UPSC SAMAGRA BOOK SERIES (HINGLISH)

Chapter 11 - World Climate and Climate Change

● The world climate can be studied by organising information and data

on climate and synthesising them in smaller units for easy
understanding, description, and analysis.
 Chapter 11 - World Climate and Climate Change

Three broad approaches for

classifying Climate:
● Empirical classification: It is
based on observed data,
particularly on temperature and
precipitation.
● Genetic classification: It attempts
to organise climates according to
their causes.
● Applied classification: It is for
specific purposes.
 Chapter 11 - World Climate and Climate Change

Three broad approaches for

classifying Climate:
● Empirical classification: It is
based on observed data,
particularly on temperature and
precipitation.
● Genetic classification: It attempts
to organise climates according to
their causes.
● Applied classification: It is for
specific purposes.
 Koeppen’s Scheme of Classification of Climate

● The most widely used classification

of climate is the empirical climate
classification scheme developed by
V. Koeppen.
● He identified a close relationship
between the distribution of
vegetation and climate.
● He selected certain values of
temperature and precipitation and
related them to the distribution of
vegetation and used these values
for classifying the climates.
 Koeppen’s Scheme of Classification of Climate

● It is an empirical classification based

on mean annual and mean monthly
temperature and precipitation data.
● He introduced the use of capital and
small letters to designate climatic
groups and types.
● He recognised five major climatic
groups, four of them are based on
temperature and one on
precipitation.
● Capital letters: A, C, D and E
delineate humid climates and B dry
climates.
Koeppen’s Scheme of Classification of Climate
Climate Classification in Groups
 Climate Classification in Groups

● The climatic groups are subdivided into types, designated by small

letters, based on seasonality of precipitation and temperature
characteristics.
● The seasons of dryness are indicated by the small letters: f, m, w and s
■ f: no dry season.
■ m: monsoon climate.
■ w: winter dry season.
■ s: summer dry season.
● The small letters a, b, c and d refer to the degree of severity of
temperature.
● The B- Dry Climates are subdivided using the capital letters S for
steppe or semi-arid and W for deserts.
Climate Classification in Groups
 Group A: Tropical Humid Climates

● Tropical humid climates can be found between the Tropics of Cancer

and Capricorn.
● The sun shines vertically in this region all year. The Inter-Tropical
Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is also present, making the climate of the
region hot and humid.
● This region witnesses a low range of annual temperature and high
annual rainfall.
● Tropical climates are classified into three types:
■ Af- Tropical wet climate
■ Am- Tropical monsoon climate
■ Aw- Tropical wet and dry climate.
Group A: Tropical Humid Climates
 1.Tropical Wet Climate (Af)

● Near the equator, the tropical wet climate prevails.

● The Amazon Basin in South America, western equatorial Africa, and
the islands of the East Indies are the major areas.
● The annual rainfall distribution is nearly uniform.
● The temperature is uniformly high, with a negligible annual
temperature range.
● The nature of rainfall here is convectional and occurs on a daily basis in
the afternoon.
● This region is characterized by the presence of tropical evergreen
forests with a dense canopy and high biodiversity.
1.Tropical Wet Climate (Af)
 2.Tropical Monsoon Climate (Am)

● This climatic region witnessed the reversal of prevailing winds.

● Tropical monsoon-like conditions are found over the Indian
Sub-continent, Northern Australia, and North-Eastern South America.
● This region receives rainfall in summer while winter is mostly dry.
 3.Tropical Wet and Dry Climate (Aw)

● Tropical wet and dry climate occurs north and south of Tropical
wet-type climate (Af) regions.
● Aw climate is found to the north and south of the Amazon forest in
Brazil, as well as adjacent parts of Bolivia and Paraguay in South
America, Sudan, and south of Central Africa.
 3.Tropical Wet and Dry Climate (Aw)

