(a) (i) Name any three of Koppen's major climatic groups (ii) What is the basis of this type of classification? (b) Name any two types of climate within Kop...

Answer Details

(a)(i) Three of Koppen's major climatic groups:

• Group A - Tropical rainy climates (hot, no cool season, every month above \(18^\circ C\)).
• Group B - Dry climates (evaporation exceeds precipitation; deserts and steppes).
• Group C - Warm temperate (mild) rainy climates (mild winters).
• (Others: Group D - Cold temperate/continental climates; Group E - Polar/ice climates.)

(a)(ii) Basis of the classification:

Koppen based his classification mainly on temperature and rainfall (precipitation) values and their seasonal distribution, using the limits of temperature and rainfall that correspond to particular types of natural vegetation. In other words, climate is defined by measurable temperature and rainfall figures which match recognisable vegetation zones.

(b) Two types of climate within Koppen's first group (Group A - Tropical) and their unique features:

• Af - Tropical rain-forest (equatorial) climate: it is hot all year (every month above \(18^\circ C\)) with heavy rainfall in every month (the driest month still has more than about \(60\ mm\)); there is no dry season, giving continuous dense evergreen rain-forest.
• Aw - Tropical savanna (wet-and-dry) climate: it is also hot all year but has a distinct dry season in the low-sun (winter) period and a wet season in the high-sun period; the marked dry season gives grassland with scattered trees (savanna).
• (A third, Am - Tropical monsoon, has a short dry season followed by very heavy monsoon rains.)