https://sites.google.

com/site/climatetypes/
https://sites.google.com/site/climatetypes/tropical-wet

Tropical Wet Climate Type

(all measurement in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)

Where is it Usually Located?

Tropical Wet is only found along the equator, usually within 25 degrees of the equator. Large areas of Tropical Wet are found in Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

What Seasons Does it Have?

Seasons don't change in Tropical Wet, so there is only 1 season.

What are the Temperatures like?

Temperatures stay the same throughout most of the year. The average temperature is about 80 degrees. The temperatures feel hotter because the humidity is usually very high. Daytime temperatures rarely go over 93 degrees, and nighttime temperatures rarely go below 68 degrees.

How Much Precipitation Does it Receive?

Tropical Wet gets it name from the regular rainfall it receives throughout the year. It sometimes rains every day--usually in the morning or early afternoon. Many areas of Tropical Wet receive over 100 inches of rain per year, although some receive nearly 300 inches per year.

What Kinds of Vegetation (Plants) Does it Have?

The constant rain and direct sunlight allow tropical rainforests to develop. This is the only climate that can support true tropical rainforests. Tropical Rainforests only cover 6% of the Earth's surface, yet they produce 40% of the oxygen and support nearly half of all plant and animal species known to Earth. These forests are so packed full of trees they top layer often blocks all sunlight from reaching the forest floor. The picture below shows the layers of a tropical rainforest.

Tropical Wet and Dry Climate Type

(all measurement in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)

Where is it Usually Located?

Tropical Wet/Dry is found near the equator, usually on the outer edges of Tropical Wet climate areas. The largest areas of Tropical Wet/Dry are found in Africa, Brazil, and India.

What Seasons Does it Have?

There are only 2 seasons: wet season (summer) and dry season (winter).

What are the Temperatures like?

During the summer (wet) season, temperatures average about 77 degrees. During the winter (dry) season, temperatures average about 68 degrees. The slight difference in temperature is enough to change the wind patterns and keep this area dry for much of the year, until the rainy season begins.

How Much Precipitation Does it Receive?

The change in precipitation is what gives this climate type is name. Precipitation only falls during the summer months, usually from May-August with June and July having the heaviest rain. The whole dry season usually has less than 4 inches of rain. During the wet season, over 25 inches will fall. Some areas of Tropical Wet and Dry in the path of monsoon winds can receive incredible amounts of rain. Cherepunji, India once received over 1,000 inches of rain in a year! Northern Madagascar has the record for rain in 24 hours--71 inches! Mawsynram, India is known as the "wettest place on earth" because they average 467 inches of rain per year. These incredible rainfall records are due to seasonal winds called monsoon, which bring dangerous amounts of rain.

Monsoon Areas

What Kinds of Vegetation (Plants) Does it Have?

The lack of regular rainfall prevents most trees from surviving in Tropical Wet and Dry. So, the most common vegetation are types grasses and shrubs with an few scattered trees. The large grasslands are often called Savannas.

Humid Subtropical Climate Type

(all measurement in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)

Where is it Usually Located?

The humid subtropical climate is found on the east coast of continents between 20o and 40o N and S latitude. The southeast United States is a good example of this climate. Florida has a Humid Subtropical climate.

What Seasons Does it Have?

Because temperatures usually stay high (above 70) and most plants are evergreen (stay green all year), there are really only 2 seasons here: summer and winter.

What are the Temperatures like?

Humid Subtropical climate is known for hot humid summers and mild winters. During the summer the average temperature is between 70 and 80 degrees. The coldest month usually averages 45-50 degrees.

How Much Precipitation Does it Receive?

Most Humid Subtropical areas receive about 48 inches of rain each year. The rain falls throughout the year. The high humidity in this region makes summer temperatures feel even hotter. Humid Subtropical areas usually experience strong storms such as tornadoes and hurricanes.

What Kinds of Vegetation (Plants) Does it Have?

The natural vegetation found in Subtropical areas are mainly evergreen trees, bushes, and shrubs. Many broad-leaf evergreens such as palms and ferns are found here. Many plants can be farmed here since the growing season is sometimes 8 months long.

Mediterranean Climate Type

(all measurement in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)

Where is it Usually Located?

Mediterranean Climate is found between the 30 and 45 degree latitudes. This climate is often found on the western sides of continents. Mediterranean climate gets its name from the climate around the Mediterranean Sea.

What Seasons Does it Have?