● The annual rainfall in this climate is significantly lower than in the Af

and Am climate types, and it is also variable.
● The region witnessed a longer dry season and a shorter wet season
with the drought being more severe.
● The region experiences high temperatures all year, with the diurnal
temperature range being greatest during the dry season.
● This climatic region is characterized by deciduous forests and
tree-shaded grasslands.
 Group B: Dry Climate
● In this climatic region, rainfall is not
enough to support the growth of
plants.
● These climatic regions are extended
over a vast area of the planet, i.e., from
15° – 60° north and south of the
equator.
● In the middle latitudes, between 35°
and 60° north and south of the
equator, they are confined to the
interiors of continents where
maritime-humid winds do not reach
and are frequently surrounded by
mountains.
Subtropical Steppe (BSh) and Subtropical Desert (BWh) Climates

● Both types of climate have common temperature and precipitation

characteristics.
● The subtropical steppe is situated in the transition zone of the
humid and dry climate and receives little more rainfall than the
desert, which supports the growth of sparse grasslands.
● The rainfall in these climatic regions is highly variable, and the
variability in rainfall often causes famine in steppe regions.
● Fog is common in coastal deserts where cold currents meet.
● These climatic regions are classified as middle latitude cold steppe
climate (BSk), and middle latitude cold desert (BWk).
Subtropical Steppe (BSh) and Subtropical Desert (BWh) Climates
Group C: Warm Temperate Climates

● Warm temperate (mid-latitude) climates extend from 30° – 50° of

latitude, mainly in the eastern and western margins of continents.
 1.Humid Subtropical Climate (Cwa)

● It is found poleward from the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn,
mainly in North Indian plains and South China interior plains.
● The climate is similar to a Tropical wet and dry climate, except that the
temperature in winter is warm.
 2.Mediterranean Climate (Cs)
● Mediterranean climate occurs around the Mediterranean sea, along
with the west coast of continents in subtropical latitudes between
30° – 40° latitudes. e.g. — Central California, Central Chile, along the
coast of southeastern and southwestern Australia.
● Here, the climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and mild,
rainy winters.
 3.Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa)
● The humid subtropical climate lies on the eastern parts of the
continent in subtropical latitudes. Frontal rainfall occurs due to
unstable air masses.
● They occur in the eastern United States of America, southern and
eastern China, southern Japan, northeastern Argentina, coastal South
Africa, and the eastern coast of Australia.
 4.Marine West Coast Climate (Cfb)
● The west coast climate of the continents is located poleward from the
Mediterranean climate.
● The temperature is comparatively warmer in these regions due to
the moderating effects of the sea.
● The main areas of Cfb are coastal regions of North America, north of
California, Southern Chile, Southern Australia, and New Zealand.
● The average temperature in summer is 15°-20°C, and in winter
average temperature is 4°-10℃. Precipitation varies from 50-250cm.
4.Marine West Coast Climate (Cfb)
 Group D- Cold Climate with Dry Winters (Dw)
● Occurs mainly over Northeastern Asia.
● Monsoon-like reversal of wind occurs in this region, i.e Anticyclonic
conditions develop in winter and weaken during summer.
● The annual precipitation is around 12-15cm.
 Group E: Polar Climates
● It exists from 70° latitudes toward the pole.
● A polar climate consists of cool summers, and very cold winters,
which results in treeless tundra, glaciers, or a permanent or
semi-permanent layer of ice.
 1. Tundra Climate (ET)
● Tundras are one of the coldest, and harshest biomes in the world.
● Tundras are found in the Arctic region and on top of mountains.
● These are treeless biomes characterized by high wind speed and
scanty rainfall.
● Here the soil is frozen permanently and is known as the permafrost
region.
 2. Ice Cap Climate (EF)
● Here the temperature does not exceed 0℃, even in summer.
● This area receives very little rainfall.
● This climatic region occurs over the interior of Greenland and
Antarctica.
 3. Highland Climates (H)
● This climate is found in high mountain areas.
● It is found on single mountains such as Mount Kilimanjaro and on
large areas of high elevation such as the Plateau of Tibet.
● Large changes in mean temperature occur over short distances in
high mountains.
● Precipitation types and intensity also vary spatially.
3. Highland Climates (H)
THANK YOU