Africa Climate

Africa Climate

The classification of climate zones is based on a model created by W. Lauer and P. Frankenberg in 1985. The criteria for classification refer to the natural vegetation. The basic principle for the definition of climate zones is the inclusion of solar-climatical conditions of irradiation and illumination. The borderline of the tropics is defined by the fluctuation of temperature: the border is located where the temperature variation between summer and winter (annual amplitude) is larger than the variation between day and night (diurnal amplitude). Tropical climates are consequently diurnal climates, whereas ectropical climates are annual climates.

According to that climatic classification, the earth can be divided roughly into four climatic zones, defined by the sun irradiation. These zones are subclassified into climatic regions based on their thermal properties. The classification of aridity and humidity derives from the number of humid months. A month is defined as humid when the average amount of precipitation is higher than the evaporation.

CLIMATE ZONES:
A -tropical
B -subtropical
C -temperate (moderately warm = I and cold = II)
D -polar regions

SUBCLASSIFICATION OF THE TROPICS:
1 -cold tropical
2 -warm tropical

SUBCLASSIFICATION OF OTHER CLASSES
1 -high-continental
2 -continental
3 -maritime

WATER HOUSEHOLD:
a -arid (0-2 rainy months)
sa -semi-arid (3-5 rainy months)
sh -semi-humid (6-9 rainy months)
h -humid (10-12 rainy months).
Source:

Africa - Categories of Maps

Political Map	Physical Map	Thematic Map	Historical Map
Satellite Map	Road Map

Africa Climate - Related Maps

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Africa climate zones	Africa Climate	Climate zones of the world
Climate change impacts for agriculture in Africa	Climate change vulnerability in Africa	Africa climate, temperature and rainfall
Biomes of Africa	Solar irradiation of Africa	Africa Moisture Regime
Desertification in Africa	Africa mean annual rainfall in mm	Water stress index in Africa