Climatic zones of the world

Climate is all about patterns of weather. It might be rainy today or it might be sunny – that’s the weather.
But climate is the pattern of weather in a place over a much longer time.
Different parts of the world have very different patterns of weather. The Earth’s climate is driven by
energy from the sun which arrives in the form of heat. Half of this energy travels through our atmosphere
and reaches the Earth’s surface. The other half is either absorbed by the atmosphere or reflected back into
space. Because the Earth is a sphere, the sun’s rays reach the earth’s surface in polar regions at a much
more slanted angle than at equator. So straight away, we know that the Poles are colder than the Equator.
How many climate zones are there and how do they differ?
1. Tropical
Around the Equator we have tropical climates which are hot and humid, this is where you’ll find the
world’s rainforests. They are warm and humid and experience a lot of rainfall, particularly during their
wet season, which can occur once or twice each year. Tropical climates, are also known as mega-thermal
climates. Tropical rainforests are found in tropical climates. Tropical climates remain warm throughout
the year. Tall trees and many different kinds of plants are found in tropical regions. Rain forests grow in
tropical climates. Due to the various different types of foods found within rainforests, many different
species of animals are also found within tropical climates.
2. Arid
Then there are arid or dry climate. The summer remains dry in steppe dry climates. Deserts are often
found in dry climates and they remain dry during the winter seasons. Yearly temperature in dry-hot
climates is usually above 64 degrees Fahrenheit. In dry-cold climates, the temperature is usually below
64 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Mediterranean
Next is Mediterranean with hot dry summers, and cooler wetter winters.
4. Temperate
Temperate climates are usually found in the mid-latitudes, about half way between the equator and poles.
Weather in these parts is changeable, but usually agreeable, being neither too hot, too cold, too wet nor
too dry. Temperate climates, otherwise known as meso-thermal climates, are cooler than subtropical
climates, but warmer than polar climates. The moderate oceanic climate is a sub-type of temperate
climates. The regions have fresh summers and wet winters with mild weather. A continental moderate
climate is another sub-type of temperate climates. These regions have hot, rainy summers and cold, dry
winters.
5. Continental
In areas that are a very long way from the sea, the climate is continental with long, cold winters and
short, hot summers. A continental climate is also known as a micro-thermal climate, can be found in the
Northern Hemisphere near the east and north-western coasts. Physical characteristics of continental
climates include forests and prairies with tall grasses. Continental climates have very cold winters and hot
summers with an average annual precipitation between 24 and 48 inches.
6. Polar
Finally, there’s polar climates which experience long periods of extreme cold. Polar climates experience
temperatures below freezing for much of the year. They can however, be very dry like the hot deserts,
with very little snowfall during the year. Polar climates remain very cold throughout the year with
temperatures ranging between negative 70 degrees and 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Physical characteristics of
polar climates include glaciers and thick layers of ice on the ground. The different kinds of polar climates
include tundra climates and ice cap climates. Tundra climates have at least one month in a year when the
average temperature is above freezing levels. The coldest temperatures in the world are found in
Antarctica, which is an ice cap climate.