Student_____________________________________________
MET 102
Classifying World Climates
Various methods of classifying climates have been of value in simplifying the description and location of the diverse
climate types found around the world. These methods have employed the use of temperature, precipitation,
evapotranspiration, and vegetation to organize climates into meaningful categories.
In this activity you will use the method of classification developed by German climatologist Wladimir Köppen, which
has been the best-known and most used system for decades because it uses easily obtained data: mean monthly and annual
values of temperature and precipitation. Additionally, the standards used are relatively easy to apply and are clearly defined.
Because Köppen believed that the best expression of overall climate is the distribution of natural vegetation, he chose
boundaries that are largely based on the limits of certain plant associations. Köppen’s system recognizes five principal
climate groups, each of which is designated by a capital letter. The climate types include:
A Climates: Humid Tropical
These climates are winterless and have a small annual temperature range and high annual precipitation.
Rainfall is more variable than air temperature.
‘ The Wet Tropics (Af)
‘ Tropical Monsoon (Am)
‘ Topical Wet and Dry (Aw)
‘ Tropical Summer-Dry (As)
B Climates: Dry
Dry climates have unreliable year-to year precipitation and have a moisture deficit - potential
evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation. These climates dominate large portions of the subtropics and
extend into the interiors of continents in the middle latitudes and cover nearly one-third of Earth’s lands
surface.
‘ Desert (BW)
‘ Steppe (BS)
C Climates: Humid Middle-Latitude Mild Winters(Also called Humid Mesothermal)
With a moderate seasonal temperature range, the climates have relatively mild winters (coolest month is
below 18o C, but above -3o C)
‘ Humid Subtropical (Cfa)
‘ Marine West Coast (Cfb)
‘ Mediterranean (Cs)
D Climates: Humid Middle-Latitude Severe Winters (Also called Humid Microthermal)
Poleward and interior of C climates, D climates have a large seasonal temperature range and include
continental climates found only in the Northern Hemisphere. They have severe winters (coolest month is
below -3o C and the warmest month is above 10o C)
‘ Humid Continental (Dfa, Dfb, Dwa, Dwb)
‘ Subarctic (Dfc, Dfd, Dwc, Dwd)
E Climates: Polar
These are summerless areas of tundra and permafrost or permanent ice sheets (warmest month less than
10o C.
‘ Tundra (ET)
‘ Ice Cap (EF)
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 1 of 12
Procedure A:
For each pair of climographs:
1.
Using the Köppen system, determine the climate type for each location.
a. First determine whether the data meet the criteria for the E climates.
b. If the location is not a polar climate, proceed to the criteria for B climates.
c. If the data do not fit into either the E or B groups, check the data against the criteria for A, C, and D
climates, in that order.
Note:
Monthly rainfall and temperature data almost any city can be found on the Internet at
http://www.worldclimate.com/
2.
Answer the questions that accompany each climograph group.
Group 1:
Climate Type
Climate Type
Symbol ________
Symbol ________
Name _____________________
Name ____________________
1.
For both locations, is temperature or rainfall more variable throughout the year?
2.
What is the main reason for the annual temperature pattern shown by each city throughout the year?
3.
What is the primary factor that distinguishes Mbandaka’s climate from Manilla’s climate?
4.
How does Manilla’s location between the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITZC) and the subtropical
highs account for it’s seasonal precipitation pattern?
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 2 of 12
Group 2:
Climate Type
Climate Type
Symbol ________
Symbol ________
Name _____________________
Name ____________________
4.
Which location represents a transition zone between arid and humid climates?
5.
What is the dominant pressure system that influences Baghdad’s climate?
6.
What type of daily temperature ranges would be expected in both Baghdad and Denver throughout the
year?
7.
Why does most precipitation in Baghdad fall in the winter while in Denver the greatest amount of
precipitation is in the summer?
Group 3
Climate Type
Symbol ________
Name _____________________
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Climate Type
Symbol ________
Name ____________________
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 3 of 12
8.
Which city has a Marine West Coast climate?
9.
The northward migration of what type of pressure system is the cause of the reduced summer rainfall in
Vancouver?
10.
What pressure and wind systems are the cause of Rome’s increase in precipitation in the winter months?
11.
What pressure patterns cause Rome’s decrease in precipitation in the summer months?
Group 4
Climate Type
Climate Type
Symbol ________
Symbol ________
Name _____________________
Name ____________________
12.
Why does Verkhoyansk have a much larger annual temperature range than Madison?
13.
For both locations during what season is the maximum precipitation?
14.
What is most likely the cause of the precipitation maximum in Madison and most other central United
States locations?
15.
Why does Verkhoyansk have low annual precipitation?
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 4 of 12
Group 5
Climate Type
16.
Climate Type
Symbol ________
Symbol ________
Name _____________________
Name ____________________
a. Describe type of soil condition exists in Novaya Zemlya?
b. What term is used to describe this soil condition?
