Climate & Climate Classification SS2 Geography Lesson Note

Climate is the average weather condition of the atmosphere over a long period usually about 30-35 years.

FACTORS THAT CAN AFFECT OR DETERMINE CLIMATE

1. Latitude
2. Altitude
3. Distance from the sea
4. Ocean currents
5. Cloud cover
6. Vegetation
7. Planetary wind

ELEMENTS OF CLIMATE

1. Temperature
2. Rainfall
3. Wind
4. Relative humidity
5. Pressure
6. Cloud cover
7. Sunshine

TYPES OF CLIMATE

1. HOT CLIMATE

i. Equatorial Climate

Location: This is located within 50 North and South of the equator.

Areas: Amazon Basin of South America, Zaire Basin of Central Africa, The Coast of West Africa. 

ii. Tropical Continental (Sudan) Climate

Location: It is located between 50-200 North and South of the equator

Areas: Central America, North Western part of South America, Interior upland of Brazil and Bolivia, West Africa, part of East Africa, parts of India and South East Asia, and Northern Australia.

2. COLD CLIMATE

i. Polar Climate

Location: It is found around 900 North and South of the Equator, especially around the poles.

Areas: Greenland, Iceland and Antarctica.

ii. Tundra Climate

Location: It is located around 600-900 North and South of the equator, especially around the Arctic and Antarctic circles.

Areas: Coastal strip of Greenland, Northern Canada and Alaska, parts of Eurasia and Antarctica.

3. DESERT CLIMATE

i. Hot Desert Climate

Location: Within latitude 15° and 30° North and South of the equator.

Areas: Sahara desert, Arabian desert, Iranian desert, Thar desert, Namib desert, Kalahari desert, Great Australian desert and Atacama desert.

ii. Cold Desert Climate

Location: Within 450-600 North and South of the equator.

Areas: Eurasia, North America and South America.

Other types of climate are:

3. WARM TEMPERATE CLIMATE WESTERN MARGIN (MEDITERRANEAN TYPE)

Location: 300-450 North and south of the equator.

Areas: North Africa, South West of South Africa, Central Chile, California, Southern Australia, France, Spain and Italy.

4. WARM TEMPERATE CLIMATE EASTERN MARGIN (CHINA TYPE)

Location: 200-400 North and south of the equator.

Areas: China, the U.S.A, Mexico, Natal in South Africa and Australia. 

5. COOL TEMPERATE CLIMATE WESTERN MARGIN (BRITISH TYPE)

Location: 450-600 North and south of the equator.

Areas: Britain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and British Columbia.

6. COOL TEMPERATE CLIMATE EASTERN MARGIN (LAURENTIAN TYPE)

Location: 400 and 500 North of the equator.

Areas: North Eastern part of North America, North East Canada and Northern Asia.

CLASSIFICATION OF CLIMATE

The climate varies from place to place and the following are the common classifications of climate:

1. Greek system of classification and 
2. Koppen system of classification

1. GREEK SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION OF CLIMATE

This is one of the earliest climatic classifications which was made by the Greeks. The basis for the Greek classification is temperature. This system of classification divides the world into three climatic zones. These zones are:

1. Torrid zone: This zone is found within the tropics. It is very hot and has a high temperature throughout the year.
2. Temperate zone: It is found between the torrid and frigid zone and has a moderate temperature.
3.  Frigid zone: It is found around the polar regions and It is very cold with low temperatures all year round. It has a lot of ice-caps in most parts of the year.

2. KOPPEN SYSTEM CLASSIFICATION OF CLIMATE

The basis for Koppen’s classification of climate is temperature and rainfall. He identified five major climatic groups which correspond with the five principal vegetation groups. These climatic groups are represented with capital letters as follows:

i. Tropical Rainy Climate

“ENVIRONMENTAL INTERVENTION”

Environment is defined as the total surrounding or medium of any organism in a given area.  This includes the physical surroundings, climatic factors and other living organisms in that surrounding.