The document summarizes different types of world weather and climate regions, including tropical, desert/dry, temperate, continental, and polar climates. It describes the key characteristics of each climate type, such as average temperatures, precipitation levels, seasonal patterns, and example regions that exhibit each climate. The document also discusses subcategories within tropical and desert climates.

1. Noakhali Science and Technology University
Course Tittle
Ocean Forecasting and Meteorology
Course Code
OCN4109
Assignment on:03
World Weather Types: Equatorial, Tropical, Desert, Mediterranean,
Temperate and Polar weather
Submit To
Razat Suvra Dash
Lecturer,Dept.of Oceanography
NSTU
Submit By
Azad Uddion Sojib
Enroll:ASH1718010M
Submission Date:23/08/2020

2. Table of contents
Serial
Number
Archives of Title Page
Number
01 What is Weather and Weather Forecast 01
02 What is Climate and What is a microclimate 02
03 Types of World Weather/ Climate Regions 03
04 What is Tropical Weather and Types of tropical
climates
04-06
05 What is Desert/Dry Weather and Weather
Patterns in Deserts
06-08
06 What is Temperate Weather and Typical
characteristics of temperate regions
09
07 Types of temperate climates 10-11
08 What is Polar weather and Types of Polar
climate:
11-12
09 Continental Weather and Mediterranean climate 13
10 A map of climate zones 14
11 How do weather satellites play a role? 15

3. What is Weather?
The state of the atmosphere at a particular time and place. Weather is described in
terms of variable conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind velocity, precipitation,
and barometric pressure. Weather on Earth occurs primarily in the troposphere, or lower
atmosphere, and is driven by energy from the Sun and the rotation of the Earth. The
average weather conditions of a region over time are used to define a region's climate.
➢ The day-to-day conditions of the milieu at a place with respect to elements
like humidity, temperature, wind speed, rainfall, etc. is called the weather of
that place.
➢ Weather can be cloudy, sunny, rainy, stormy or clear. It is a part of the natural
phenomenon which maintains the equilibrium in the atmosphere.
➢ But conditions can be worse sometimes. When the atmospheric conditions
are extreme or intense enough to cause property loss or life loss, such
weather is termed as severe weather.
➢ These also vary according to the altitudes, latitudes, and region and pressure
differences.
Elements of Weather:
• Wind speed
• Humidity
• Temperature
• Rainfall
• Thunder
• Snow
• Lightning
Causes of Weather:
The Sun provides the energy that drives Earth’s weather. The Sun heats the air in
various parts of Earth’s atmosphere by different amounts. Masses of warm and cold air
then move from place to place, creating winds. Winds bring sunny, wet, or stormy
conditions. People find out the type of weather to expect in a forecast
Weather Forecast:
A weather forecast is a prediction of weather conditions over a particular area, either for
a few days (called a short-range forecast), or for several weeks (called a long-range
forecast). The people who study the weather and make weather forecasts are called
meteorologists.

4. What is Climate:
Climate is the average weather conditions in a place over a long period of time—30
years or more. And as you probably already know, there are lots of different types of
climates on Earth.
What is a microclimate: A microclimate is the distinctive climate of a small-scale area,
such as a garden, park, valley or part of a city. The weather variables in a microclimate,
such as temperature, rainfall, wind or humidity, may be subtly different from the
conditions prevailing over the area as a whole.
For example, hot regions are normally closest to the equator. The climate is hotter there
because the Sun’s light is most directly overhead at the equator. And the North and
South Poles are cold because the Sun’s light and heat are least direct there. Using this
information, in the late 1800s and early 1900s a German climate scientist named
Wladimir Koppen divided the world's climates into categories. His categories were
based on the temperature, the amount of precipitation, and the times of year when
precipitation occurs. The categories were also influenced by a region’s latitude—the
imaginary lines used to measure our Earth from north to south from the equator.
Though the weather of an area can changes daily, when seen in longer periods, a
general pattern of climate emerges. For example, though it may rain on some days in
the tropics and on others in the desert, rainfall is greater and more constant in the
former than the latter. These annual weather patterns classify the world into five major
climate regions.
Types of World Weather/ Climate Regions:
Today, climate scientists split the Earth into approximately five main types of Weather/
climate zones; They are:
1. Tropical
2. Desert/Dry
3. Temperate
4. Continental
5. Polar
A: Tropical Weather
The tropical region is hot and wet, covering the jungles of South America and Africa,
Southeast Asia and the islands of the Pacific. This area contains the greatest diversity
of plant and animal life. Tropical forests experience about 12 hours of daylight daily,
with only a rainy and dry season. They can contain 100 different tree species in a half-
mile square, with small fauna like birds, bats, insects and small mammals. In this hot
and humid zone, the average temperatures are greater than 64°F (18°C) year-round
and there is more than 59 inches of precipitation each year.

