Köppen Climate Classification System

The Köppen climate classification system, developed by climatologist Wladimir Köppen in the early 20th century, is one of the most widely used systems for classifying climates based on their temperature and precipitation patterns. It takes into account both the average monthly and annual temperature and precipitation values to categorize regions into distinct climate types. The system has undergone some modifications and updates over the years, but its core principles remain intact.

1. Tropical Climates (A)

• Tropical Rainforest (Af): These climates are characterized by high temperatures throughout the year and abundant rainfall. Vegetation includes dense, lush rainforests with a diverse range of plant and animal life.
• Tropical Monsoon (Am): Similar to tropical rainforests, but with a distinct wet and dry season. These areas often experience heavy rainfall during the wet season and a drier period during the rest of the year.
• Tropical Savanna (Aw): These areas have distinct wet and dry seasons. Vegetation includes grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs. The dry season may lead to periods of drought.

Example Cities: Miami, Florida, USA (Af); Mumbai, India (Am); Nairobi, Kenya (Aw).

2. Dry Climates (B)

• Desert (BWh, BWk): Deserts are characterized by extremely low precipitation levels. BWh is hot desert with high temperatures year-round, while BWk is cold desert with low temperatures in winter.
• Steppe (BS): Similar to deserts but with slightly more precipitation. Vegetation is often sparse, consisting of grasses and shrubs.

Example Cities: Phoenix, Arizona, USA (BWh); Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA (BS).

3. Temperate Climates (C)

• Mediterranean (Csa, Csb): These climates are characterized by mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Vegetation includes drought-resistant shrubs and trees.
• Humid Subtropical (Cfa, Cwa): These climates have hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters with significant rainfall throughout the year. Vegetation varies, including forests and grasslands.
• Marine West Coast (Cfb, Cfc): These climates experience mild temperatures with moderate precipitation throughout the year. Summers are cool, and winters are relatively mild.

Example Cities: Los Angeles, California, USA (Csa); Atlanta, Georgia, USA (Cfa); Seattle, Washington, USA (Cfb).

4. Continental Climates (D)

• Humid Continental (Dfa, Dfb, Dwa, Dwb): These climates have warm to hot summers and cold winters. Dfa and Dwa have hot summers, while Dfb and Dwb have cooler summers. Precipitation is distributed throughout the year.
• Subarctic (Dfc, Dfd, Dwc, Dwd): Subarctic climates have long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Vegetation includes coniferous forests and tundra.

Example Cities: Chicago, Illinois, USA (Dfa); Moscow, Russia (Dfb); Fairbanks, Alaska, USA (Dfc).

5. Polar Climates (E)

• Tundra (ET): Tundra climates are cold year-round with a short growing season. Vegetation consists of low-growing plants and shrubs adapted to the cold conditions.
• Ice Cap (EF): These are the coldest climates on Earth, with temperatures consistently below freezing. They are characterized by vast expanses of ice and snow.

Example Cities: Barrow, Alaska, USA (ET); Longyearbyen, Svalbard (EF).