It is a presentation about the Koppen's climate classification system. It provides an overview of Koppen system.It is an informative and engaging overview of the Koppen climate classification system, providing a useful resource for anyone interested in understanding how climate is classified and how it impacts different regions around the world.

1. Question 1: Classify climatic type, with reference to Koppen's scheme, justify these??
Or. Describe the Koppen's scheme of climatic classification??
Answer:
The Köppen climate classifications was developed based on the empirical relationship
between climate and vegetation, which was developed by German botanist-climatologist
Wladimir Koppen.
Köppen published his first scheme in 1900 and a revised version in 1918.
He continued to revise his system of classification until his death in 1940. It may be pointed
out that the classification of Koppen is more popular because it is quantitative in nature as
numerical values of temperature and precipitation have been used in delineation of
boundaries of different climatic types.
Koppen's scheme of climatic classification:
Koppen was convinced that there was a perfect relationship between plant groups and
climates and hence he used five vegetation zones. Based on these five vegetation zones he
divided the world climates into five principle types and designated by capital alphabets A, B,
C, D and E.
1. A-climate: represents humid tropical climates characterized by winterless season.
2. B-climate: represents dry where evaporation exceeds precipitation
3. C-climate: represents humid mesothermal or middle latitudes warm temperature
climates having mild winters.
4. D-climate: includes humid microthermal or cold forest climates.
5. E-climate: includes polar climate characterized by summer less season.
Besides these capital letters, Koppen has used the following small letters in his scheme for
specific meaning.
f = precipitation throughout year, average temperatures of the coldest month being more
than 18°C, minimum precipitation of 6cm in every month of a year.
m = monsoon climate, short dry season, average precipitation in driest month less than 6cm
w = winter dry season.
s = well defined summer dry season.

2. Koppen has divided 5 major climate types into 5 subtypes on the basis of seasonal regimes
of precipitation and nature of aridity and coldness.
Now these are described into following:
1. Tropical rainy climates (A Climate)
A climate: 23.5° N - 25.5°S
- Represents humid tropical climate/ tropical rainy climate
- Winterless season, warm and moist condition throughout the year
- mean temperature always above 18°C
- mean annual rainfall >2500 mm
- realm of megatherm
Continuously high temperatures and relatively high precipitation.
“A” or tropical rainy climate is that where the temperature of the coldest month is above
18°C. on the basis of periodicity and regime of precipitation this type has been further
divided into 4 subtypes:
a. Af climate: (Tropical wet)
Precipitation occurs all year long. Precipitation in the driest month is more than 6 cm.
Monthly temperature variations in this climate are less than 3 degrees Celsius. Because of
intense surface heating and high humidity cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds form early in
the afternoons almost every day. Daily highs are about 32 degrees Celsius while night time
temperatures average 22 degrees Celsius.
 Humid tropical/ tropical wet climate
 In the driest month precipitation >6cm (60mm)
 Minimum of seasonal variation in temperature & precipitation
 Both remaining high throughout the year
 Amazon basin, western equatorial Africa, Islands of East Indies.
b. Aw climate: (Tropical Savanna)
 Tropical humid and dry climates.
 extended dry season during winter.
 precipitation of at least one month less than 6 cm.
 high temperature throughout the year.
 Central and South America, Southern part of Africa.

3. c. Am climate: (Tropical monsoon)
 one short dry season but sufficient annual precipitation,
 wet ground throughout the year
 During the dry season very little rainfall occurs.,
 Dense forest,
 Precipitation of at least one month less than 6 cm.
 Annual rainfall is equal to or greater than Af, but falls in the 7 to 9 hottest months.
 Bay of Bengal area, North eastern part of South America, Philippines.
Intermediate between Af and Aw and is expressed by the formula a= 3.94-r/25 (where, a =
precipitation of driest month, r = annual precipitation)
If the precipitation of the driest month is less than the value of 'a', it will be 'Aw' climate. If it
is more than the value of 'a', it will be 'Am' climate.
d. As climate:
✓ Dry summer
✓ Rarely found.
2. Dry Climate (B-climate)
The most obvious climatic feature of these climates is potential evaporation and
transpiration exceeds precipitation. These climates extend from 20-35 degrees North and
South of the equator and in large continental regions of the mid-latitudes often surrounded
by mountains.
B climates are divided into two types on the basis of annual temperature and the rainiest
month of the year. They are:
i. Dry desert climate (BW)
ii. Semi-arid or steppe climate (BS)
B climates are further differentiated on the basis of annual temperature. When the mean
annual temperature is more than 18-degree C, the climate is indicated by h letter, but if the
mean annual temperature is less than 18-degree C, it is indicated by K letter. Thus, B climates
are divided into the following four sub-types:
2.1. BWh climate (Subtropical Desert climate)
★ Low-latitude desert,
★ Annual rainfall less than 10 degrees <10
★ Average annual temperature more than 64.4°F (18°C)

4. 2.2. BSh climate (Subtropical Steppe climate)
★ Low-latitude dry,
★ Annual rainfall above 15 to 30 degree,
★ Mean annual temperature above 64.4°F (18°C)
2.3. BWk climate (Mid-latitude desert)
★ Middle latitude cold desert climate
★ Mean annual temperature below 64.4 degree
★ Annual rainfall less than 10 degree
2.4. BSK climate (Mid-latitude steppe)
★ Mid-latitude cold steppe climate.
★ Annual rainfall above 15 to 30 degree,
★ Mean annual temperature below 64.4-degree F.
3. Mid-latitude climate (C-climate)
This climate generally has warm and humid summers with mild winters. Its extent is from
30 to 50 degrees of latitude mainly on the eastern and western borders of most continents.
During the winter the main weather feature is the mid-latitude cyclone. Convective
thunderstorms dominate summer months. Based on seasonal distribution of
precipitation C climates have been divided into 4 climatic types:
3.1. Csa Climate (Mediterranean climate)
★ Mild with dry, hot summer,
★ Warmest month over 71.6 degrees F
★ receive rain primarily during winter season from the mid-latitude cyclone.
★ Locations in North America are from Portland, Oregon to all of California.
3.2. Csb climate (Mediterranean Climate)
★ Mild with dry, warm summer.
★ Warmest month below 71.6-degree F