Mediterranean climate is very mild (few extreme temperatures), so it really on has 2 seasons: summer and winter.

What are the Temperatures like?

The climate is known for warm to hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters. Winter temperatures are usually between 30 and 65 degrees. Summer months all average above 50 degrees. The warmest month averages about 72 degrees.

How Much Precipitation Does it Receive?

Mediterranean climate is a fairly dry climate. Almost no rain falls during the summer, so most of the rain falls during the cooler winter. Snow can fall in higher elevation areas or places that are farther north. Mediterranean climates receive around 20 inches of annual (yearly) rainfall.

What Kinds of Vegetation (Plants) Does it Have?

Plants in Mediterranean climate must be able to survive long dry summers. Evergreeens such as Pine and Cypress trees are mixed with deciduous tress such as some Oaks. Fruit trees and vines such as grapes, figs, olives, and citrus fruits grow well here. Other plants include what are called "scrub", which include small shrubs, grasses, and herbs.

What Kind of Animals Does it Usually Have?

In order to survive here, animals must be able to live in rugged land and not depend too much on large areas of grass to graze. The natural wildlife found here include goats, sheep, and horses. Rabbits, jackels, and lynx can also be found here.

Marine West Coast Climate Type

(all measurement in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)

Where is it Usually Located?

Marine (Humid) West Coast is usually located along the west coast of mid-latitude continents. Marine West Coast is influenced by the presence of mountains. This is why it covers more land of Europe than it does in North America--North America's mountains block the humid air from moving farther inland.

What Seasons Does it Have?

The range of temperatures is fairly small compared to other climate types--this means the temperatures don't have major differences during different seasons (our climate has major differences=large range of temps). For this reason Marine West Coast really has on 2 seasons. Summer and Winter.

What are the Temperatures like?

This is a very mild climate, with few extremes in temperature. The coldest month rarely averages lower than 30 degrees and the warmest month averages about 72 degrees. The ocean keeps the air over the land cool in summer and warm in the winter. This creates a mild, but wet climate.

How Much Precipitation Does it Receive?

The amount of precipitation is different in different parts of of this climate region. Some areas of Marine West Coast only get 30 inches of rain while others can receive as much as 98 inches! In some places it rains 150 days out of 365!

What Kinds of Vegetation (Plants) Does it Have?

Usually, Marine West Coast climate areas receive regular rain that supports thick forests and a wide variety of plant life including evergreen trees (conifers) such as spruce, cedar, pine, redwood. Many species of ferns and grasses aslo grow in this area. North America's Redwood trees (Sequoia) are the tallest trees in the world. (See below)

Humid Continental Climate Type

(all measurement in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)

Where is it Usually Located?

Humid Continental climate is found between the 30 and 60 degree latitude lines, usually above the 40 degree line. This climate is mainly found in the Northern Hemisphere since there are no major landmasses in the Southern Hemisphere. If you live in Indiana, you know all about Humid Continental because that is the climate type you have!

What Seasons Does it Have?

Humid Continental climate is one of the few climates with 4 different season.

What are the Temperatures like?

Similar to Subarctic climate, Humid Continental has a wide range of temperatures. Summer month temperatures average about 71 degrees and winter months usually average 25 degrees. However, summer days can reach over 100 and winter months often reach below zero, which is produces a 100 degree temperature range.

How Much Precipitation Does it Receive?

Humid Continental climate is what the name suggests--humid. Between 20 and 50 inches of rain falls in this climate zone.

What Kinds of Vegetation (Plants) Does it Have?

A wide variety of plants are found in this region. Evergreen (confier) forests are found in the north and mixed with deciduous forests (lose leaves) as you move south. Most grasses and shrubs survive here. This climate is excellent for farming since it has warm summers and plenty of rainfall.

Subarctic Climate Type

(all measurement in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)

Where is it Usually Located?

Subarctic climate is usually found in the interior of high latitude continents usually between 50 and 70 degrees latitude. Since there are no large continents in high latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, Subarctic climate is only found in the Northern Hemisphere.

What Seasons Does it Have?

Subarctic climate has 2 seasons. The winter is much longer and extremely cold, with the cool to mild summer lasting only 2-3 months. The summer is sometimes only 1 month long.

What are the Temperatures like?

Since it is found away from the coast (interior), the ocean water doesn't help to warm the land in the winter. Temperatures can reach -40 degrees in the winter and be as high as 85 degrees in the summer--which is the widest range of temperatures of any climate.

