Chapter 10
Physical Geography
GEOGRAPHY 1710
Global Climate Systems
DAVID R. SALLEE
Global Climate Systems
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
Earth’
Earth’s Climate System and Its
Classification
Tropical Climates (A)
Dry Arid and Semiarid Climates (B)
Mesothermal Climates (C)
Microthermal Climates (D)
Polar Climates (E)
Global Climate Change
Earth’s Climate System
and Its Classification
Climate
z Climate
is weather over time
z Climatology is the study of climate
z Climatic regions are areas with
similar weather statistics
Earth’s Climate System
z Climate
Components: Insolation,
Temperature, Pressure, Air Masses,
and Precipitation
z Classification of Climatic Regions
z The Kö
Köppen Climate Classification
System
z Global Climate Patterns
1
Worldwide Average
Preciptiation
Climate Relationships
Figure 10.3
Figure 10.2
Generalized Climate
Regions
Köppen Climate
Classification
z Empirical
system
z Began with heat zones in 1884
z Included plant communities in
1900
z Published first wall map in 1928
Köppen Classification
Criteria
z Average
monthly temperatures
z Average monthly precipitation
z Total annual precipitation
Köppen’s Climate
Classifications
z Tropical
Climates (A)
Arid and Semiarid Climates (B)
z Mesothermal Climates (C)
z Microthermal Climates (D)
z Polar Climates (E)
z Dry
2
Tropical Climates (A)
Tropical Climates (A)
z Tropical
Rain Forest Climates (Af
(Af))
Monsoon Climates (Am)
z Tropical Savanna Climates (Aw)
z Tropical
Dry, Arid, and Semiarid
Climates (B)
z
z
z
z
z
Dry, Arid, and Semiarid
Climates (B)
Desert Characteristics
Hot LowLow-Latitude Desert Climates
(BWh)
BWh)
Cold Midlatitude Desert Climates
(BWk)
BWk)
Hot LowLow-Latitude Steppe Climates
(BSh)
BSh)
Cold Midlatitude Steppe Climates
(BSk)
BSk)
Mesothermal Climates
(C)
z Humid
Dry, Arid,
or Semiarid
Subtropical HotHot-Summer
Climates (Cfa
(Cfa,, Cwa)
z Marine West Coast Climates (Cfb,
Cfc)
z Mediterranean DryDry-Summer
Climates (Csa, Csb)
Csb)
3
Mesothermal Climates
(C)
Mediterranean Climates
(Cs)
Figure 10.16
Microthermal Climates (D)
Microthermal Climates (D)
z Humid
Continental HotHot-Summer
Climates (Dfa
(Dfa,, Dwa)
Dwa)
z Humid Continental MildMild-Summer
Climates (Dfb
(Dfb,, Dwb)
Dwb)
z Subarctic Climates (Dfc
(Dfc,, Dwc,
Dwc,
Dwd)
Polar Climates (E)
Polar Climates (E)
z Tundra
Climate (ET)
z Ice Cap Climate (EF)
4