5. The Tropical Climate:
Much of the equatorial belt within the tropical climate zone experiences hot and humid
weather. There is abundant rainfall due to the active vertical uplift or convection of air
that takes place there, and during certain periods, thunderstorms can occur every day.
Nevertheless, this belt still receives considerable sunshine, and with the excessive
rainfall, provides ideal growing conditions for luxuriant vegetation. The principal regions
with a tropical climate are the Amazon Basin in Brazil, the Congo Basin in West Africa
and Indonesia.
Because a substantial part of the Sun’s heat is used up in evaporation and rain
formation, temperatures in the tropics rarely exceed 35°C; a daytime maximum of 32°C
is more common. At night the abundant cloud cover restricts heat loss, and minimum
temperatures fall no lower than about 22°C. This high level of temperature is maintained
with little variation throughout the year. The seasons, so far as they do exist, are
distinguished not as warm and cold periods but by variation of rainfall and cloudiness.
Greatest rainfall occurs when the Sun at midday is overhead. On the equator this
occurs twice a year in March and September, and consequently there are two wet and
two dry seasons. Further away from the equator, the two rainy seasons merge into one,
and the climate becomes more monsoonal, with one wet season and one dry season. In
the Northern Hemisphere, the wet season occurs from May to July, in the Southern
Hemisphere from November to February.
Types of tropical climates:
There are three basic types of tropical climates within the tropical climate group: which
are classified and distinguished by the annual precipitation and the precipitation level of
the driest month in those regions
1. Tropical rainforest climate (Af),
2. Tropical monsoon climate (Am)
3. Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate (Aw or As),
1.Tropical Rainforest - Tropical Moist Climates (Af)
Rainfall is heavy in all months. The total annual rainfall is often more than 250 cm. (100
in.). There are seasonal differences in monthly rainfall but temperatures of 27°C (80°F)
mostly stay the same. Humidity is between 77 and 88%. High surface heat and humidity
cause cumulus clouds to form early in the afternoons almost every day. The climate on
eastern sides of continents are influenced by maritime tropical air masses. These air
masses flow out from the moist western sides of oceanic high-pressure cells, and bring
lots of summer rainfall. The summers are warm and very humid. It also rains a lot in the
winter
• Average temperature: 18 °C (°F)
• Annual Precipitation: 262 cm. (103 in.)
• Latitude Range: 10° S to 25 ° N

6. • Global Position: Amazon Basin; Congo Basin of equatorial Africa; East Indies,
from Sumatra to New Guinea.
2. Savanna - Wet-Dry Tropical Climates (Aw)
A seasonal change occurs between wet tropical air masses and dry tropical air masses.
As a result, there is a very wet season and a very dry season. Trade winds dominate
during the dry season. It gets a little cooler during this dry season but will become very
hot just before the wet season.
• Temperature Range: 16 °C
• Annual Precipitation: 0.25 cm. (0.1 in.). All months less than 0.25 cm. (0.1 in.)
• Latitude Range: 15 ° to 25 ° N and S
• Global Range: India, Indochina, West Africa, southern Africa, South America and
the north coast of Australia
3.Tropical monsoon climate (Am)
Tropical monsoon climate as having small annual temperature ranges, high
temperatures, and plentiful precipitation. This climate also has a short dry season which
occurs in the winter. The tropical monsoon climate is usually found within countries in
the south and southeast Asia region between the latitude of 10 degrees north and the
Tropic of Cancer. These regions include India, Philippines, the northern coast of
Australia and Hainan Island of China. The annual temperature of regions under tropical
monsoon climate is stable.
The tropical monsoon climate has the following main characteristic. The average annual
temperature is 27.05 °C (80.69 °F) and has an annual temperature range of 3.6°C
(2°F). Distinction between wet and drought seasons, the tropical monsoon climate is
different from other tropical climates because of its uneven precipitation throughout the
year. The precipitation is heavy in the summer, and a short-drought season occurs in
the winter. This climate has an annual total precipitation of 3409.2mm, and a 3115.9mm
summer precipitation and 293.3mm winter precipitation.
There are three main seasons of tropical monsoon climate: The cool dry season is from
October to February; The hot dry season is from March to mid-June and The rainy
season is from mid-June to September.
• Average annual temperature is 27.05 °C (80.69 °F)
• Annual total precipitation of 3409.2mm
• Latitude Range: 10° - 25° N and S
• Global Position: India, Philippines, the northern coast of Australia and Hainan
Island of China.

