Where does Af climate exist?
Majority pf Af climate exist within 10 degrees on either side of the equator
How is ppt in Af climate like and why?
- have no dry periods
- Rainfall is distributed nearly uniformly throughout the year & all mths average at 220mm of rainfall
- high TAP of more than 2000mm
- their position near the equator puts them under constant influence of the ITCZ
How is temp in Af climate like and why?
- High MAT of more than 25 degree celsius
- the uniformity in average monthly temps result in low annual temp range
- the ever present moisture availability at the surface allows a large portion of insolation to be expended on evaporation rather than increasing the surface temp
- the convection of humid air promotes the formation of clouds that scatter much of the incoming solar radiation back to space
How is vegetation like in the Af climates?
-very dense canopy of tree cover and high species diversity in both plant and animal kingdoms
Where does Am climate exist?
- transition between the Af climate and Aw climate
- usually occurring along tropical, coastal areas subjected to predominant onshore winds that supply warm, moist air to the region throughout most of the year
How is ppt like for Am climates and why?
- distinct wet and dry seasons
- some months can experience exceedingly heavy rainfall, while others are nearly dry
- high TAP of more than 2000mm
- wet season is largely as a result of presence of moist trade winds that bring heavy rainfall to the region. monthly ppt can exceed 800mm
- dry season relates to the shifting of the ITCZ away from a particular hemisphere and the presence of dry winds that bring little to no rain to the region
- rainfall in these regions could also be enhanced by orographic uplift
how is temp like for Am climates?
-high MAT and low annual temp range
-slight variation in temp
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How is vegetation like in Am climates?
-despite the presence of brief dry season, Am climates usually support dense forests
Where do Aw climates exist?
-occur along the poleward margins of the humid tropics, bordering arid tropical climate on one side and Af climate on the other
How is ppt for Aw climates and why?
- greater seasonality in ppt, moderate tap of about 1000mm
- seasonality in ppt is attributed to their location further away from the equator. During the high sun season, the ITCZ favours the formation of afternoon thundershowers. However when the position of the overhead sun shifts to the opposite hemisphere, the arrival of the subtropical high bring descending air and the resultant lack of ppt.
- dry seasons are more pronounced and longer lasting than Am climate because of their distance farther away from the equator that puts them closer to the subtropical high
How is temp for Aw climates and why?
- MAT exhibit more variability than is found in the other humid climates but annual temp range is still low, ranging from 3-10 degree celsius
- high MAT of more than 20 degree celsius
- diurnal temp range is also greater for Aw climates
- During dry season, presence of sub-tropical high results in the absence of clouds that facilitate greater daytime heating and nighttime cooling
- During the rainy season, the combination of high humidity and cloud cover reduces the diurnal ranges
How is vegetation like for Aw climates?
-Associated with savanna that consists mainly of grasses interspersed with widely separated trees or clumps of trees
Where does BSh exist?
-Transition zone in between humid tropics and BWh climate
How is ppt like for BSh and why?
-High year-to-year variations in precipitation, marked by aridity. Low (below 500mm) to moderate (slightly above 500mm) amount of precipitation
-Presence of subtropical high inhibit the formation of clouds and thus the absence of rain in the region
Precipitation occurs more often during the summer months than during the winter, as a result of localised convection
how is the temp like for BSh and why?
-Extreme summer temperatures, high mean annual temperature of more than 20°C, large annual and diurnal temperature ranges
-Lack of cloud cover result in high daytime temperature and cooling night that gives rise to large diurnal temperature range
High monthly temperature during the summer due to the position of the overhead sun at the hemisphere at where the place is. Monthly temperature falls when the position of the overhead sun shifts to the other hemisphere. This leads to the high annual temperature range experienced
Where does BWh exist?
Associated with the subsiding limb of the Hadley Cell
How is ppt like for BWh and why?
-Low total annual precipitation; low to no monthly rainfall throughout the year
Subsidence of air at sub-tropical high inhibits the formation of clouds and thus the absence of rain
Precipitation that does occur often comes in the form of localised showers from summertime convectional activity
How is temp like for BWh and why?
-High mean annual temperature with large annual temperature range
Summer: Combination of low humidities, high sun and clear skies allows high inputs of solar radiation to be absorbed at the surface. Lack of soil moisture also cause the ground temperature to become extremely high as little heat is expended in the evaporation of water. Thus, it is not uncommon for daytime summer temperature to reach as high as 45°C
Large diurnal temperature range: When the sun sets, clear skies and low humidities that led to rapid heating now causes air to cool considerably, resulting in large diurnal temperature range
