What is the difference between weather and climate? Koppen Classification is a tool that helps us recognize the many different climates in biomes worldwide.

1. Koppen Classification
Kella Randolph M. Ed.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/K%C3%B6ppen-Geiger_Climate_Classification_Map.png/1200px-K%C3%B6ppen-Geiger_Climate_Classification_Map.png

2. Whose idea was this, anyhow?
• Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) was
a German meteorologist and
climatologist best known for his
delineation and mapping of the
climatic regions of the world. He
played a major role in the
advancement of climatology and
meteorology for more than 70 years.
Köppen’s achievements, practical and
theoretical, profoundly influenced the
development of atmospheric science.
His greatest achievement came in
1900, when he introduced his
mathematical system of climatic
classification. Each of five major
climate types was assigned a
mathematical value according to
temperature and rainfall. Since then,
many of the systems introduced by
other scholars have been based on
Köppen’s work.
• (text: https://www.britannica.com/science/Koppen-
climate-classification)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Wladimir_Peter_K%C3%B6ppen.jpg

3. The Köppen classification subdivides terrestrial climates into five major
types, represented by the capital letters A, B, C, D, and E.
The midlatitude C and D climates are given a second letter, f (no dry season), w (winter dry),
or s (summer dry), and a third symbol, a, b, c, or d (the last subclass exists only for D climates),
indicating summer warmth or winter coldness.
The H climate (highlands), which Köppen did not use, is sometimes added to other
classifications to account for elevations above 1,500 metres (about 4,900 feet).
(https://www.britannica.com/science/Koppen-climate-classification)

4. What is climate classification?
• A climate classification is a tool used to recognize, clarify, and simplify
the climatic similarities and differences between geographic areas in
order to help us better understand Earth’s climates. Classification
schemes rely on environmental data, such as temperature, rainfall,
and snowfall, to uncover patterns and connections between climatic
processes. ( text: https://www.britannica.com/science/Koppen-climate-classification)
• Climate, conditions of the atmosphere at a particular location over a
long period of time; it is the long-term summation of the atmospheric
elements (and their variations) that, over short time periods,
constitute weather. These elements are solar radiation, temperature,
humidity, precipitation (type, frequency, and amount), atmospheric
pressure, and wind (speed and direction). (text: https://www.britannica.com/science/climate-meteorology)

5. Climate classifications fall into two categories: genetic and empirical.
• Genetic classifications group climates by their causes, focusing on
how temperature relates to distance from the North Pole or South
Pole or Equator, continentality versus ocean-influenced factors, the
effects of mountains, or combinations of several factors. Genetic
classifications are qualitative, and climatic regions are drawn in a
subjective manner.
• In contrast, empirical classifications—such as the Köppen climate
classification—group each climate type according to one or more
aspects of the climate system, such as natural vegetation.
(text: https://www.britannica.com/science/Koppen-climate-classification)

6. Category
Specific place on map __________.
1. What is the climate of this area?
2. Why does it fit into this specific category?
3. What types of plants and animals are there?
4. What is the average monthly temperature?
5. What is the average monthly precipitation?

7. Polar
• Category Polar Specific place on map E areas. (Arctic, Antarctica and
Greenland)
• Polar climate: Cold winters and summers A polar climate consists of cool
summers and very cold winters, which results in treeless tundra, glaciers, or a
permanent or semi-permanent layer of ice.
• Why does it fit into this specific category? A polar climate is a place where the
climate usually has a temperature below freezing, is icy
and is covered with snow most of the time.
• What types of plants and animals are there? The Arctic consists of desert and
tundra vegetations. The desert vegetation consists of algae, lichens,
and mosses. Lichens are the most dominant plants. Antarctic hair grass and the
Antarctic pearl wort.
Every month in a polar climate has an average temperature of less than 10 °C (50
°F). Regions with polar climate cover more than 20% of the Earth's area.
Polar region’s average monthly precipitation?
Precitpitation.5 to .8 inches monthly or 6 to 10 inches yearly
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riese_Eisb%C3%A4renfamilie.jpg/1200px-
Richard_Friese_Eisb%C3%A4renfamilie.jpg

