Climate
Global Climates Keys to Climate Climate Classification Low Latitude Climates Midlatitude Climates High Latitude Climates Highland Climates Our Changing Climate
Keys to Climate Climate the average weather (temperature and precipitation) of a region Temperature Regime based on latitude, location, elevation Precipitation seasonality patterns controlled by air masses and their movements (influenced by atmospheric circulation patterns)
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Temperature Regimes WET DRY WARM COLD
Temperature Regimes Figure 7.1, p. 217
Precipitation Regimes High convectional precipitation at equatorial regions Subtropical highs pressure cells (dry, subsiding air) Mountain ranges produce wet areas Coastal mountains can act as barriers to produce rain shadows Continental interiors tend to be dry
The Atmospheric Circulation Figure 6.21, p. 205
Precipitation patterns: Uniformly distributed precipitation seasonally Precipitation maximum during the warmest period of the year (high sun season) Precipitation maximum during the coolest period of the year (low sun season)
Seven global precipitation regions: Wet equatorial Trade wind coasts Tropical Deserts Midlatitude deserts and steppes Moist subtropical Midlatitude west coasts Arctic and Polar Deserts
Precipitation Regimes Figure 7.3, p. 220
Precipitation Regimes Figure 7.3, p. 221
Climate Classification Based on the scheme first developed by Dr. Vladimir Köppen (University of Graz, Austria) in 1918 Low Latitude Climates Mid-latitude Climates High Latitude Climates
Climate Classification (Köppen)
Köppen Climate Classification (Type A: Tropical Climates) Figure S7.3, p. 224
Köppen Climate Classification (Type B: Dry Climates) Figure S7.4, p. 225
Global Climates (Köppen) Figure S7.2, p. 224
Global Climates (Köppen) Figure S7.2, p. 225
Things to Consider: Low-latitude locations have warmer temperatures and smaller annual temperature ranges than high-latitude locations Continental locations tend to have much larger annual temperature ranges than coastal locations at the same latitude Colder locations tend to have less precipitation than warm locations because warm air can hold more moisture than cold air
Low Latitude Climates
Low Latitude Climates occupy equatorial, and much tropical and subtropical zones range from very wet to very dry influenced by the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), tropical easterly systems and subtropical high-pressure cells experience traveling lows such as the easterly wave and tropical cyclones
Low Latitude Climates Figure 7.7, p. 231
Low Latitude Climates: wet equatorial The Amazon dominantly influenced by the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) me and mt air masses uniform, very warm temperatures in all seasons ample precipitation, heaviest in direct association with the ITCZ
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Low Latitude Climates: wet equatorial Figure 7.9, p. 233
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Low Latitude Climates: Monsoon and trade wind coastal climates India, Central America, SE Asia heavy rainfall with strong seasonal patterns larger temperature range than wet equatorial climate dominance of the ITCZ during the heavy rainfall period and the subtropical high pressure system during the dry season trade wind coast climates are a result of mt and me air masses
Low Latitude Climates: trade wind coastal climates Figure 7.10, p. 233
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Low Latitude Climates: wet-dry tropical climates a warm climate with a more marked temperature range during high sun season, proximity to ITCZ brings heavy rains during low sun season, subtropical high produces very dry conditions vegetation is rain-green (dormant during dry season, productive during wet season)
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Low Latitude Climates: wet-dry tropical climates Figure 7.14, p. 236
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Low Latitude Climates: dry tropical climates Low latitude Deserts dominated by subtropical high-pressure cell very low precipitation and intense daytime heating under predominantly clear skies includes many of the world's great deserts semi-arid areas on the edges of the desert may have a short wet season
Low Latitude Climates: dry tropical climates Figure 7.17, p. 241
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Mid Latitude Climates
Midlatitude Climates occupy all of midlatitude zone and part of subtropics zone zone of interaction between tropical and polar air masses marked by traveling cyclones, anticyclones and frontal boundaries strong annual variations in temperature and precipitation
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Midlatitude Climates: dry subtropical climate southwest USA poleward extension of dry tropical climate, but with greater annual temperature range (higher latitude) cool season (air from higher latitudes) and occasional precipitation from midlatitude cyclones divided into arid and semi-arid subtypes more vegetation than dry tropical (lower temperatures and more precipitation)
Midlatitude Climates: dry subtropical climate Arizona Figure 7.21, p. 246
Midlatitude Climate: moist subtropical climate New Orleans, Florida, SE Asia warm, moist air flowing out of the subtropical high and influencing the eastern sides of continents abundant summer rainfall, mainly convectional with an occasional tropical cyclone Southeast Asia experiences strong monsoon winter precipitation from wave cyclones
Midlatitude Climate: moist subtropical climate Figure 7.24, p. 248
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Midlatitude Climates: Mediterranean climate California, Italy, Greece very dry summer due to migration of the subtropical high-pressure cell into the area low sun season is dominated by rainfall provided by cp air masses and cyclonic storms has a moderate temperature range limited to narrow coastal zones
Midlatitude Climates: Mediterranean climate Figure 7.26, p. 249
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Midlatitude Climates: marine west coast climate Northern California to British Columbia, Ireland mild temperatures with a small temperature range moist climate with a low sun season precipitation maximum due to frequent cyclonic storms during the high sun season the northward movement of the subtropical high pressure cell reduces precipitation
Midlatitude Climates: marine west coast climate Norway, Washington, British Columbia Figure 7.29, p. 254
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Midlatitude Climates: dry midlatitude climate e.g. Montana interior regions of North America and Eurasia high sun season rainfall is convectional and associated with occasional maritime air masses strong annual temperature range with hot high sun seasons and cold low sun seasons includes arid cold desert and semi-arid steppes
Midlatitude Climates: dry midlatitude climate Wyoming, Montana, Pampas Figure 7.32, p. 255
Midlatitude Climates: moist continental climate central and eastern North America and Eurasia large seasonal temperature variation and strong day-today variation ample precipitation peaking in the high summer season with mt air masses Low sun season is dominated by cp and ca air masses
Midlatitude Climates: moist continental climate Midwest USA, Toronto Figure 7.33, p. 256
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High Latitude Climates
High Latitude Climates located in the westerly wind belt influenced by mp air masses conflicting with cp and ca air masses and wave cyclones which develop along the arctic-front zone experience greater high sun season precipitation brought in by mt air masses
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High Latitude Climates: boreal forest climate long, bitterly cold low sun seasons and short cool high sun seasons very large annual temperature range (continental location) source region for cp air masses and invasions of ca air masses are common low total annual precipitation with a high sun season precipitation maximum
High Latitude Climates: boreal forest climate Figure 7.38, p. 260
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High Latitude Climates: tundra climate is found along arctic coastal areas long severe low sun seasons dominated by cp, mp, and ca air masses smaller temperature range for its latitude (moderating effect of ocean) vegetation consists of grasses, sedges, lichens and some shrubs cold enough to create permafrost
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High Latitude Climates: tundra climate Figure 7.41, p. 261
High Latitude Climates: ice sheet climate source region of Arctic and Antarctic air masses ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica and over the Arctic ocean ice lowest mean annual temperature, no month has a mean temperature above freezing very low precipitation
High Latitude Climates: ice sheet climate Figure 7.43, p. 263
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Highland (Mountain) Climates cool to cold, usually moist climates that occupy mountains and high plateaus
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