5. 3.3. Cfa climate (Humid subtropical)
★ Hot muggy summers and mainly thunderstorms. ★ Adequate rainfall,
★ Temperature of warmest month above 71.6-degree F.
★ Winters are mild and precipitation during this season comes from mid-latitude cyclones.
★ A good example of a Cfa climate is the southeastern USA.
3.4. Cfb climate (Marine-west-coast)
★ humid climate with short dry summer
★ Heavy precipitation occurs during the mild winters because of the continuous presence of
mid-latitude cyclones.
★ Adequate rainfall and warmest month below 71.6 degrees F.
★ Found on the western coast of continents.
4. Severe mid-latitude (D-climate)
Cold snow-forest climates/humid cold climates. Ground surface covered with snow for
several months of a year. Moist continental mid-latitude climates have warm to cool
summers and cold winters. The location of these climates is pole ward of the C climates. The
warmest month is greater than 10° C, while the coldest month is less than -30°C. Winters are
severe with snowstorms, strong winds, bitter cold from Continental Polar or Arctic air
masses.
This type of climate is seen in Canada and Toronto.
This climate has been divided into 2 types:
1. Df climate (humid cold climate- humid continental)
2. Dw climate (humid cold- subarctic)
4.1. Df climate (humid cold climate- humid continental)
★ This climate has no dry season. This is further divided into:
a. Dfa (long warm summers)
★ Humid with severe winter
★ No dry season, hot summer
★ Adequate rainfall in all season
★ Warmest month over 71.6-degree F

6. b. Dfb (Long and cool Summer)
★ Humid with severe winter
★ No dry season, warm summer
★ Adequate rainfall in all season
★ warmest month below 71.6-degree F
c. Dfc (short and cool summer-subarctic)
✓ Severe winter.
✔ No dry season, cool summer,
✔ Adequate rainfall in all seasons.
✔ Short summer, less than 4 months over 50-degree F.
4.2. Dw climate (humid cold): (Subarctic)
Dry winters and again divided into:
a. Dwa climate (long-cool summer):
✔ Continental climate,
✓ Dry winter, hot summer,
✓ Warmest month over 71.6-degree F.
b. Dwb climate (cool-short summer)
✓ Humid with severe dry winter, warm summer,
✓ Warmest month below 71.6-degree F.
c. Dwc climate (cold winter)
✔ Severe, dry winter
✔ Cools summer, short Summer
✔ Less than 4 months over 50-degree F.

7. 5. Polar climate (E-climate)
Polar climates have year-round cold temperatures with warmest months less than 10° C.
Polar climates are found on the northern coastal areas of North America and Europe, Asia
and on the landmasses of Greenland and Antarctica. Two minor climate types exist. This
climate further divided into 2 types:
a. ET climate (Tundra climate)
✔ No true summer,
✓ Temperature of the warmest month below 10-degree C but above 0-degree C.
✓ Soil is permanently frozen to depths of hundreds of meters, a condition known as
permafrost.
✔ Vegetation is dominated by mosses, lichens, dwarf trees and scattered woody shrubs.
b. EF climate (Ice cap):
✔ Permanent snow field,
✔ Temperature in all months below 0-degree C.
Evaluation justification of Koppen's climate classification:
We can evaluate Koppen's climate classification on the basis of merits and demerits of
Koppen's climatic classification.
Merits: The merits of Koppen’s classification are-
● Koppen used two easily measurable weather elements e.g. temperature and
precipitation as the basis for statistical parameters for the delineation of different
climatic regions.
● His scheme of climatic classification is primarily based on the relationship between
flora types and their characteristics and climatic characteristics of a given place or a
region.
● He also paid due consideration to the loss of moisture through evaporation as he
included effective evaporation which depend on the rate of potential
evapotranspiration, in his scheme.
● Koppen's scheme appealed more to geographers because the scheme recognized
association between vegetation types and climatic types.
● Besides this scheme is descriptive, generalized and simple hence it was widely
acclaimed.

8. Demerits/ criticism:
In spite of several merits as referred to above, Koppen's scheme also suffers from some
serious drawbacks. Despite the fact that the author himself revised and modified his system
several times, he always felt it to be imperfect.
The major demerits or criticisms are:
● Koppen based his classification on the mean monthly values of temperature and
precipitation. By these statistics the most potent factor of precipitation can only be
estimated, rather than measured accurately. This makes comparison from one
locality to another rather difficult.
● Further, Koppen did not take into account such weather elements as winds,
precipitation intensity, amount of cloudiness, and daily temperature extremes only
for the sake of making his classification generalized and simple.
● Another major drawback is that it is empirical and, therefore, is based on facts and
observations. The causative factors of climate have been totally ignored. Thus, the air
masses, which form the very basis of modern climatology, could not find any place in
Koppen's classification.
● Lastly, the letter symbols used by Koppen in his climatic classification provide
international shorthand describing climatic reasons that are rather difficult to
characterize in words.
In spite of above mentioned drawbacks of Koppen's system of empirical approach to the
classification of world climates, the merit of his scheme still scores over demerits and is
widely used as a general system of classification schemes of world climates.