CLIMATE Regions

Warm up: Yesterday you created a Climate and Vegetation Pyramid. Today, turn to page 21 in your ISN, and cover up that Pyramid. Try to draw the Pyramid with the correct labels below your copied pyramid. Think about the pictures you drew of vegetation types to help you remember.

Low-Latitude ~ Tropical Climate Region (2) HUMID TROPICAL(TROPICAL RAIN FOREST)CLIMATE TROPICAL SAVANNA

HUMID TROPICAL (TROPICAL RAIN FOREST) CLIMATE Location: Parts of … South America (largest part located in the Amazon River Basin), Caribbean Area, Asia, and Africa Characteristics: Low Latitude, Average temperature is 80°F, Warm and Humid Air saturated w/ moisture causing a daily rain (80 in. yr.) Vegetation: Lush … Growing in thick layers with vines and other shade like plants at bottom, then bushes, shorter trees, and finally tall teak and mahogany trees at the top.

HUMID TROPICAL (TROPICAL RAIN FOREST) CLIMATE

Tropical Savanna CLIMATE Location: Parts of … Africa, Central and South America, Asia, and Australia Characteristics: Low Latitude, Dry Winters and Wet Summers (accompanied w/ high year-round temps. Vegetation: dry season – ground covered w/ clumps of thick grass and you will find fewer trees than in the humid tropical climate region.

TROPICAL SAVANNA CLIMATE

Dry Climate Region – (2) DESERT STEPPE

Desert CLIMATE Location: Worldwide … largest … Sahara, extending over almost the entire northern 1/3rd of the African Continent. Characteristics: Yearly rainfall is not usually going to be more than 10in., Temps. vary widely from daytime heat and nighttime cool and also from season to season. Desert climates make up close to a 1/3rd of the Earth’s total land area. Vegetation: very little – scrub and cactus, in areas w/ an underground spring (oasis) you also will find this area to have lush vegetation.

DESERT CLIMATE

Steppe CLIMATE Location: Largest stretches across Eastern Europe and western and central Asia. Steppes are also found in N. America, South America, Africa, and Australia (anywhere that a desert could be found) Characteristics: Border desert areas and are also dry areas, Yearly Rainfall 10 – 20 inches Vegetation: treeless grasslands

STEPPE CLIMATE

Mid-Latitude Climates (4) MARINE WEST COAST MEDITERRANEAN HUMID SUBTROPICAL HUMID CONTINENTAL

Marine West Coast CLIMATE Location: Along western coastlines, btwn. the lat. Of 30° and 60° north and south, are regions w/ a marine west coast climate. The Pacific coast of N. America, much of Europe, and parts of S. America, Africa, Australia, and N. Zealand. Characteristics: Ocean winds bring cool summers and damp winters. Vegetation: Coniferous and deciduous trees found in this region (mixed forests).

MARINE WEST COAST CLIMATE

Mediterranean CLIMATE Location: Lands surrounding the Med. Sea and any coastal mid-lat. areas w/ similar climate and vegetation… including S. California and parts of S. Australia Characteristics: Mild, rainy winters and hot, sunny summers Vegetation: Chaparral

MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE

Humid Subtropical CLIMATE Location: SE US and in SE of SA and Asia Characteristics: Short, mild winters and nearly year around rain. Wind patterns and high pressure related to nearby oceans are responsible for high humidity levels. Vegetation: Prairies (inland grasslands) and forests of deciduous trees

HUMID SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE

Humid Continental CLIMATE Location: N. Hemisphere such as S. Canada, W. Russia, and NE China Characteristics: Climate influenced more by landforms than winds, precipitation, or ocean temp. The farther NORTH you are, the Winters will be longer and more severe and Summers will be shorter and cooler. Vegetation: Similar to Marine West Coast … mixed forests … more coniferous than deciduous the further north you get.

HUMID CONTINENTAL CLIMATE

High -Latitude Climates (3) ICE CAP TUNDRA SUBARCTIC

Ice Cap CLIMATE Location: almost all of Antarctica, and Greenland’s interior Characteristics: Snow and ice, usually more than 2 miles thick constantly cover the surface. Ave. temps. – below freezing Vegetation: lichen

ICE CAP CLIMATE

Tundra CLIMATE Location: Closer to the Polar Regions Characteristics: Very COLD … winter darkness and bitter cold last 6 months and the sun’s indirect rays bring constant summer light but little heat. Vegetation: shrubs and lichen

TUNDRA CLIMATE

Subarctic CLIMATE Location: Just south of the Arctic Circle Characteristics: Winters are bitterly cold and summers very short and cool. Only a thin layer of surface soil thaws each summer and below this is permafrost Vegetation: Coniferous

SUBARCTIC CLIMATE

ELEVATION CLIMATES (1) HIGHLAND (MOUNTAINS)

Highland CLIMATE Location: Mountains … anywhere … low and mid lat. Characteristics: Elevation and Climate go hand in hand … regardless of the latitude. The further you go, the thinner the atmosphere becomes, giving mountain areas similar high-latitude climates, characteristics and vegetation. Vegetation: Base – mixed, Mid – meadows and small trees and shrubs, High – shrubs and lichen

HIGHLAND CLIMATE Snow cap Tundra Cold Zone Temperate Zone Hot Zone 19,800 ft 9°F Snow cap 16,500 ft 21°F 13,200 ft 34°F Tundra 9,900 ft 49°F *Quito Cold Zone 6,600 ft 57°F Temperate Zone 3,300 ft 70°F 1,000 ft 77°F Hot Zone 81°F Sea Level *Guayaquil