7. Figure: tropical weather
B: Desert/Dry Weather
Desert weather /climate zones are so dry because moisture is rapidly evaporated from
the air and there is very little precipitation.
Also, arid zones are hot and dry all year and include the deserts of North Africa and
central Asia, the southwest United States, and inland Australia. The coarse soil contains
little surface water and supports mostly shrubs and short, woody trees. Animal life
includes birds, reptiles, insects, rodents and small carnivores.
What Is "Desert Climate"
Desert climate describes the atmospheric conditions of a region experiencing long-term
periods of high evaporation and very little rainfall. The area's geology, defined by rocky
and sandy surfaces with sparse vegetation, means a small moisture presence able to
evaporate.

8. ➢ To be classified as a having a hot desert climate, an arid region must have a
minimum annual temperature of at least 18° Celsius (64° Fahrenheit) and an
annual rainfall of no more than 200 millimeters (7.9 inches).
➢ To be classified as having a cold desert climate, an arid region must have a
maximum annual temperature of 18° Celsius (64° Fahrenheit) or below, and a
yearly rainfall of no more than 200 millimeters (7.9 inches).
Weather Patterns in Deserts
By definition, deserts are land areas receiving, on average, less than 25.4 centimeters
(10 inches) of rain per year. Despite the common perception, temperature does not
directly determine whether or not a land area is a desert. Deserts can have high, low or
mild temperatures. The four subcategories of deserts are hot and dry deserts, coastal
deserts, cold deserts and semiarid deserts. Each experience different temperatures and
amounts of rainfall.
1.Hot and Dry Deserts
For the most part, hot and dry deserts have high temperatures during the day and low
temperatures during the evening. Some of the world's hot and dry deserts have
temperatures reaching 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day.
Others will have temperatures falling to as low as negative 18 degrees Celsius (zero
degrees Fahrenheit) in the middle of the night. Rainfall varies among the world's hot and
dry deserts. The Sahara Desert receives as little as 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inches) of rain
per year, while rainfall amounts in the American deserts can reach as much as 28
centimeters (11 inches) per year. The Mojave Desert, the Australian Desert and the
Atacama Desert of Chile are three examples of hot and dry deserts.
2.Coastal Deserts
Temperatures in the world's coastal deserts range from 13 to 24 degrees Celsius (55 to
75 degrees Fahrenheit) during the summer. During the winter, temperatures fall to
temperatures below 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit). Typically, rainfall in
coastal deserts is much higher than rainfall in hot and dry deserts. Coastal deserts
average between 8 and 13 centimeters (3 and 5 inches) of rain each year. Still, some
coastal deserts have recorded as much as 37 centimeters (14.5 inches) per year of
rainfall. The Namib Desert in Africa is one type of coastal desert.