How Much Precipitation Does it Receive?

There is very little evaporation because of the cold temperatures, so very little precipitation falls here. Between 10 and 20 inches of rain falls in Subarctic areas. Most of the rain falls in the summer, when evaporation levels are higher.

What Kinds of Vegetation (Plants) Does it Have?

Not all trees are able to survive the long winters, but evergreen trees (conifers) such as pine and spruce can be found here. The forests of Subarctic climate are often called the Taiga. Other ferns, shrubs and grasses can be found during summer months.

Arid Climate Type

(all measurement in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)

Where is it Usually Located?

Nearly 33% of the Earth's land is covered in arid (dry) desert. Many deserts are usually found around the 30 degree latitude line (north and south of the equator). Other Arid areas exist in the center of continents or in the rain shadow of large mountain ranges. The two colors on the map represent warm and cold Arid climates.

What Seasons Does it Have?

Most Arid areas do not have regular seasons. However, some places do have changes in temperature depending on the latitude and the surrounding climates. So, since there are temperature differences, we can say there are 2 seasons, summer and winter.

What are the Temperatures like?

Temperatures can reach as high as 130 degrees or as low as negative 30 degrees. The temperatures will depend on the latitude of the desert. The farther from the equator the colder they will be.

How Much Precipitation Does it Receive?

Precipitation (or the lack of) is the main factor that defines Arid climate. To have an Arid climate, an area must receive less than 10 inches of rain per year. However, many areas of arid climate receive far less than that. Some deserts around the world don't receive 10 inches of rain in 10 years! The Atacama Desert in Chile is known as the driest place on Earth. Its averages 0.04 inches of rain each year. (pictured below)

Semiarid Climate Type

(all measurement in Fahrenheit and inches... sorry rest of the world)

Where is it Usually Located?

Semiarid climate is always found on the outer edge of Arid climate areas. Think of Semiarid as a transition climate between Arid places and humid places. These areas can be very dangerous. They sometimes receive enough rain to support some farming, after a few years the area could experience a long drought (no rain) and people can starve. An example of this would be the Sahel in Sub-Saharan Africa.

What Seasons Does it Have?

The seasonal changes depend on the latitude, but it is safe to say most places experience a summer and winter. Usually the winter produces more rain.

What are the Temperatures like?

The temperatures in Semiarid climate depend on the latitude. They will follow the same temperature patterns as the surrounding area.

How Much Precipitation Does it Receive?

Since Semiarid climates are found surrounding Arid climates, its no surprise they are dry areas. An area is considered semiarid if it AVERAGES between 10-20 inches of rain annually (yearly). Some years these places may get 20-40 inches of rain, but sometimes 510--this is why they are semi-arid and dangerous for human settlement.

http://www.yc.edu/v4content/academics/divisions/career-and-technical-education/rbt/

http://www.sustainable-buildings.org/wiki/index.php/Climatic_Zones_of_India

Climatic Zones of India

Introduction
Regions having similar characteristic features of climate are grouped under one climatic zone. According to a recent code of Bureau of Indian Standards, the country may be divided into five major climatic zones: Hot & Dry (mean monthly temperature >30 and relative humidity <55%); Warm & Humid (mean monthly temperature >25-30 and relative humidity >55-75%); Temperate (mean monthly temperature 25-30 and relative humidity <75%); Cold (mean monthly temperature <25 and relative humidity all values); Composite (This applies, when six months or more do not fall within any of the other categories).

Brief Description
Buildings in different climatic zones require different passive features to make structures energyefficient. Some features that can be adopted in particular zones are listed below. Hot and dry The hot and dry zone lies in the western and the central part of India; Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Sholapur are some of the towns that experience this type of climate. In such a climate, it is imperative to control solar radiation and movement of hot winds. The design criteria should therefore aim at resisting heat gain by providing shading, reducing exposed area, controlling and scheduling ventilation, and increasing thermal capacity. The presence of water bodies is desirable as they can help increase the humidity, thereby leading to lower air temperatures. The ground and surrounding objects emit a lot of heat in the afternoons and evenings. As far as possible, this heat should be avoided by appropriate design features. Some of the design features for buildings in this climate are: Appropriate orientation and shape of building Insulation of building envelope Massive structure Air locks, lobbies, balconies, and verandahs Weather stripping and scheduling air changes

