Climate Chapter 8

Question 1

Koppen climate classification

Answer 1

based only on average annual + monthly values for temp + precip

Question 2

How to read Koppen letter code

Answer 2

First letter = climate group
second letter = precipitation patterns
third letter = temperature patterns

Question 3

What are the 5 big categories for Koppen (first letter in code)

Answer 3

A = tropical humid
B = dry
C = mild midlatitude
D = severe midlatitude
E = Polar
H = Highland

Question 4

What is a climograph

Answer 4

12 columns for each month w. temperature scale on left + precip on right + monthly temperatures connected by curved line at top of graph
shows important climate details + used to classify climate of particular region

Question 5

Tropical Humid Climates (Group A)

Answer 5

occupy majority of land area in TROPICS
lack cold winters
3 classifications = tropical wet (rainfall every month) tropical savanna (low sun dry season + rainy high sun season) tropical monsoon = (dry season + very very rainy high-sun)

Question 6

low sun vs high sun

Answer 6

low sun = winter
high sun = summer
use this terminology since some places don’t have a winter

Question 7

Tropical Wet (Af)

Answer 7

mainly equatorial, extends to about 10 degrees N/S
seasonless climate, with all months having similar average temp of 27
cumulus clouds in morning, no clouds afternoon
high relative humidity, always feels warm

Question 8

Tropical Wet (Af) control

Answer 8

Mainly latitude
(little variation in day length)

Question 9

Tropical Savanna Climate (Aw)

Answer 9

north + south of Af climates
clear cut summer + winter dry periods
more temperature variation than Af

Question 10

Tropical Savanna Climate (Aw) controls

Answer 10

unstable converging air of ITCZ = explains characteristic rainfall there
summer = ITCZ moves poleward = causes rain, opposite happens in winter

Question 11

Tropical Monsoon Climate (Am)

Answer 11

mainly India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand BUT parts of Africa, South America, Australia
high sun season - ENORMOUS amount of rain
higher temps in spring bc in summer cloud cover reduces insolation
ITCZ moves up in summer, bringing convergent lifting + bringing SE tradewinds which bring onshore moist winds BUT in summer ITCZ moves down, bringing NE tradewinds which bring offshore winds taking moisture away

Question 12

Tropical Monsoon climate (Am) controls

Answer 12

summer monsoon brings moist onshore winds so LOTS of rain
low sun (winter) season = offshore winds (push away moist clouds) = lack of rain

Question 13

Dry Climates (Group B)

Answer 13

cover 30% of world land area
largest expanse of dry area in subtropical latitudes
lack of air uplift + lack of moisture characteristic of dry climate
main categories desert + steppe, which further divided into subtropical + midlatitude

Question 14

Subtropical desert climate (BWh)

Answer 14

lie near STH
2 major deserts in this band = Sahara + Arabian desert
characteristics:
- scarce rain (almost rainless)
- unreliable rain (average rainfall in BWh unreliable)
- intense = when it does rain it’s intense

Question 15

Subtropical desert climate (BWh) controls

Answer 15

STH strong effect + cool oceans stabilize air
foggy deserts possible = cool currents from ocean going over desert produces fog

Question 16

Subtropical Steppe Climate (BSh)

Answer 16

surrounds BWh climates

Question 17

Midlatitude Desert (BWk)

Answer 17

deep interior of continents
mainly in central Eurasia + protected by mountains so monsoon doesn’t come
characteristics:
severely cold winters + may have snow

Question 18

Midlatitude Desert Controls

Answer 18

band of westerlies + located in rain shadows

Question 19

Mild Midlatitude (C) Climates

Answer 19

located in equatorward margin of midlatitudes
transition between warm tropical climates + cold severe midlatitude climates
Long, hot summers + short, mild winters
3 categories = mediterranean, humid subtropical, marine west coast

Question 20

Mediterranean Climate (Csa, Csb)

Answer 20

WESTERN SIDE OF CONTINENTS
Coast of California, central Chile, southern tip of Africa, two southwestern corners of Australia
Characteristics:
1) modest annual precip in winter, summers rainless
2) winter temps mild + summers warm - hot
3) clear skies + lots of sun

