Climate Change

1. Climate Regions

2. Scientists Classify Climate According to Two Major Factors • Temperature • Precipitation

3. Köppen (KEP un) System • Included distinct vegetation in different areas. • Identifies broad climate regions • Each has smaller subdivisions

4. Six Main Climate Regions • Tropical Rainy • Dry • Temperate Marine • Temperate Continental • Polar • Highlands

5. Tropical Rainy Subdivisions • Tropical Wet – Always hot and humid; Heavy rainfall; 6 Centimeters per month all year long.

6. Tropical Wet • Rainforest

7. Tropical Rainy Subdivisions • Tropical Wet - and - Dry – Always hot; Alternating wet and dry seasons; Heavy rainfall in the wet season.

8. Tropical Wet - Dry • Savanna – Grassland close to the equator; 120 centimeters of rain per year.

9. Dry Climate Subdivisions • Arid – Arid Regions/Deserts; Less than 25 centimeters of rain; Hot and Sandy, Cold or Rocky.

10. Dry Climate Subdivisions • Semi-Arid – Dry; 25-50 centimeters of precipitation per year.

11. Semi-arid • Steppe – prairie or grassland

12. Temperate Marine Climate Subdivisions • Marine West Coast – Mild winters; Cool summers; Moderate precipitation all year.

13. Temperate Marine Climate Subdivisions • Mediterranean – Warm; Dry summers; Rainy winters.

14. Temperate Marine Climate Subdivisions • Humid Subtropical – Hot summers; Cool winters

15. Temperate Continental Climate Subdivisions • Humid Continental – Hot, humid summers; Cold winters; moderate precipitation all year.

16. Temperate Continental Climate Subdivisions • Subarctic – Short, cool summers; Long, cold winters; Light precipitation mainly in summer.

17. Polar Climate Subdivisions • Icecap – Always below freezing ( At or below 0º Celsius).

18. Polar Climate Subdivisions • Tundra – Always cold; Short, cool summers; Bitterly cold winters.

19. In The Tundra • Permafrost – Permanently frozen soil; cannot drain… wet and boggy in summer.

20. Highlands • Highlands – Cooler and wetter than nearby lowlands. (Temperature decreases with altitude)