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Climate
Climate is weather averaged over time over broader geographic areas. Usually averaged over 30-yr periods. Climatology is the study of climate over both time and space. The average state of atmosphere
Climate Classification
Climatic Relationships
Koppens Classification
Koppen climate classification Developed 1918 Developed to correlate the spatial distribution of plants to the spatial distribution of climate
Highland (H)
Kppens Climate Classifications Tertiary Letters The third letters in the system are based exclusively on seasonal and annual temperature:
a = hot summer, warmest month > 22C; C and D only b = warm summer, warmest month < 22C; C and D only c = cool summer, < 4 months over 10C; C and D only d = very cold winter, coldest month < -38C; D only h = dry-hot, annual temperature > 18C; B only k = dry-cold, annual temperature < 18C; B only
Kppens Climate Classifications Examples of Combinations Af = Tropical Rainforest climate type Am = Tropical Monsoon climate type BWh = Low-Latitude Hot Desert climate type Cfa = Humid Subtropical climate type Csa = Mediterranean climate type Dfb = Humid Continental climate type ET = Tundra climate type
Climographs
Temperature (curve)
Precipitation (bars)
Dominance by ITCZ
Shifts seasonally with high sun period
No true winter
Winter in tropics refers to the low-sun half of the year
f = year-around rainfall m = year-round rainfall, but with a brief drier period w = wet summer and dry winter
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Characteristics
Monotonous (seasonless) Night is the season of the tropics High humidity Afternoon convective thundershowers High annual rainfall, evenly distributed during year
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Dominant Controls
ITCZ influence entire year
cT
0 Af
cT
Climographs
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Am Tropical Monsoon
Aw Tropical Savanna
Low-Latitude Hot Desert Climates (BWh) Mid-latitude Cold Desert Climates (BWk) Low-Latitude Hot Steppe Climates (BSh) Mid-latitude Cold Steppe Climates (BSk)
Distribution of B Climates
Subtropical Dry Climates within 2035 of latitude Midlatitude Dry Climates within 35-55 of latitude
Northern Hemisphere
Sonora-Colorado Sahara Arabian
Southern Hemisphere
Peru-Atacama Kalahari-Namib Great Australian
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Characteristics
Precipitation: extremely arid
Scarce (most nearly rainless regions on Earth) Unreliable (extremely long periods without rain)
Dominant Controls
Subsidence from subtropical highs (STHs)
Climographs
Characteristics
Similar to BWh but more moderate Precipitation: semiarid
Dominant Controls
Similar to BWh
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Climographs
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Characteristics
Precipitation meager
Erratic, mostly showery Some winter snow Hot summers, cold winters Very large annual temperature range Large daily temperature range
Temperatures
Dominant Controls
Rain shadow effects Distance from sources of moisture
Climographs
Characteristics
Dominant Controls
Climographs
Photo: U.S. Great Plains, South Dakota
Distribution of C Climates
Equatorward margin of the middle latitudes Within 25-40 of latitude with some poleward extensions
Precipitation
No year-round moisture deficiency Some climates have seasonal shortages
Three subtypes
Mediterranean (Csa, Csb) Humid subtropical (Cfa) Marine west coast (Cfb, Cfc)
3040 of latitude
Mediterranean coast California Central Chile Southern tip of Africa (Cape Town) Australia (Perth & Adelaide)
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Characteristics
Mild, wet winters, dry summers Two sub-types based on summer temperatures
a hot summer (interior location) b cool/mild summer (coastal location)
Precipitation
Moderate annually Winter maximum (midlatitude cyclonic storms)
Dominant Controls
STH subsidence in summer (forces cyclonic storms poleward) Westerly winds and cyclonic storms shift equatorward in winter
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Climographs
Southeastern United States Eastern China Southern Brazil and Uruguay Small areas in Africa and Australia
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Characteristics
Temperatures
Precipitation
Climographs
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Characteristics
Temperature
Very mild winters for latitude
Precipitation
Moderate to abundant, mostly in winter Many rainy days Much cloudiness
Dominant Controls
Westerly flow and oceanic influence year-round
Climographs
Distribution of D Climates
Only in Northern Hemisphere Within 3570 of latitude
Precipitation
Summer maxima Abundant to meager amounts Diminishes toward inland and poleward Humid Continental Subarctic
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Characteristics
Temperature
Warm/hot summers Large annual temperature range Moderate to abundant Summer maxima
Precipitation
Dominant Controls
Westerly winds and storms
Midlatitude cyclones in winter in North America Monsoons in Asia
Climographs
Northern Hemisphere only Latitudes 5070 Across North American and Eurasia Temperature
Long, dark, very cold winters Brief, mild summers Enormous annual temperature range
Characteristics
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Precipitation
Meager Summer maxima Light snow in winter, little melting
Dominant Controls
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Climographs
Fig. 8-35
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Distribution of E Climates
Poleward of 70 of latitude
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Distinctive Characteristics
Temperatures
Coldest summers Lowest annual average Large annual temperature range Small daily temperature range
Extraordinarily dry
Low precipitating, mostly snow Evaporation is nil
Two subtypes
Tundra Ice Cap
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Tundra (ET)
Main Locations
Fringes of Arctic Ocean Small coastal areas in Antarctica
Fig. 8-36
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Characteristics
Temperature
Long, cold dark winters Brief, cool summers
Precipitation
Very sparse Mostly snow
Dominant Controls
Latitude Distance from sources of heat and moisture Extreme seasonal contrasts in sunlight/darkness Polar anticyclones (A and cP air masses)
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Climographs
Fig. 8-37
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Characteristics
Precipitation
Very sparse, all snow
Fig. 8-36
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Dominant Controls
Latitude Distances from sources of heat and moisture Extreme seasonal contrasts in sunlight/darkness Polar anticyclones (A and cP air masses)
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Climographs
Fig. 8-38
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Fig. 8-40
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Characteristics
Complex local variation in small areas Vertical climate zonation
Fig. 8-42
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Changeability of weather
Fig. 8-43
Dominant Controls
Altitude Slope aspect and slope angle
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Climographs
Fig. 8-41
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Fig. 8-45
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A model of climate distribution on a hypothetical continent helps use predict what the climate should be like at a particular location.
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