Tropical Climate
Introduction
What climate is tropical?
The Rainforests of Brazil
Bangladesh Monsoon region
The Angolan Savanna
All of these regions are warm enough and moist enough to be considered tropical.
However, these tropical climates are different enough that each is its own subclimate.
In this lesson, you will learn about tropical climates so that you can easily identify them.
You’ll know what someone means when they mention the tropical grasslands of Peru,
and you will be prepared to learn about the tropical regions of the world.
The Tropical Subclimates
Within the tropical classification, the seasons are distinguished by the amount of
precipitation. There are specific amounts of precipitation that divide the subclimate.
Sometimes, an easier way to tell the subclimates apart is by vegetation. Think of
vegetation as a clue to the climate of an area. In the tropical climates, the amount of
precipitation is a major factor in the vegetation of an area. In some cases of the tropics,
the more rain, the more vegetation.
This lesson uses the Koeppen Climate Classification System to describe each subclimate.
The uppercase A in each climate code refers to the tropical climate. Lowercase letters
after the major climate type describes the subclimate.
The usual lowercase letters are: s for dry summer season, w for dry winter season, and f
for feucht, a German word meaning moist year round perception. The Am in tropical
monsoon is an exception to the naming system. The m stands for monsoon.
Tropical rainforest= Af
Tropical monsoon=Am
Tropical savanna=Aw
Tropical Savanna
Tropical savannas are the driest of the tropical climates. They have a distinct dry season.
The “w” in the climate classification stands for dry winter, but with such warm
temperatures, it is hard to tell that it’s winter.
Tropical savannas sometimes act as a transition zone between the wet tropical rain forest
and the dry desserts. The vegetation in tropical savanna areas is usually grasses. Savannas
occasionally have scattered trees and shrubs. The dry seasons does not allow for much
tree and shrub growth. The tropical savanna has the longest dry season of the tropical
climates, where its usual dry season is from December to April.
Human Activity
What kinds of human activity occur in the savanna?
The cattle ranches of Brazil use the savanna grass to feed cattle. The large sugar
plantations of the Caribbean and the smaller family farms of West Africa are located in
the savanna areas.
Tropical Monsoon
A monsoon is s a wind that comes from the same direction at a definite season of the
year. The reason a lot of us associate it with rain is because we hear about the rainy
seasons in many parts of the world being called the monsoon season.
Monsoon climates have dry season, but are known for their long, heavy rainy season.
Most monsoon climates are in South Asia. The dry monsoon winds bring cool air from
the north, but no moisture. The wet monsoon winds carry moisture from the Indian and
Pacific Oceans bringing heavy rains.
Tropical monsoons climates vary with the seasons agriculture revolves around the
monsoons. Seeds are planted before the rains so that they will have time to take hold in
the soil; the monsoon rains water the crops. If the monsoon rains are too heavy,
widespread flooding may result and damage homes and crops. If the monsoon rains are
too late, the crops die from lack of water.
Tropical Rainforest
The tropical rainforest subclimate has the most precipitation of the tropical climates. It
rains at least 2.3 inches even in the driest months; it has no dry seasons.
Tropical rainforests are very close to the equator. They have very lush rainforest
vegetation composed of tall, leafy trees. The treetops form a canopy, providing shade for
the forest floor. The rainforests are home to thousands of plant and animal species.
Human Activity
More and more of the rainforest is being cleared to make space for farming. Many crops
such as bananas, sugar cane, natural rubber, and tea flourish in this climate.
The clearing of the rainforest destroys valuable naturally occurring plant life, only helps
the farmers in short terms. The soil of the rainforest is not rich in nutrients and can only
support a crop for a few years before becoming unsuitable for farming. Hardwoods found
only in the tropical rainforest are in great demand for finished wood products such as
furniture and cabinetry. This adds to the rate of rainforest depletion.