9. 3.Cold Deserts
Cold deserts are associated with snow during cold winters and during summers with
rainfall. Cold deserts exist in the Antarctic and the Nearctic realm, an area
encompassing the central and northern parts of North America. Annual precipitation in
cold deserts generally falls between 15 and 26 centimeters (6 and 10 inches), on
average. As much as 46 centimeters (18 inches) of rain has been recorded in cold
deserts, however. On average, temperatures during the winter months range between
negative 2 and 4 degrees Celsius (28- and 39-degrees Fahrenheit). During the summer
months, temperatures in cold deserts range from 21 to 26 degrees Celsius (69 to 78
degrees Fahrenheit).
4.Semiarid Deserts
Semiarid deserts are the fourth type of deserts found on Earth. Semiarid deserts exist in
Montana, Russia, Newfoundland and northern Asia, among other places. Summers in
semiarid deserts are long and have average temperatures between 21 and 27 degrees
Celsius (69- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit). Temperatures usually stay below 38 degrees
Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in semiarid deserts. During the evening, temperatures
in semiarid deserts drop to around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit).
Semiarid deserts average between 2 and 4 centimeters (0.8 inches and 1.6 inches) of
rain per year, on average. In some deserts, more water is created annually from the
condensation of dew during the evening than from rainfall.
Figure; all kind of desert

10. C: Temperate Weather
Temperate Weather/climates are typically warm and humid summers with
thunderstorms and mild winters.
What's a Temperate Climate?
Temperate climates are those without extremes of temperature and precipitation (rain
and snow). The changes between summer and winter are generally invigorating without
being frustratingly extreme. The temperate climate zone, that are Warm summers, wet
springs, colorful falls, and cold, snowy winters.
The word climate means the weather conditions of an area over a long period of time. It
is different than weather, which we think about and measure on a day-to-day basis.
Climate refers to patterns of weather over the course of years, decades, even centuries.
The word temperate means moderate, or in the middle. This is helpful in understanding
the climate in the temperate zone - it does not have extremes. While the polar climate is
extremely cold and the tropical climate is very hot, the temperate climate has some hot
weather and some cold weather. While there is a lot of rain and snow in other zones,
the temperate zone has just a moderate amount of rain and snow.
The temperate climate zone circles the Earth in both the north and the south. In the
north, it makes up the space below the Arctic circle and above the hot tropical areas
above the equator. In the south, the temperate climate zone is between the cold
climates of Antarctica and the warm climates just below the earth's hot middle. Looking
at a map, you would see the temperate climate zone covering most of North America,
all of Europe and much of northern Asia, and the very southern tip of South America.
Typical characteristics of temperate regions include:
➢ Being found between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle in the northern
hemisphere, and the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle in the southern
hemisphere.
➢ Generally having four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
➢ Unpredictability - whilst having recognised characteristics, most of the seasons
will also have very varied weather within them. Rain, fog and lower temperatures
may not be uncommon even in summer.
➢ The most popular climate to live in as it does not experience the wide variations
of some of the more extreme climates.
➢ The ability to grow a large variety of crops and fruit meaning agriculture is a
major income earner in these regions. Grain crops such as wheat, barley and
oats are extensively grown. Pears, apples, strawberries and other soft fruit are
grown to sell either as fresh produce or for manufacturing into products such as
jam.

11. ➢ Deciduous trees in many areas giving way to coniferous trees where the
temperatures are lower for example in hilly or mountainous regions.
Types of temperate climates: There are two main types of temperate climates:
maritime and continental. Let's explore these moderate weather regions.
1. Maritime Temperate climate
2. Continental Temperate climate.
1.Maritime Temperate Climate
The maritime climate is strongly influenced by the oceans, which maintain fairly steady
temperatures across the seasons. Since the prevailing winds are westerly in the
temperate zones, the western edge of continents in these areas experience most
commonly the maritime climate. Such regions include Western Europe, in particular the
UK, and western North America at latitudes between 40 and 60° north. The ocean and
the wind influence the weather in maritime areas. Maritime temperate regions are found
in areas near coasts where the sea and onshore winds provide more rain and help to
keep the temperatures level throughout the year.
Continentally increases inland, with warmer summers and colder winters as the effect of
land on heat receipt and loss increases. This is particularly true in North America, where
the north-south aligned Rocky Mountains act as a climate barrier to the mild maritime air
blowing from the west. Maritime climate, on the other hand, penetrates further into
Europe where the major mountain range - the Alps - is orientated east-west.
2.Continental Temperate Climate
Continental temperate regions have more pronounced dry periods and, as there is less
of a moderating influence by the sea, temperatures are often hotter in summer and
colder in winter.
Also, there are two types of temperate climates;
1.Deciduous Forest Biome - Moist Continental Climate (Cf)
This climate is in the polar front zone - the battleground of polar and tropical air masses.
Seasonal changes between summer and winter are very large. Daily temperatures also
change often. Abundant precipitation falls throughout the year. It is increased in the
summer season by invading tropical air masses. Cold winters are caused by polar and
arctic masses moving south.
• Temperature Range: 31 °C (56 ° F)
• Average Annual Precipitation: 81 cm (32 in).
• Latitude Range: 30° - 55° N and S (Europe: 45° - 60° N).
• Eastern parts of the United States and southern Canada; northern China; Korea;
Japan; central and eastern.

