Basis of climate classification of Koppen: The famous German Climatologist, Vl adimir Koppen, for the presentation of his climate classification, considered temperature rainfall and their seasonal nature as the basis.
Climatic Zones according to Koppen:
He classified the world into the following five major climatic:
- A – Tropical Wet Climate.
- B – Dry Climate.
- C – Mild, Humid Climate.
- D – Snowy Temperate Climate.
- E – Polar Climate.
Koppen also further classified all these climatic zones into their sub – zones (minor zones).
The description of the major and minor zones according to him is as follows:
A. Tropical Wet Climate: Here, the average temperature in every month of the year is more than 18 degree Celsius. There is the lack of winter season in this climate. Rainfall occurs throughout the year. Here, the rainfall is always higher than the evaporation.
It has the following three sub-divisions on the basis of rainfall, temperature and dryness:
1. Af – Tropical Wet Climate: Here, the rainfall occurs throughout the year, lack of aridity and no annual range of temperature are found.
2. Am – Tropical Monsoon Climate: It is also called Monsoon Rainfall. More forests are found here due to heavy rainfall. A short dry season is found here.
3. Aw – Tropical Wet and Dry Climate: It is also called Tropical Savanna Climate. High temperature is found here round the year. Here, the rainfall occurs in summer season, while the winter season remains dry.
B. Dry Climate: In this, evaporation is more than the rainfall. So, there is lack of water here. It can be classified into two parts on basis of temperature and rainfall.
1. BS – Steppe Zone: Here, the amount of rainfall is appropriate for the growth of dry grass.
2. BW – Desert Zone: Here, the amount of rainfall is inadequate for the growth of vegetation. Steppe and Desert Climate is classified into two sub – divisions on the basis of temperature :
- Bhs – Tropical Stepee Climate
- Bsk – Cold Steppe Climate
- Bwh – Tropical Desert Climate
- Bwk – Cold Tropical Desert Climate
C. Warm Temperate, Humid Climate: Here, the average temperature of the coldest month is less than 18 degree Celsius and more than 3 degree Celsius. The summer and winter seasons both, are found here. Winter season is not harsh here.
The following three sub – divisions have been made based on the seasonal details of rainfall:
- Cf – Rainfall throughout the year
- Cw – Extreme rainfall in summer season
- Cs – More rainfall in winter season
Its other sub – divisions are:
- a – Hot summer period,
- b – Cold summer period,
- c – Short-term summer period.
D. Snowy Temperate Climate: In this climate, the average temperature of the coldest month is less than – 3 degree Celsius. The average temperature of the warmest month is more than 10 degree Celsius. Coniferous forests are found here.
It has two main sub – divisions:
- Df – Rainfall whole the year.
- Dw – Rainfall in summer season while winter season is dry.
E. Polar Climate:
This climate zone also divided into two parts:
1. ET – Tundra Climate: In this, the summer temperature ranges from 0 degree Celsius to 10 degree Celsius.
2. EF – Glaciated Climate: In this, the summer temperature is less than 0 degree Celsius. These regions remains frozen throughout the year.
In this way, Koppen presented the climate classification of the world by including rainfall and temperature related minor characteristics based on limited sources. Though, there are many flaws in this.