17.
Why is precipitation in Novaya Zemlya more abundant during the summer months than during the
winter?
18.
What is the significance with regard to vegetation of the 10o C isotherm that marks the equatorward limit
of a tundra climate?
19.
Due to the low sun angle (angle of insolation) at McMurdo Station (never higher than 35 ½ degrees
above the horizon, how might surface conditions contribute to preventing temperatures from getting
very high?
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 5 of 12
Procedure B
Use the temperature and precipitation information in the data table below to construct a climograph for
Memphis Tennessee.
a. Plot a line graph for the monthly average temperatures (round to nearest whole number).
b. Construct a bar graph showing monthly precipitation.
c. Calculate the average annual temperature. Record this value in the table in the “year” column.
d. Calculate the total precipitation for the year and record this value in the table’s “year” column.
e. Determine the climate type.
Memphis, TN - Weather Station Location: 35.04o N, 90.000 W. Altitude: 101 meters
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Temp
(o C)
4.9
6.6
11.3
16.4
21.4
25.7
27.4
26.7
23.4
17.4
10.9
6.3
Precip.
(cm)
12.4
11.1
13.3
12.8
11.1
9.3
8.6
8.2
7.6
7.3
11.2
11.9
Year
Climate Classification
Climate symbol ______
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Climate Name ____________________
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 6 of 12
Procedure C
Match the cities listed in the table to the climographs below and on the next page. Write the name of the city in
the space provided below each climograph.
City
Latitude
Longitude
Elevation
Climate Type
Calcutta, India
3o 39' S
73o 18 W
115 meters
Aw
Lima, Peru
12o 06' S
76o 55 W
120 meters
BWh
Miami, USA
23o 24' N
80 o 11' W
2 meters
Cfa
Perth, Australia
30o 50' S
116o E
60 m
Csa
Singapore, Singapore
1o 22' N
103o 52' E
6 meters
Af
32o N
114o W
62 meters
BSh
Yuma, USA
(1)
(2)
(3)
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
(4)
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 7 of 12
(5)
Procedure D:
(6)
Climates of Hawaii
The island of Hawaii, with a surface area of only 10,455 km, exhibits a spectacular range of climatic
diversity comparable with that found on large continents. Three major factors contribute to this
climatic diversity:
1. Topographic relief.
The volcanic mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa reach summit elevations of 4,206
meters and 4,169 meters, respectively.
2. Large-scale synoptic wind field.
The strong and persistent northeast trade winds interact with the island topography to
produce distinctive windward and leeward climates.
3. Local circulation.
Differential heating and cooling of the land, water, mountain, and lowland areas on Hawaii
give rise to localized wind regimes which add to the island's climatic diversity.
&
Use Maps 1 and 2 to answer the questions that follow.
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 8 of 12
MAP 1
Distribution of Köppen
Climate Types on Hawaii
MAP 2
Topographic Map of Hawaii
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 9 of 12
1.
Which of Köppen’s five major climate types is not found in Hawaii?
2.
Which of Köppen’s five major climate zones dominates the Big Island, covering about two
thirds of its area?
3.
a) Which climate zone found on Hawaii is not usually found around the world? Outside of
Hawaii this climate type occurs on in India (southern Madras) and adjacent northern Sri
Lanka.
b) Why is this climate type unusual for a tropical location?
4.
Where on Hawaii is a climate zone that has no distinctive dry season?
5.
The northwest coast of Hawaii (the Kohala Coast near Kawaihae) is a classic rainshadow
while the Kona coast is not. Considering both coasts are on the leeward side of mountains,
what is the cause of this discrepancy?
6.
a) As you go west, from Hilo to Mauna Kea, what change in climate occurs?
b) What is the cause of the climate change you identified?
7.
a) As you go eastward from Kawaihae what change in climate occurs?
b) What is the cause of the climate change you identified?
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 10 of 12
8.
Considering that mountains block the Kona Coast from the wind flow of the northeast trades,
what is the cause of coast’s dominant circulation that causes summer rainfall?
9.
Where on Hawaii are Ice Climates found? Why?
Review Questions:
1.
What causes the ideal conditions for cloud formation and precipitation in the wet tropics?
2.
Which climate region is a transitional zone between the rainy tropics and the subtropical
steppes?
3.
What is the basis for subdividing the tropical climates (A climates) into it’s three categories?
4.
What is the criteria used to define the boundary between desert and steppe climates?
5.
Where are humid subtropical climates(Cfa) found?
6.
Where in North America are marine west coast climates (Cfb) found?
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 11 of 12
7.
Where are Mediterranean climates (Cs) found?
8.
Why are humid continental climates (Dfa) not found in the Southern Hemisphere?
9.
Which of the polar climates (E) has no vegetation? Why?
10.
Although polar climates are classified as humid, why are their precipitation patterns more
similar to dry climates?
M ET 102: Professor Vorwald
Classifying W orld Climates
Page 12 of 12