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Understanding Climate Classification: Köppen System Explained

Explore climographs, Köppen Classification, and climate controls in this insightful lecture series. Learn how to interpret climate data and understand the Köppen System for weather forecasting and climate change research.

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Understanding Climate Classification: Köppen System Explained

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  1. Office Hours Wed: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM Thr: 9:15 AM to 12:30 PM Fri: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Course Syllabus can be found at: http://www.wx4sno.com/portfolio/BSU/spring_2012/ This lecture will be posted AFTER class at: http://www.wx4sno.com/portfolio/BSU/spring_2012/lectures/

  2. Climate ClassificationLesson 19 Climographs Köppen Classification System & Procedures Climate Controls

  3. Climographs • Climographs, or climatic diagrams, provide an overview of climate at a certain location • Can span hours, days, months, but usually are a one year average • Months are listed along the bottom • Monthly temperature is shown as a solid line • Temperature scale along the left side • Monthly precipitation shown as bars • Precipitation scale along the right side

  4. Indianapolis, IN, USA (Dfa)

  5. Minsk, Belarus (Dfb)

  6. Yukon Territory, Canada (Dfc)

  7. Climate Classification Purpose • Simplify the complexities that comprise the climate system • Summarize climate information • Schemes minimize the within group variability and maximize the between group variability • All locations within a group are very similar to one another, but different from other groups • Long-term shifts in climate boundaries • Climate variability • Biophysical impacts

  8. Climate Classification Usefulness • Examine the expected weather patterns for climate based forecasting • What’s the upcoming winter going to be like? Lots of rain or lots of snow? • Long-term shifts in climate boundaries • Can we expect the “humid South” to shift north, changing Indiana’s climate over the next century?

  9. Quantitative Classification: Köppen System • Developed first world “climate classification” in the 1870s • Hierarchical scheme • 15 types (e.g. Dfa) • Based on monthly data: • Temperature • Precipitation • Corresponds with biomes Wladimer Köppen (1846-1940)

  10. Köppen System: Modified • Numerous modifications since inception • Most widely used—fairly simplistic • Defined the ecotone (or biome boundaries) Grassland-forest ecotone: Paraguay

  11. Temperature-based A: Tropical B: Dry C: Mesothermal D: Microthermal E: Polar H: Highland Köppen System: ModifiedFirst-Order Divisions

  12. Köppen System:Second-Order Divisions • Precipitation based • f: year-round rainfall • m: monsoon rainfall • s: summer dry season • w: winter dry season

  13. Köppen System:Third-Order Divisions • Based on summer temperatures • a: hot summers • b: warm summers • c: cool/mild summer • Arid climate • h: hot and dry • k: cold and dry • Special: fog occurrence (n / n’)

  14. Using the Flow Chart

  15. Using the Flow Chart

  16. Tropical Climates (A) Climate: Af

  17. Mesothermal or Mild Climates (C) Climate: Cfa

  18. Microthermal or Severe Midlatitude (D) Climate: Dfb

  19. Polar Climates (E) Climate: ET

  20. Köppen System: ModifiedMajor Climate Types

  21. Köppen System: Major World Climates

  22. Climate Controls • Factors that govern local weather and climate • Five major controls of climate • Latitude and season • Water proximity (continentality) • Oceanic circulation • Semi-permanent pressure systems • Topography

  23. Latitude: Insolation Variability • Variation in solar angle striking surface • Attenuation: depletion of solar rays

  24. Latitude: Insolation Variability • Atmospheric path length varies due to the curvature of the earth

  25. Earth-Sun Relationships • Rotation: spin of earth about its axis • Approximately 15 degrees longitude/hr • Daylight length

  26. Water Proximity: Continentality • Influence of large land mass • Variable energy fluxes dependent on surface type and their respective specific heat capacities

  27. Oceanic Circulation: Surface

  28. Oceanic Circulation: Deep Water

  29. Semi-permanent Pressure Systems

  30. NH: Surface/Upper Level Flow

  31. Topography • Normal lapse rate: 6.5° C/km • Large diurnal temperature ranges at higher elevations. Why? • Varying insolation absorption rates • Orographic effects

  32. Homework • For the climographs, please use English units • °F • in

  33. Extra Credit #2 Postponed!

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