Climatology

Climate and climate
classification
Lecture 7

,Climate classification
• Weather is the atmospheric conditions at one moment in time; climate
predictable occurrence of certain weather patterns throughout the seas
• Properties of a local climate has certain features, especially with regards
rainfall and temperature
• Local plant growth has adapted to (predictable) climatic conditions by
means of evolution and agriculture also relies on predictable patterns o
rainfall and temperatures that drive productivity
• Climate classification is therefore a suitable way of predicting agricultur
potential
• Köppen climate classification is the one that is most in use

, Köppen Climate classification
• A climates: tropical wet climates or tropical climates with an
arid season
• B climates: tropical or temperate arid and semiarid climates
• C climates: temperate ‘sea’ climates: moderated by sea
winds
• D climates: temperate ‘land’ climates: not moderated
• E climates: polar climates with a very short or absent
growing season
• Suffixes that specify specific climate types:
• Small letter w: drought in winter (so rainfall in summer)
• Small letter s: drought in summer
• Small letter f: rainfall throughout the year