8. Dry Class B
(There are four minor classifications in the Dry
classification. BW is a dry arid climate.
BS is a dry, semi-arid climate.
And for each of those classifications, there is an h and
a k that are also used.
H indicates this in the sub-tropics
and k indicates this is in the middle latitudes.
• (Arid and Semi-arid) Climates
• Class B Climates are characterized by potential evaporation
and transpiration exceeding precipitation. These climates are
usually found in areas from 20 - 35° North and South of the
equator and in large continental regions of the mid-latitudes
often surrounded by mountains
• Flora and fauna: cacti, spiny ocotillo, mesquite, armadillos,
foxes, opossums, deer, snakes, lizards, desert owls, and pumas
the temperatures for each month depending on the sun are: Days
are very hot and nights are very cold.
Highest Temperature: 86 °F
Lowest Temperature: 36 °F
• the average monthly precipitation? 0.6 inch

9. Temperate place on
map C areas.
1. What is the climate of this area? Warm summers and mild winters
2. Why does it fit into this specific category? 3 minor classifications
Cfa: Frequent thunderstorms in summer
Cfb: Marine climates with large amounts of precipitation in winter
Cs: Mediterranean climate zone
• 3. What types of plants and animals are there? Plants include flowering dogwood, redbud,
mountain laurel, bald cypress, southern magnolia, and black locust, all now cultivated in
temperate regions worldwide, but also various food plants such as blueberries, black
raspberries, cranberries, maple syrup and sugar, and pecans, and Monterey pine and other
timber trees. North America has a diverse array of wildlife species and is home to an
estimated 457 mammals (e.g. bison, raccoon, mountain lion, beaver, moose, and jaguar),
914 birds (e.g. Bald Eagle and Goose) 662 reptiles (e.g. alligator) more than 300 amphibians
and 4,000 known arachnids (e.g bark scorpion). The North American territory includes the
United States, Canada, Mexico, and Greenland,
• 4. What is the average monthly temperature? ? Class C climates have an average monthly
high temperature of 10 °C (50 °F) or more in the spring/summer months (April to September
in northern hemisphere), and an average monthly low temperature greater than −3 °C (27 °F)
in the fall/winter months.
5. What is the average monthly precipitation? 81 cm.
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10. Tropical
Specific place on map A areas. San Juan,
Puerto Rico, also Southern Florida
What is it like?
This climate is dominated by the doldrums low-pressure
system all year round, so has no natural seasons.
Why does it fit into this specific category? High
temperatures : year round average temperatures of 18 °C
(64.4 °F)
What types of plants and animals are there? Palms,
alligators, snakes, bears, panthers, fish
What is the average monthly temperature? Above 18
degrees Celsius /64.6 F
What is the average monthly precipitation? Some areas
have high amounts of precipitation. Year–round average
precipitation of at least 60 mm (2.4 in).
Three minor classifications
Af: tropical wet climate
Am: tropical monsoon climate
Aw: tropical wet and dry climate
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/10/14/22/44/louisiana-
988654_640.jpg

11. Continental
place on map D areas
Regions of the Earth that have continental climates include Siberia and central
Russia, and much of North America. Siberia, Canada and the northern states of the
US
• What is the climate of this area? They have mild- summers and
cold winters
• Why does it fit into this specific category? They have mild-
summers and cold winters, and they have moderate levels of
precipitation.
• What types of plants and animals are there?
• What is the average monthly temperature? These climates have
an average temperature above 10 °C (50 °F) in their warmest
months, and a coldest month average below −3 °C
• What is the average monthly precipitation? they have
moderate levels of precipitation.
https://s.iha.com/00121673756/Russia-Siberian-landscape.jpeg