KOPPEN’S CLIMATIC CLASSIFICATION

The Koppen climate classification is one of the most widely used systems for
classifying the world's climates. It was developed by German climatologist Wladimir
Koppen in the early 20th century and is based on the relationship between
temperature, precipitation, and vegetation.

The Koppen system divides climates into five main groups, each represented by a
capital letter:

• A: Tropical rainy climates – Here the average temperature of the coldest

month is 18°C or higher every month of the year and abundant rainfall. They
are further subdivided into three types based on the seasonality of
precipitation:
o Af: Tropical humid climate – Every month has 6cm of precipitation or
more, wet all season, evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year.
o Am: Tropical monsoon climate – Short dry season but sufficient annual
precipitation, precipitation in the driest month is less than 6cm.
o Aw: Tropical wet-and-dry climate – Winter dry season, high
temperature throughout the year, precipitation in driest month is less
than 6cm.
o As: Dry season rarely found.
The boundary between Aw and Am climate is demarcated on the basis of
annual precipitation and the precipitation of the driest month as per the
formula given below:
A = 3.94 - r/25 [ a=
precipitation of the driest month, r = annual precipitation]
If the precipitation of the driest month of a place is less than the value
of a, it will be Aw climate, and if it is more than the value of a, it will be Am
climate.

• B: Dry climate – Potential evaporation exceeds precipitation, precipitation not

sufficient to maintain permanent stable water table of groundwater. It can be
divided into 4 types on the basis of annual temperature:
o BWh: Dry desert climate – Tropical desert climate, mean annual
temperature more than 18°C
o BSh: Semi - arid or steppe climate – Tropical steppe climate. Mean
annual temperature more than 18°C
 o BWk: Mid latitude desert - middle latitude cold desert climate, mean
annual temperature below 18°C
o BSk: Mid latitude steppe - middle latitude cold steppe climate, mean
annual temperature below 18°C
The boundary between BW and BS climates is determined on the
basis of the following formula :
r = 0.4 4 t- 8.5/2 [where r
= annual precipitation (inches) t = temperature (°F)]
If the annual precipitation of a given place is more than the value
of r, the climate of that place will be BS but if it is less than r, the
climate will be BW.

• C: Humid mesothermal or warm temperate rainy climates - average

temperature of the coldest month above -3°C but below 18°C, precipitation in
all seasons. Based on seasonal distribution of precipitation have be divided in
to 3 climatic types:
o Cf (climate) : precipitation throughout the year, precipitation more than
1.2 inches in the driest month of summer season. This climate
represents Western Europe type of climate. This is further divided into
two second order sub-divisions e.g. Cfa (humid subtropical) and Cfb
(marine west coast type)
o Cw climate : dry winter, 10 times more precipitation in the wettest
month of summer season than the driest month of winter season. This
represents China type of climate.
o Ca climate : dry summers, three times more precipitation in the wettest
month of winter season than the driest month of summer season,
precipitation of the driest month of summer season less than 1.2
inches. This represents Mediterranean type of climate.
Koppen has identified further minor details in C climates and has
used a few explanatory small letters as given below :
a: warm summers, temperature of the warmest month above 22°C
(71.6°F).
b: cold winter, temperature of the warmest month below 22°C.
c: cold short summer season
• D: Humid microthermal or cold snow forest climates or humid cold climates -
temperature of the coldest month below-3°C (26.6°F) but of the warmest
month above 10°C (50°F), ground surface covered with snow for several
months of a year. This climate has been divided into three types
o Df Climate: humid cold climate, no dry season. This is further divided into (a)
Dfa (long warm summers, continental), (b) Dfb (long and cool summers), and
(c) Dfc (short and cool summer-subarctic).
o Dw Climate : humid cold climate, dry winters, further divided into (a) Dwa-
continental climate with long cool summer, (b) Dwb-cool short summer (sub-
arctic type), and (c) Dwc-cold winters,
d = temperature of the coldest month -38°C or below-38°C, f, a, w, b, c as
explained above.

• E: Polar climates - These climates are extremely cold year-round, with

average temperatures below 0°C (32°F). They are divided into two types:
o ET: Tundra climate - Permanently frozen subsoil (permafrost) with a
short, cool summer and long, temperature of the warmest month below
10°C but above 0°C.
o EF: Ice cap climate - Covered in permanent ice and snow with very low
temperatures year-round, temperature in all months below 0°C.