1. World Climate Regions

2. World Climate Regions 1. Tropical Rainforest 7. Humid Subtropical
2. Tropical Savanna
3. Desert
4. Steppe
5. Mediterranean
6. Marine West Coast
7. Humid Subtropical
8. Humid Continental
9. Subarctic
10. Tundra
11. Ice Cap
12. Highland (Alpine)

3. Tropical Rainforest warm temperatures over the year.
heavy rainfall throughout the year (80 inches or more)
Found in Amazon Basin in South America, as well as Congo Basin, Africa.
Associated with Rainforests and Jungles.
Found along the Equator or areas close to the Equator.

4. Tropical Savanna Warm temperatures throughout the year
Rainy summer and dry winter
Tropical savanna climates are found southern half of Brazil, eastern Africa
The Savannah of Africa is a prime example.

5. ARID(DESERT) Temperatures can be warm or mild.
Deserts receive less than 10 inches of rainfall per year.
Hot deserts (Sahara) have low humidity and high temperatures during the day. At night the temperature falls because the dry air cannot hold heat well.

6. Steppe Temperatures can be warm or mild Rainfall low and unreliable
This climate is located in the interior of continents, or in a zone around deserts.
Can be found in the Great Plains, and the Sahel region of Africa.

7. Marine West Coast
Located close to the oceans and is frequently cloudy, foggy, and damp.
Warm ocean waters off the coast moderates and keeps temperatures relatively constant throughout the year.
Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year.
Rains a lot throughout the year.
Seattle, WA (Pacific Northwest)
London, England

8. Mediterranean Primarily found surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
Warm dry summers and mild, wet winters.
Shrubs, low trees, drought resistant plants
Located in southern California and Mediterranean Europe

9. Humid Subtropical Hot, humid, wet summers and mild wet winters.
These areas are found on the east coast of continents and are often subject to hurricanes in late summer and autumn.
Located in southeast U.S. and eastern China
Very suitable for raising crops, (rice).

10. Humid Continental Hot, wet summers and cold wet winters
Mostly found in mid-latitude (40’s to 50 degrees) interiors of northern hemisphere continents.
These regions also experience four distinct seasons.
Located in Northeast U.S, eastern Russia.
Deciduous Forests thrive in this climate.

11. SUBARCTIC Evergreen forests called “TAIGA”
cover the lands in this climate region.
Summers are short and cool while the winters are long & extremely cold, little precipitation.
Temperatures at freezing or below last five to eight months of the year.
Most of Alaska

12. TUNDRA
Tundra is the flat, treeless lands forming a ring around the Arctic Ocean.
Short, cool summers and long, cold winters, precipitation varies
Very little rainfall – less than 15 inches/year.
Permanently frozen subsoil called “Permafrost”
Located in extreme north of N. America and Europe

13. Ice Cap
Snow, ice, and permanently freezing temperatures characterize this region.
Cold all year long and it rarely snows.
Coldest temperature = o F (Vostok, Antarctica)
Found only on the continent of Antarctica and Greenland

14. HIGHLANDS (Alpine) Highland climates vary depending upon four factors:
1. Latitude
2. Elevation (Altitude)
3. Topography
Located in the Rocky Mts. A
and Himalaya Mts. Asia

15. Major Characteristics
Climate Region
Major Characteristics
Tropical Humid
Always hot (80o F average) & rains daily
Tropical Wet & Dry
Rainy season in summer & dry season in winter
Semiarid
About 16” rain per year
Arid (Desert)
Less than 10” rain per year.
Mediterranean
Hot, dry summers & cool, rainy winters.
Marine West Coast
Northwest United States & Western Europe.

16. Major Characteristics
Climate Type
Major Characteristics
Humid Subtropical
Found in SE United States & subject to hurricanes.
Humid Continental
Found in NEPA & experiences four seasons.
Subarctic
Evergreen forests dominate this climate.
Tundra
Summers are so short and cool that permafrost exists.
Ice Cap
Known as the Polar desert
Highlands (Alpine)
Climate varies with four factors.