemisphere only
remote from oceans
have 4 clearly recognizable seasons
summer is max precip BUT there is also some precip in winter
2 types = humid continental (long warm summers) + subarctic (short summers, very cold winters)
Severe midlatitude Humid continental climate (Dfa, Dfb, Dwa, Dwb)
day to day variability + dramatic changes
summer temperatures warm like humid subtropical BUT they are shorter
Severe Midlatitude (D)
Humid continental climate controls
Westerlies = frequent cyclones + anticyclones
summer rain is mostly convective/frontal
Severe Midlatitude (D)
subarctic climate (Dfc, Dfd, Dwc, Dwd)
higher midlatitudes between 50 and 70
Mainly in western Alaska-Canada + Scandinavia to Siberia region
long, dark, bitterly cold winters
short summers
summers warm up a lot
huge annual temperature range
low precip
Severe Midlatitude (D)
Subarctic climate (Dfc) controls
high midlatitude location + westerlies bring meager precipitation
Polar and Highland climates (Group E, H)
polar climates = too little insolation for warming
no month has average temperature over 10 C
two categories
- tundra (At least one month with average temp over freezing point)
- ice cap (does not have that)
tundra (ET)
low, ground hugging vegetation of high latitude high altitude
characteristics:
long cold dark winters
brief cool summers
no melting of snow –> makes winter snow seem more than actually is
radiation fog
tundra (ET) controls
daily temperature range is small (either all daylight or all night)
air is too cold to contain water vapor despite proximity to ocean
Ice Cap climate (EF)
restricted to Greenland + most of Antarctica
Characteristics:
perpetual frost, no vegetation, permanent cover of ice + snow
strong surface temperature inversions
Ice Cap climate (EF) controls
1) high latitude = little warming which is why it is so cold
2) low precip = too cold so low water capacity
3) polar high
highland climate (Group H)
foudn in high areas
characteristics:
altitude more significant than latitude to determine climate here
vertical zonation = climbing up few hundred meters equivalent to journey of several hundred kilometers poleward in terms of temp + environmental characteristics
Subdivisions of A, B, C
Af, Bf, Cf = locations with year-round preicp (equator)
Aw, Bw, Cw = drought in winter caused by low pressure area moving away, rain in summer caused by temporary low pressure area (further from equator)
As, Bs, Cs = dought in summer
Csb vs Csa climates
Csa = west side of continents
Csb = east side of continents
Csa = Summer, the ITCZ moves north, which pushes the STH higher up, bringing cool, dry tradewinds BUT in winter the ITCZ moves down, which pushes the STH down, bringing westerlies + MLCs so wet winter
