1. Climate Regions of the World
Dr. Hooda
Text Book page #

2. The big idea
What factors are used to classify climates? What are the six main climate regions?

3. Scientists classify climates according to two major factors:
Climate regions
Scientists classify climates according to two major factors:
Temperature
Precipitation

4. There are six main climate regions:
Tropical rainy
Dry
Temperate marine
Temperate continental
Polar
Highlands

5. World Climates

6. Climate Regions

7. 1. Tropical rainy climates
Temperature always 18 degrees Celsius and above.
The tropics have two types of rainy climates:
Tropical wet
Tropical wet-and-dry

8. Tropical wet climates
Always hot & humid, with heavy rainfall (at least 6 centimeters per month) all year round
Are found in low-lying lands near the equator
Many days are rainy, often with afternoon thunderstorms
Thunderstorms triggered by mid-day heating
In many areas with a tropical-wet climate the trade winds bring moisture from the oceans

9. Tropical wet climates
With year round heat and heavy rainfall, vegetation grows lush and green
Dense rain forests grow in these climates
In the United States, only the windward sides of Hawaiian islands have a tropical wet climate

10. Tropical wet-and-dry climates
Always hot; alternating wet & dry seasons; heavy rainfall in the wet season
receive slightly less rain than tropical climates
Have distinct dry and rainy seasons
Instead of rainforests, tropical grasslands called savannas grow
In the United States only the southern tip of Florida has a tropical wet-and-dry climate

11. 2. Dry climates Dry climates include arid and semiarid climates
Occurs wherever the amount of evaporation is greater than precipitation; may be hot or cold
Dry climates include arid and semiarid climates
Dry regions often lie inland
Far from the oceans that are the source of humid air masses

12. Semiarid climates
Dry but receives about 25 to 50 centimeters pf precipitation per year.
Semiarid regions are usually located on the edges of deserts
These semiarid area are called steppes
May also be called a prairie or a grassland
The Great Plains are the major steppe region of the United States
Portions of southeastern California are considered semiarid

13. Arid climates
Arid Deserts, with little precipitation, usually less than25 centimeters per year
Only specializes plants and animals can survive
Much of California’s southeast, including Death Valley and the Mojave Desert, has an arid climate

14. 3. Temperate marine climates
Averages 10 degree Celsius or above in warmest month, between -3 degree Celsius and 18 degree Celsius in the coldest month
There are three types of temperate marine climates:
Mediterranean
Humid subtropical
Marine west coast

15. Mediterranean Warm, dry summers & rainy winters
A coastal climate that is drier and warmer than west coast marine is known as Mediterranean
Most areas with this climate are found around the Mediterranean Sea
In the United States, much of coastal California has a Mediterranean climate
Mild, with two seasons
Winter – marine air masses bring cool, rainy weather
Summer – somewhat warmer, with little rain
Mediterranean climates have two main vegetation types:
Chaparral (dense shrubs and small tress)
Grasses with a few large trees

16. Humid subtropical Hot summers & cool winters
The warmest temperate marine climates are along the edges of the tropics
Humid subtropical climates are wet and warm
Not as constantly hot as the tropics
The southeastern United States has a humid subtropical climate
Summers are hot, with more rainfall than winters
Winters are cool to mild, with more rain than snow

17. Marine west coast
Mild winters & cool summers, with moderate precipitation all year
The coolest temperate marine climates are found on the west coasts of continents north of 40 degrees north latitude and south of 40 degrees south latitude
Humid ocean air brings mild, rainy winters
Summer precipitation can greatly vary
In North America, the marine west coast climate extends from northern California to southern Alaska
Because of heavy precipitation, think forests of tall trees grow in this region
One of the major industries of this region is harvesting and processing wood for lumber, paper, and furniture

18. 4. Temperate continental climates
Average temperature 10 degree Celsius or above in the warmest month, -3 degree Celsius or below in the coldest month
Temperate continental climates are only found on continents in the Northern Hemisphere
Include:
Humid Continental
Subarctic

19. Humid continental
Hot, humid summers & cold winters, with moderate precipitation year round
Shifting tropical and polar air masses bring constantly changing weather to humid continental climates
Winter – continental polar air masses move south, bringing bitterly cold weather
Summer – tropical air masses move north, bringing heat and humidity
The northeastern region of the United States, as well as the Midwest, have humid continental climates

20. Subarctic climate
Short, cool summers & long, cold winters; light precipitation, mainly in summer
Subarctic climates lie north of the humid continental climates

21. 5. Polar climates
Average temperature below 10 degree Celsius in the warmest month
The polar climate is the coldest climate region, and includes the tundra and ice cap climates.
Ice cap and tundra climates are found only in the far north and south, near the North and South poles
Most polar climates are relatively dry
Cold air holds little moisture

22. Tundra climate
Always cold with a short, cool summer – warmest temperature about 10 degree Celsius
Stretches across northern Alaska, Canada, and Russia
Some layers of the tundra are always frozen
Permanently frozen soil is called permafrost
Water cannot drain away, so the soil is wet and boggy in summer
It is too cold in the tundra for trees to grow
During the short summers the tundra is filled with life
Mosquitos and other insects
Mosses, grasses, lichens
Caribou
birds

23. Ice cap climate
Always cold, average temperature at or below 0 degree Celsius
Found mainly on Greenland and Antarctica
Average temperatures always at or below freezing
The land in this region is always covered with ice and snow
Intense cold makes the air dry
Lichens and a few low plants may grow on the rocks

24. 6. highlands
Generally cooler & wetter than nearby lowlands; temperature decreasing with altitude
Increasing altitude produces climate changes you would expect with increasing latitude
Precipitation also increase as air masses carrying moisture pass over highland area
Climate on the lower slopes of a mountain range is like that of the surrounding countryside
As you go higher up the mountains, temperature becomes lower and precipitation increases
Climate higher on the mountain is like that of the subarctic
Above a certain elevation, called the tree line, temperatures are too low for trees to grow
Climate above the tree line is like that of the tundra
Only low plants, mosses, and lichens can grow there