Question 21

Mediterranean Climate (Csa, Csb) controls

Answer 21

STH provides dry subsiding air for summer = hence no rain bc high pressure
winter = westerlies shift downward bringing rain

Question 22

Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa, Cwa, Cwb)

Answer 22

EASTERN SIDE OF CONTINENTS
summers generally warm to hot
precip max in summer + winter has diminished precip
cooler than mediterranean regions

Question 23

Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa) controls

Answer 23

westerly winds bring midlatitude cyclones + precip to regions
summer = cool ocean water + STH stabalize it bringing dry weather

Question 24

Marine west coast (Cfb, Cfc)

Answer 24

West coast of continents btwn 40-60 N/S
most extensive marine west coast climate is Western + Central Europe
Characteristics:
oceanic influences keeps it mild
wettest in midlatitudes
rains majority of time

Question 25

Marine west coast (cfb) controls

Answer 25

maritime influence keeps region mild

Question 26

Severe midlatitude climates (Group D)

Answer 26

Northern hemisphere only *remote from oceans* have 4 clearly recognizable seasons summer is max precip BUT there is also some precip in winter 2 types = humid continental (long warm summers) + subarctic (short summers, very cold winters)

Question 27

Severe midlatitude Humid continental climate (Dfa, Dfb, Dwa, Dwb)

Answer 27

day to day variability + dramatic changes summer temperatures warm like humid subtropical BUT they are shorter

Question 28

# Severe Midlatitude (D) Humid continental climate controls

Answer 28

Westerlies = frequent cyclones + anticyclones summer rain is mostly convective/frontal

Question 29

# Severe Midlatitude (D) subarctic climate (Dfc, Dfd, Dwc, Dwd)

Answer 29

higher midlatitudes between 50 and 70 Mainly in western Alaska-Canada + Scandinavia to Siberia region long, dark, bitterly cold winters short summers summers warm up a lot huge annual temperature range low precip

Question 30

# Severe Midlatitude (D) Subarctic climate (Dfc) controls

Answer 30

high midlatitude location + westerlies bring meager precipitation

Question 31

Polar and Highland climates (Group E, H)

Answer 31

polar climates = too little insolation for warming no month has average temperature over 10 C two categories - tundra (At least one month with average temp over freezing point) - ice cap (does not have that)

Question 32

tundra (ET)

Answer 32

low, ground hugging vegetation of high latitude high altitude characteristics: long cold dark winters brief cool summers no melting of snow --> makes winter snow seem more than actually is radiation fog

Question 33

tundra (ET) controls

Answer 33

daily temperature range is small (either all daylight or all night) air is too cold to contain water vapor despite proximity to ocean

Question 34

Ice Cap climate (EF)

Answer 34

restricted to Greenland + most of Antarctica Characteristics: perpetual frost, no vegetation, permanent cover of ice + snow strong surface temperature inversions

Question 35

Ice Cap climate (EF) controls

Answer 35

1) high latitude = little warming which is why it is so cold 2) low precip = too cold so low water capacity 3) polar high

Question 36

highland climate (Group H)

Answer 36

foudn in high areas characteristics: altitude more significant than latitude to determine climate here vertical zonation = climbing up few hundred meters equivalent to journey of several hundred kilometers poleward in terms of temp + environmental characteristics

Question 37

Subdivisions of A, B, C

Answer 37

Af, Bf, Cf = locations with year-round preicp (equator) Aw, Bw, Cw = drought in winter caused by low pressure area moving away, rain in summer caused by temporary low pressure area (further from equator) As, Bs, Cs = dought in summer

Question 38

Csb vs Csa climates

Answer 38

Csa = west side of continents Csb = east side of continents **Csa = Summer, the ITCZ moves north, which pushes the STH higher up, bringing cool, dry tradewinds BUT in winter the ITCZ moves down, which pushes the STH down, bringing westerlies + MLCs so wet winter**