 External surfaces protected by overhangs, fins, and trees Pale colours and glazed china mosaic tiles Windows and exhausts Courtyards, wind towers, and arrangement of openings Trees, ponds, and evaporative cooling

Warm and humid The warm and humid zone covers the coastal parts of the country, such as Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The main design criteria in the warm and humid region are to reduce heat gain by providing shading, and promote heat loss by maximizing cross ventilation. Dissipation of humidity is also essential to reduce discomfort. Some of the design features for buildings in this climate are: Appropriate orientation and shape of building Roof insulation and wall insulation Reflective surface of roof Balconies and verandahs Walls glass surface protected by overhangs, fins, and trees Pale colours and glazed china mosaic tiles Windows and exhausts Ventilated roof construction, courtyards, wind towers, and arrangement of openings Dehumidifiers and desiccant cooling

Moderate Pune and Bangalore are examples of cities that fall under this climatic zone. The design criteria in the moderate zone are to reduce heat gain by providing shading, and to promote heat loss by ventilation. Some of the design features for buildings in this climate are: Appropriate orientation and shape of building Roof insulation and east and west wall insulation Walls facing east and west, glass surface protected by overhangs, fins, and trees Pale colours and glazed china mosaic tiles

 Windows and exhausts Courtyards and arrangement of openings

Cold Generally, the northern part of India experiences this type of climate. the design criteria are to resist heat loss by insulation and controlling infiltration. Simultaneously, heat gain needs to be promoted by admitting and trapping solar radiation within the living space. Some of the design features for buildings in this climate are: Appropriate orientation and shape of building Use of trees as wind barriers Roof insulation, wall insulation, and double glazing Thicker walls Air locks and lobbies Weather stripping Darker colours Sun spaces, greenhouses and trombe walls

Composite The composite zone covers the central part of India, such as New Delhi, Kanpur and Allahabad. The design criteria are more or less the same as for hot and dry climate except that maximizing cross ventilation is desirable in the monsoon period. Some of the design features for buildings in this climate are: Appropriate orientation and shape of building Use of trees as wind barriers Roof insulation and wall insulation Thicker walls Air locks and balconies Weather stripping Walls, glass surfaces protected by overhangs, fins, and trees Pale colours and glazed china mosaic tiles

 Exhausts Courtyards, wind towers, and arrangement of openings Trees and ponds for evaporative cooling Dehumidifiers and desiccant cooling

http://ncict.net/Explore/ModerateClimate.aspx

Moderate Climate
In regions with a moderate climate, prevalent temperatures are neither too high nor too low. Techniques such as shading, cross ventilation, orientation, reflective glazing, etc. need to be incorporated into buildings so as to maximise their energy efficiency. The thermal resistance and heat capacity of walls and roofs need not be very high as the prevalent temperatures are generally within human comfort levels.

The main objectives while designing buildings in this zone should be: (A) Resisting heat gain To resist heat gain the measures that can be adopted are:

(a) The exposed surface area of the building be reduced. (b) Using materials that absorb heat slowly. (c) Adequately shading the building. (B) Promoting heat loss Heat (a) loss Proper can ventilation be of promoted appliances through used.

(b) Increasing the rate of ventilation in the building. In this region, the general recommendations are:

(1) Site
(a) Landform

Building the structure on the windward slopes is preferable for getting cool breeze

Source: Handbook on Energy Conscious Buildings (b) Open spaces and built form

An open and free layout of the buildings is preferred. Large open spaces in the form of lawns can be provided to reduce reflected radiation.

(2) Orientation and Planform

It is preferable to have a building oriented in the north-south direction. Living areas like bedrooms may be located on the eastern side to allow for heat

penetration in the mornings, and an open porch on the south south east side allows heat gain in the winters while providing for shade in the summers. The western side should ideally be wellshaded.

Humidity producing areas must be isolated. Sunlight is desirable except in summer, so the depth of the interiors need not be

excessive.

(3) Building Envelope

(a) Roof

Insulating the roof does not make much of a difference in the moderate climate.

(b) Walls

Insulation of walls does not give significant improvement in the thermal performance of a

building. (c) Fenestration

The arrangement of windows is important for reducing heat gain. Windows can be larger in the north, while those on the east, west and south should be All the windows should be shaded with chajjas of appropriate lengths. Glazing of low transmissivity should be used.

smaller.

(d) Colour and texture

Pale colours are preferable; dark colours may be used only in recessed places protected

from the summer sun.

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