World Climates

In the Environmental Management class we started working with the world climates all around the world. After that we were asked to search for  information about the location, temperature, precipitation, seasonal variation and special features of each climate.

Equatorial 

This climate is found in areas located very close to the equator. Regions with this climate experience high temperatures all year round. The average monthly temperatures are about 26 – 28 degrees Celsius. The annual temperature range (the difference between the average temperature of the hottest and coldest months) is very small, may be as low as 3 degrees Celsius. The daily temperature range (the difference between the highest temperature in the day and the lowest temperature at night) is usually greater. Humidity is usually very high.
Another major characteristic of this climate is the high rainfall for most of the year. These regions usually experience 2000 mm of rainfall or more in a year. You can find the Equatorial  climate in Köppen's Af climate category. 

Tropical Monsoon 

This climate is found along the coastal regions of southwest India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Southwestern Africa, French Guiana, and northeast and southeastern Brazil. The tropical monsoon climate experiences abundant rainfall like the equatorial climate, but it is concentrated in the high-sun season. Being located near the equator, the tropical monsoon climate experiences warm temperatures throughout the year.  You can find the Monsoon climate in Köppen's A climate category. 

Savanna Climate 

The Savanna has a wet/dry climate. It is located in South America, half the surface of Africa, large areas of Australia and India. In the savanna climate there is a distinct dry season, which is in the winter. Savannas get all their rain in the summer months. During the  dry season, most of the plants die. Some rivers and streams dry up. Most of the animals migrate to find food. In the wet season all of the plants are lush and the rivers flow freely. The animals migrate back.  
The savanna climate has a temperature range of 20° - 30° C. It is usually cooler during the dry season by a few degrees. There is an annual precipitation of 10 to 30 inches (100 to 150 cm) of rain. From December to February hardly any rain falls at all.  You can find the Savanna climate in Köppen's Aw climate category. 

Hot and Dry deserts

The four major North American deserts of this type are the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, Mojave and Great Basin. Others outside the U.S. include the Southern Asian realm, Neotropical (South and Central America), Ethiopian (Africa) and Australian. The seasons are generally warm throughout the year and very hot in the summer. The winters usually bring little rainfall. Annual temperatures range from 20-25° C. The extreme maximum ranges from 43.5-49° C. Minimum temperatures sometimes drop to -18° C. Rainfall is usually very low.  You can find  Dessert climate in Köppen's BWK climate category.  

Tundra

The tundra climate spans from most of Greenland to parts of Alaska, northern Canada, and northern Russia. The latitudinal range is 75° N to 60° N. Tundra climates can be found on the coastal areas of the arctic. 
It is cold through all months of the year, Summer is a brief period of milder climates when the sun shines almost 24 hours a day. But even the sun can't warm the tundra much. The short summer lasts only 6 to 10 weeks. Winter temperatures don't reach above 20° F and average -20° to -30°F. Endless hours darkness settle in and the winds blow even harder. The snow that falls is blown off the high plateaus and collects in the valleys. Animals hunker down, able to find only enough food to keep warm.  The tundra is an unusually cold and dry climate. Precipitation totals 6-10 inches of rain a year, which includes melted snow. You can find the tundra climate in Köppen's E climate category.