12. 2.Grasslands Biome - Midlatitude Climates (Bs)
These dry climates are limited to the interiors of North America and Eurasia. Ocean air
masses are blocked by mountain ranges to the west and south. This allows polar air
masses to dominate in winter months. In the summer, a local continental air mass is
dominant. A small amount of rain falls during this season.
Annual temperatures range widely. Summers are warm to hot, but winters are cold.
• Temperature Range: 31 °C (56°F).
• Annual Precipitation: 81 cm. (32 in.).
• Latitude Range: 30° - 55° N and S
• Global Position: western North America (Great Basin, Columbia Plateau, Great
Plains); Eurasian interior.
D: Polar Weather
In the polar climate zones, it’s extremely cold. Even in summer, the temperatures here
never go higher than 50°F (10°C).
The Polar Climate
Polar climates are very cold and dry throughout the year. They encompass the South
Pole, the extreme northern latitudes and the interior of Greenland. Plant life is non-
existent except for some algae, while the few animal species include polar bears, killer
whales, seals and penguins.
These climates have an average temperature above 10 °C in their warmest months,
and a coldest month average below −3 °C. These usually occur in the interiors of
continents, or on their east coasts, north of 40° North latitude. In the Southern
Hemisphere, this climate is extremely rare due to the smaller land masses in the middle
latitudes and the almost complete absence of land south of 40° South latitude, existing
only in some highland locations in New Zealand that have heavy winter snows.
Types of Polar climate:
1.Taiga Biome - Boreal Forest Climate (Dfc)
This is a continental climate with long, very cold winters, and short, cool summers. This
climate is found in the polar air mass region. Very cold air masses from the arctic often
move in. The temperature range is larger than any other climate. Precipitation increases
during summer months, although annual precipitation is still small.
Much of the boreal forest climate is considered humid. However, large areas in western
Canada and Siberia receive very little precipitation and fall into the sub humid or
semiarid climate type.

13. • Temperature Range: 41 °C (74 °F), lows; -25 °C (-14 °F), highs;16 °C (60 °F).
• Average Annual Precipitation: 31 cm (12 in).
• Latitude Range: 50° - 70° N and S.
• Global Position: central and western Alaska; Canada, from the Yukon
Territory to Labrador; Eurasia, from northern Europe across all of Siberia to
the Pacific Ocean.
2.Tundra Biome - Tundra Climate (E)
The tundra climate is found along arctic coastal areas. Polar and arctic air masses
dominate the tundra climate. The winter season is long and severe. A short, mild
season exists, but not a true summer season. Moderating ocean winds keep the
temperatures from being as severe as interior regions.
Also, the tundra is very cold all year and covers the tops of mountains, the northern
extremes of North America and Asia, and the southern coast of Greenland. Though
plant life may be numerous, it grows low to the ground and includes grasses and
shrubs. Animal populations, which expand and shrink radically depending on the
season.
• Temperature Range: -22 °C to 6 °C (-10 °F to 41 °F).
• Average Annual Precipitation: 20 cm (8 in).
• Latitude Range: 60° - 75° N.
• Global Position: arctic zone of North America; Hudson Bay region; Greenland
coast; northern Siberia bordering the Arctic Ocean.
3.Alpine Biome - Highland Climate (H)
Highland climates are cool to cold, found in mountains and high plateaus. Climates
change rapidly on mountains, becoming colder the higher the altitude gets. The climate
of a highland area is closely related to the climate of the surrounding biome. The
highlands have the same seasons and wet and dry periods as the biome they are in.
Mountain climates are very important to midlatitude biomes. They work as water storage
areas. Snow is kept back until spring and summer when it is released slowly as water
through melting.
• Temperature Range: -18 °C to 10 °C (-2 °F to 50°F)
• Average Annual Precipitation: 23 cm (9 in.)
• Latitude Range: found all over the world
• Global Position: Rocky Mountain Range in North America, the Andean mountain
range in South America, the Alps in Europe, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, the
Himalayans in Tibet, Mt. Fuji in Japan.

