Koeppen Classification System

Koeppen Classification System The Koeppen classification system is used to classify climate It was first done by natural vegetation The system was later revised to include temperature and precipitation

Tropical Climates Constant high temps and a lot of rainfall (some places) are characteristics of tropical climates Tropical rain forests are included in this type of climate

Dry Climates These cover about 30% of Earth’s land area This is largest climatic zone This includes most deserts Here evaporation rates are faster then precipitation There are 2 subtypes: Arid regions (deserts) Semi-arid regions (steppes) - these are a little more humid

Mild Climates These have 3 subtypes Humid subtropical Marine wet coast Mediterranean Humid subtropical are found in SE United States Warm and muggy in the summer and cool and dry in the winter Marine west coast have mild summer and cool summers with abundant precip Mediterranean are generally warm

Continental Climates These have 3 subtypes Warm summers Cool summer Subarctic These are normally battlegrounds for tropical and polar masses Both summer and winter temps can be extremes

Polar Climates These are to the north and are the coldest regions on Earth The mean temp of the warmest month is less then 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees F) Precip is low

Microclimates & Heat Islands The climate of a small area can be much different from that of the larger area surrounding it This is a microclimate The presence of many concrete buildings and large expanses can create heat islands This can cause the temp in cities to be warmer then the open area surrounding them