Climate Regions
Scientists Classify Climate According to Two Major Factors Temperature Precipitation
Köppen (KEP un) System Included distinct vegetation in different areas. Identifies broad climate regions ◦ Each has smaller subdivisions
Six Main Climate Regions Tropical Rainy Dry Temperate Marine Temperate Continental Polar Highlands
Tropical Rainy Subdivisions Tropical Wet – Always hot and humid; Heavy rainfall; 6 Centimeters per month all year long.
Tropical Wet Rainforest
Tropical Rainy Subdivisions Tropical Wet - and - Dry – Always hot; Alternating wet and dry seasons; Heavy rainfall in the wet season.
Tropical Wet - Dry Savanna – Grassland close to the equator; 120 centimeters of rain per year.
Dry Climate Subdivisions Arid – Arid Regions/Deserts; Less than 25 centimeters of rain; Hot and Sandy, Cold or Rocky.
Dry Climate Subdivisions Semi-Arid – Dry; centimeters of precipitation per year.
Semi-arid Steppe – prairie or grassland
Temperate Marine Climate Subdivisions Marine West Coast – Mild winters; Cool summers; Moderate precipitation all year.
Temperate Marine Climate Subdivisions Mediterranean – Warm; Dry summers; Rainy winters.
Temperate Marine Climate Subdivisions Humid Subtropical – Hot summers; Cool winters
Temperate Continental Climate Subdivisions Humid Continental – Hot, humid summers; Cold winters; moderate precipitation all year.
Temperate Continental Climate Subdivisions Subarctic – Short, cool summers; Long, cold winters; Light precipitation mainly in summer.
Polar Climate Subdivisions Icecap – Always below freezing ( At or below 0º Celsius).
Polar Climate Subdivisions Tundra – Always cold; Short, cool summers; Bitterly cold winters.
In The Tundra Permafrost – Permanently frozen soil; cannot drain… wet and boggy in summer.
Highlands Highlands – Cooler and wetter than nearby lowlands. (Temperature decreases with altitude)