14. E. Continental Weather
These regions have warm to cool summers and very cold winters. In the winter, this
zone can experience snowstorms, strong winds, and very cold temperatures—
sometimes falling below -22°F (-30°C)!
The Continental Climate
Continentality is a measure of the degree to which the climate of a region typifies that of
the interior of a large landmass. Such regions usually experience hot summers and
colder winters, being far away from the moderating influence of the ocean, which keeps
climates milder in winter and cooler in summer. This is because soil and rock have a
much lower heat capacity than water, and therefore gain and lose heat much more
quickly. Continental climates are often found to be relatively dry. Most of the moisture
carried by air masses originating over ocean regions far away is lost as rainfall earlier in
its journey.
Regions of the Earth that have climates include Siberia and central Russia, and much of
North America. Siberia, Canada and the northern states of the US.
Air masses that originate from continental interiors sometimes influence continental
fringes that usually experience maritime climates. In the UK, continental polar air in
winter is very cold and temperatures associated with this air stream are usually well
below average. The air mass is basically very dry and stable but a track over the central
part of the North Sea supplies sufficient heat and moisture to cause showers, often in
the form of snow, over eastern England and Scotland. During summer, the airflow is
usually warmer, since even northern parts of Europe experience high temperatures
during this time of year.
The continental climates have an annual average temperature above 10 °C (50 °F) in
their warmest months, and a coldest month average below 0 °C (or −3 °C (27 °F), as
noted previously). These usually occur in the interiors of continents and on their upper
east coasts, normally north of 40°N. In the Southern Hemisphere, group D climates are
extremely rare due to the smaller land masses in the middle latitudes and the almost
complete absence of land at 40–60°S, existing only in some highland locations.
Mediterranean climate:
A Mediterranean climate shows mild winters and hot, dry summers, and includes the
land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, Southern South America and Southern
California. Plants are typically shrubby and less than three feet tall, populated by small,
nocturnal animals like geckos, snakes and rodents, which are hunted by raptors like
hawks.

15. This is roughly where those climate zones appear on a globe:
What does a map of climate zones really look like?
Distance to the equator is only one part of an area’s climate. Things like the movement
of the oceans and Earth’s tilt and rotation also affect how weather patterns move around
the globe.

16. How do weather satellites play a role?
Weather satellites mostly help with tracking conditions that are happening right now and
forecasting weather in the near future. However, they also collect information that helps
us monitor a region’s climate over time.
For example, satellites in the GOES-R series—short for Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellite-R—can monitor the sea surface temperature and the Gulf
Stream, a powerful current in the Atlantic Ocean. Both of these things can influence a
region’s climate.
In addition, the temperature of the land becomes cooler at night, and there are changes
in the amount of clouds. The GOES-R series satellites monitor cloudiness and land
surface temperature—information that helps scientists to understand how the
differences between day and night can affect a region’s climate.
Satellites in the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) can also provide information on
differences between day and night. For example, JPSS orbits Earth twice a day in
what’s called an afternoon orbit. As the satellite orbits from North Pole to South Pole, it
captures observations in the afternoon on one side of Earth and observations of the
early morning on the other side of the planet.
While JPSS orbits, the satellites provide global observations of many other variables
that influence climate such as atmospheric temperature and water vapor, snow and ice
cover, vegetation, sea and land surface temperature, precipitation and more. These add
important information to our records of regional differences in Earth’s climate.
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