Transcript Köppen Classification System

Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Objectives
Recognize limits associated with the use
of normals.
Explain why climates vary.
Compare and contrast temperatures in
different regions on Earth.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Climate is affected by several factors including
latitude and elevation.
Review Vocabulary
jet stream: a high-altitude, narrow, westerly
wind band that occurs above large
temperature changes
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
New Vocabulary
climatology
temperate zones
normal
polar zones
tropics
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Annual Averages and Variations
Climatology is the study of Earth’s
climate and the factors that affect past,
present, and future climatic changes.
Climate describes the long-term weather
patterns of an area.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Annual Averages and Variations
Normals
The data used to describe an area’s climate
include daily high and low temperatures,
amounts of rainfall, wind speed and direction,
humidity, and air pressure.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Annual Averages and Variations
Normals
The data are averaged on a monthly or
annual basis for a period of at least 30 years
to determine the normals, which are the
standard values for a location.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Annual Averages and Variations
Normals
Normals apply only to the specific place
where the meteorological data were collected.
Changes in elevation and other factors, such
as proximity to large bodies of water, can
cause climates to vary.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Causes of Climate
1.Latitude
Latitude has a great effect on climate. The
amount of solar radiation received on Earth
decreases from the equator to the poles.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Causes of Climate
Latitude
The area between 23.5° S and 23.5° N of the
equator is known as the tropics.
Tropical areas receive the most solar
radiation and are generally warm year-round.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Causes of Climate
Latitude
The temperate zones lie between 23.5° and
66.5° north and south of the equator.
As their name implies, temperatures in these
regions are moderate.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Causes of Climate
Latitude
The polar zones are located from 66.5° north
and south of the equator to the poles.
Polar temperatures tend to be cold.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Causes of Climate
2.Topographic effects
Water heats up and cools down more
slowly than land. Thus, large bodies of
water affect the climates of coastal areas.
Temperatures in the lower atmosphere
generally decrease with altitude. Thus,
mountain climates are usually cooler than
those at sea level.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Causes of Climate
Topographic effects
Orographic lifting
leads to rain on the
windward side of a
mountain. The
leeward side is
usually dry and warm.
Section 14.1
Defining Climate
Causes of Climate
3.Air masses
Air masses affect
regional climates by
transporting the
temperature and
humidity of their
source regions.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Objectives
Describe the criteria used to classify climates.
Compare and contrast different climates.
Explain and give examples of microclimates.
Review Vocabulary
precipitation: all solid and liquid forms
of water—including rain, snow, sleet,
and hail—that fall from clouds
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Climates are categorized according to the
average temperatures and precipitation amounts.
New Vocabulary
Köppen classification
system
microclimate
heat island
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System – 5 divisions
The Köppen classification system is a
classification system for climates that is based
on the average monthly values of temperature,
precipitation and vegetation..
Developed by German climatologist Wladimir
Köppen, the system also takes into account the
distinct vegetation found in different climates.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
These graphs show temperature and
precipitation for two different climates—a
desert in Reno, Nevada, and a tropical rain
forest in New Guinea.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Visualizing Worldwide Climates
Köppen’s classification system is made
up of five main divisions based on
temperature and precipitation.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Please click the image above to view the video.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
1.Tropical climates
Year-round high temperatures characterize
tropical climates. In tropical wet climates,
high temperatures are accompanied by up to
600 cm of rain each year.
Tropical regions are almost continually under
the influence of maritime tropical air.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
Tropical climates
The areas that border the rainy tropics to the
north and south of the equator are transition
zones, known as the tropical wet and dry zones.
These areas have distinct dry winter seasons as
a result of the occasional influx of dry continental
air masses.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
2.Dry climates(between 20 and 30 degree latitudes)
Dry climates, which cover about 30 percent
of Earth’s land area, make up the largest
climatic zone.
In these climates, continental tropical air
dominates, precipitation is low, and
vegetation is scarce.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
Dry climates
There are two subtypes of dry climates: a)arid
regions, called deserts
b)semiarid regions, called semideserts.
