Climate Types and Characteristics WG SOL 2a

World Climate Regions –Low latitudes-tropical wet and tropical wet and dry –Middle Latitudes- Mediterranean, humid continental, marine west coast, and humid subtropical

Climate characteristics cont. –High latitudes- subarctic, tundra, and icecap –Found in any belt: Arid, Semi-Arid and Highland

Low Latitude Climates: Equator Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle Arctic Circle HIGH MIDDLE 90 S 90 N 0 23 ½ N 23 ½ S 66 ½ N 66 ½ S LOW North Pole South Pole

TROPICAL(WET) RAIN FOREST CLIMATE TROPICAL(WET) RAIN FOREST CLIMATE HOT, WET AND HUMID ALL YEAR ROUND, RAINS DAILY. DIRECT SUN KEEPS THE TEMPERATURES HIGH. FOUND IN THE EQUATOR REGION.

Tropical Rainforest- Abundant species of plants and animals Largest is Amazon Rainforest Many suffering from deforestation

TROPICAL SAVANNA CLIMATE TROPICAL SAVANNA CLIMATE DRY WINTERS, WET SUMMERS, LOCATED IN THE TROPICS JUST BEYOND THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST. LITTLE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE WHICH IS ALWAYS HIGH.

Tropical Savanna Aka Tropical Wet/Dry Vegetation known as “savannas” Largest region is in Africa

Savannas

What’s the Difference Rainforest climates – remain wet most of the year. Have a lot of vegetation Savanna Climates – have a distinct wet and dry season. Have minimal vegetation with very few trees.

Tropical Climate Zones Location Tropical Rain Forest: South America Africa Asia Tropical Savanna: South America Africa Asia

Various other plants and animals species of Tropical Climates toucan Sloth Bromeliads Venus Fly Trap Poison Arrow Frog

Middle Latitude Climates: Equator Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle Arctic Circle HIGH MIDDLE 90 S 90 N 0 23 ½ N 23 ½ S 66 ½ N 66 ½ S LOW North Pole South Pole

MARINE WEST COAST CLIMATE OCEAN BRINGS MARINE WEST COAST CLIMATE OCEAN BRINGS COOL SUMMERS, WITH MILD WINTERS, HEAVY RAINS IN THE WINTER

Marine West Coast Found where name states-west coast of continents Oregon and Washington state and the West Coast of Europe Vegetation-mixed latitude forests (coniferous and a few deciduous trees)

Marine West Coast Climate Coniferous Deciduous

MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE MILD RAINY WINTERS WITH HOT DRY SUMMERS. Located near the Mediterranean Sea Australia and California

Vegetation: Mediterranean Climate chaparral

HUMID SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE HUMID SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE RAIN FALLS ALL YEAR WITH HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SUMMER. WINTERS ARE SHORTER AND MILD SUMMERS ARE HOT AND HUMID

Humid Subtropical Climate: Vegetation Oaks Magnolias Palms

HUMID CONTINENTAL CLIMATE HUMID CONTINENTAL CLIMATE COLD SNOWY WINTERS, COOL TO WARM SUMMERS WITH SOME PRECIPITATION EVERY MONTH.

Humid Continental Climate: Vegetation Deciduous trees Also vast grasslands may flourish Where in the United States might you find this type of area?

=SBHQVJ0bUms

High Latitude Climates Equator Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle Arctic Circle HIGH MIDDLE 90 S 90 N 0 23 ½ N 23 ½ S 66 ½ N 66 ½ S LOW North Pole South Pole

SUBARCTIC CLIMATE SUBARCTIC CLIMATE LONG VERY COLD WINTERS WITH SHORT COOL SUMMERS.

Subarctic vegetation Taiga – Huge evergreen forests

TUNDRA CLIMATE TUNDRA CLIMATE LONG BITTERY COLD WINTERS WITH VERY SHORT COOL SUMMERS. SUMMERS GET CONSTANT LIGHT BUT LITTLE HEAT FROM THE SUN.

Tundra Closer to the Poles than the subarctic Tundra – cold and dry weather The Tundra is so cold that parts of the soil stay frozen permanently – Permafrost Only the few top layers of the soil thaw during the summer months. This thawed soil turns marshy in the summer giving the plants the nutrients they need to live.

Tundra Vegetation There are no trees that grow in the tundra because it is too cold for their roots to set up in the ground There are however sturdy grasses and low bushes that grow

POLAR ICE CAP CLIMATE POLAR ICE CAP CLIMATE ALWAYS COVERED WITH SNOW AND ICE. BITTERLY COLD ALL YEAR AROUND WITH LITTLE TO NO PRECIPITATION.

Ice Cap Climate Antarctica and Greenland Monthly temperatures average in Antarctica is -128 degrees No vegetation grows here however some mosses and fungi can grow.

Ice Cap Climate

Found in any latitude:

STEPPE CLIMATE STEPPE CLIMATE DRY AREAS THAT BORDER DESERTS. THESE AREAS HAVE VERY LITTLE RAINFALL ONLY ABOUT 10 TO 20 INCHES PER YEAR.

DESERT CLIMATE DESERT CLIMATE HOT DAYS, COOL TO COLD NIGHTS, THERE IS LITTLE TO NO RAIN IN THIS CLIMATE, THEREFORE IT IS VERY DRY. DESERTS COVER ABOUT 1/5 OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE.

Desert Vegetation

Highland Climate Cool or cold temperatures year round. TIMBERLINE – the elevation when above it trees can grow only small shrubs and bushes.

HIGHLAND CLIMATE HIGHLAND CLIMATE MOUNTAIN AREAS WHERE THE HIGHER IN ALTITUDE THE COOLER THE AIR TEMPERATURE Sea Level 1,000 ft 3,300 ft 6,600 ft 9,900 ft 13,200 ft 16,500 ft 19,800 ft 81°F 77°F 70°F 57°F 49°F 34°F 21°F 9°F Guayaquil * Guayaquil Quito * Quito Hot Zone TemperateZone Temperate Zone Cold Zone Tundra Snow cap

Timberline