Semideserts are usually more humid than
deserts. They generally separate arid regions
from bordering wet climates.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
3.Mild climates
Mild climates can be classified into three
subtypes:
a)humid subtropical climate – In S.E USA due
to subtropical high pressure systems.
b)marine west-coast climates- due to constant
inland flow of air off the ocean.
c)Mediterranean climates – warm,dry
summers and cool, rainy winters.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
Mild climates
Humid subtropical climates are influenced by
the subtropical high-pressure systems that are
normally found over oceans in the summer.
The marine west-coast climates are
dominated by the constant inland flow of air
off the ocean.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
Mild climates
Summers in Mediterranean climates are
generally warm and dry because of their
nearness to the dry midlatitude climates from
the south. Winters are cool and rainy as a
result of the midlatitude weather systems that
bring storm systems from the north.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
4.Continental climates- in the interior of continents.
Continental climates are classified into three
subtypes:
a)warm summer climates,
b)cool summer climates, and
c)subarctic climates.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
Continental climates
Tropical and polar air masses often form fronts
where they meet in continental climates.
Thus, these zones experience rapid and
sometimes violent changes in weather,
including severe thunderstorms or tornadoes.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
5.Polar climates
To the north of the subarctic climate lies
one of the polar climates— the tundra.
The tundra is known for its low
temperatures. There are no trees in the
tundra and precipitation is generally low.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
Polar climates
The ice-cap polar climate, found at the
highest latitudes in both hemispheres, does
not have a single month in which average
temperatures rise above 0°C.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Köppen Classification System
Polar climates
A variation of the polar climate, called a
highland climate, is found at high elevations.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Microclimates
A localized climate that differs from the main
regional climate is called a microclimate.
Section 14.2
Climate Classification
Microclimates
Heat islands
Many concrete buildings
and large expanses of
asphalt can create a
heat island, where the
climate is warmer than
in surrounding rural
areas.
CH
Climate
14.1 Section Questions
The normal high temperature for a location is
calculated by averaging high temperature data
for that location.
a. true
b. false
CH
Climate
14.1 Section Questions
Which latitude region on Earth is called
the tropics?
a. between 10° N and 10° S
b. between 23.5° N and 23.5° S
c. between 28.5° N and 28.5° S
d. between 30° N and 30° S
CH
Climate
14.1 Section Questions
What happens as air rises on the windward side
of a mountain range?
a. The air cools and water condenses.
b. The air cools and water resists condensation.
c. The air warms and water condenses.
d. The air warms and water resists
condensation.
CH
Climate
14.2 Section Questions
Which two measures of climate form the basis
of the Köppen classification system?
a. temperature and wind speed
b. precipitation and temperature
c. humidity and precipitation
d. wind speed and humidity
CH
Climate
14.2 Section Questions
Which landmass has mostly an ice cap climate?
a. Europe
b. South America
c. North America
d. Greenland
CH
Climate
14.2 Section Questions
Why is the climate of a large city usually different
from the climate of the surrounding region?
CH
Climate
14.2 Section Questions
Answer: Large cities are heat islands,
microclimates in which the average
temperature is higher than that of surrounding
areas and in which the average precipitation
might differ. Buildings, roadways, and parking
lots contribute to the heat island by absorbing
more solar energy than vegetated land would.
CH
Climate
Chapter Assessment
Questions
In which latitude zone are dry climates
most common?
a. 0° to 10°
b. 20° to 30°
c. 40° to 50°
d. 60° to 70°
CH
Climate
Chapter Assessment
Questions
Examine the graph. Which
climate type is shown?
a. tundra
b. highland
c. tropical wet
d. tropical wet and dry
CH
Climate
Standardized Test
Practice
Which type of air mass brings the most frigid
winter air to the central United States?
a. continental polar
b. maritime polar
c. arctic
d. maritime tropical
CH
Climate
Standardized Test
Practice
Examine the illustration. Which season is
occurring in the northern hemisphere?
a. winter
b. spring
c. summer
d. autumn
CH
Climate
Standardized Test
Practice
Which climate is a type of mild climate?
a. tundra
b. Mediterranean
c. highland
d. subarctic