The Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification System

In this reference work, I cover the basics on every climate zone within the world's most established climate classification system, the Koppen-Geiger. Evolved over 150 years by Wladimir Koppen and refined by Rudolf Geiger, this system is composed of five basic regions:

A - Tropical (Hot Year Round with Rain Year round or part year)
B - Dry (Low rainfall year round in Subtropical and Continental areas)
C - Temperate (Moderate temperatures with mixed rainfall patterns in the mid-latiitudes)
D - Continental (More extreme temperature ranges in continental interiors in the mid to high latitudes)
E - Polar (Very cold regions in the poles of our planet)

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🕐CHAPTERS🕖
👉0:00 Introduction
👉1:32 Broad categories (ABCDE)
👉2:49 Explanation of codes
👉3:35 Af - Tropical Rainforest
👉3:56 Am - Tropical Monsoon
👉4:14 Aw - Tropical Savannah
👉4:41 BWh - Hot Desert
👉4:59 BSh - Hot Semi-Arid
👉5:12 BWk - Cool Desert
👉5:32 BSk - Cool Semi-Arid
👉5:47 Cfa - Humid Subtropical
👉6:20 Cwa - Subtropical Monsoon
👉6:37 Csa - Hot Summer Mediterranean
👉6:59 Csb - Warm Summer Mediterranean
👉7:23 Cwb/Cwc - Subtropical Highland
👉7:47 Cfb - Ocean (& Subtropical Highland)
👉8:33 Cfc - Subpolar Oceanic
👉8:45 Dfa/Dfb - Humid Continental
👉9:19 Dwa/Dwb - Continental Monsoon
👉9:31 Dsa/Dsb - Continental Dry Summer
👉9:44 Dfc/Dfd - Subarctic
👉10:08 Dwc/Dwd - Subarctic Monsoon
👉10:19 Dsc/Dsd - Subarctic Dry Summer
👉10:27 ET - Tundra
👉10:54 EF - Icecap
👉11:09 Outro

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📷📹🎥 VIDEO & PHOTO CREDITS ❤️❤️❤️
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Spanish CC Translation: Richard Torres

Narrated, Written and Produced by
B.J.Ranson

[ShayminLover]

Here's some info about how to class an area's climate.

There are two isotherms used to separate temperate climates (Group C) from continental and subarctic climates (Group D): 0°C and -3°C.
0°C is the freezing point of water, and indicates the maximum temperature at which frost can influence the climate.
-3°C corresponds with the equatorward limit at which frost and snow cover would last for a month or more.
I prefer to use the -3°C isotherm, but you can always say what isotherm you prefer to use.

To calculate dry climates (Group B), what you do is that you multiply the average annual temperature in Celsius by 20, and then add...
280 if more than 70% of the annual rainfall occurs in the summer months (April to September in the Northern Hemisphere, October to March in the Southern Hemisphere),
140 if 30-70% of the annual rainfall occurs in the summer months, or
0 if less than 30% of the annual rainfall occurs in the summer months.
If the total annual rainfall is within 50-100% that of the threshold (the product from the calculation above), it is classed as a semi-arid climate (BSh and BSk)
If the total annual rainfall is less than 50% that of the threshold, it is classed as a desert climate (BWh and BWk)
If the total annual rainfall is over 100% that of the threshold, it's not classed under Group B.
The third letter indicates the temperature. The letter used is based on wether or not the average annual temperature is above or below 18°C. H is used if the average annual temperature stands at or above 18°C, while K is used if the average annual temperature stands below 18°C

For tropical climates (Group A), their classification is based on the amount of rainfall in certain times of the year.
If every month has at least 60 mm of rainfall it is classed as a tropical rainforest climate (Af)
If the driest month (usually that of the winter solstice in that hemisphere) has less than 60 mm of rainfall, but accounts for over 4% of the total annual rainfall, it is classed as a tropical monsoon climate (Am)
If the driest month has less than 60 mm of rainfall and accounts for less than 4% of total annual rainfall, it is classed as a tropical savannah climate (Aw)

For groups C and D, the second letter indicates whether or not there's a dry period somewhere in the year.
F means there's no dry season, meaning that there's little difference in rainfall.
W indicates a monsoon-influenced climate, where the dry season is in the winter. In order to be classified as such, there has to be 10x as much rainfall in the wettest month of summer as that of the driest month of winter.
S indicates a Mediterranean-influenced climate where the dry season is in the summer. In order to be classified as such, there has to be 3x as much rainfall in the wettest month of winter as that of the driest month of summer, and the driest month of summer has to have less than 30 mm of precipitation.
The third letter indicates the temperature
A indicates that the warmest month has an average temperature of 22°C or higher.
A and B indicate that at least 4 months of the year have an average temperature of above 10°C
C indicates that 1-3 months have an average temperature of above 10°C
D is only used for Group D, and it indicates that the coldest month has an average temperature of -38°C or lower, while at least one month has an average temperature of above 10°C. These types of extreme subarctic climates (Dfd, Dwd, and Dsd) are only found in Eastern Siberia.

Climates in Group E indicate that all 12 months of the year have average temperatures of below 10°C. In Group E, rainfall is irrelevant.
ET (tundra) indicates that at least one month has an average temperature of above 0°C
EF (ice cap) indicates an eternal winter, where all 12 months of the year have average temperatures of below 0°C

I hope this information is useful to you

[kevinbwtauer]

Geography isn't even my area, but I am very much into it, climates fascinate me and make me have an idea of how complex the world is, your video is a gem, thanks

[vilhelmiinav]

I'm trying to get into university to study geography and your high quality videos help me tremendously with preparing for the entrance exams, thanks!

[hiqwerty]

One thing that I found out that’s weird about geography, is that the hot summer Humid Continental can have a hotter summer than the hot summer Mediterranean.

[jbrian]

As a climatology/meteorology nerd, I’m very very VERY appreciated the existence of your YouTube channel Glad I find out by searching related keyword on google today. Thank you so much for taking time to make an effort to create a neat video. Hoping to see more of contents regularly.

[stllarmemer]

All those climate data websites listing Toronto as Dfb *need* to update it to Dfa. While in the past Toronto had warm sub 22c median summers, it most definitely has a hot summer now. Toronto’s climate is also much more similar to Chicago or Sapporo (which also needs to be reclassified to Dfa) than Moscow or Calgary.

That’s one of the things I like about this channel. You use up-to-date data and classifications that most people would agree on.

[TheRealGovika]

I LOVE learning this sort of thing. I started glancing through Koppen climate a couple years ago but now it's hitting me again. I love these weather and biome classifications, I think they bring in lots of useful insight into further creative works.

[ajaydhaka]

Yes indeed.. great quality content.. will help you by sharing it.

[orvenpamonag]

Philippines has 4 climate types; Aw, af, am and Cwb(high altitude areas)

[thephoenix]

My favourite climate to live in would be Csb which is Seattle and Vancouver.

[orngpeelr]

such an incredibly well-produced video! this was super interesting and helpful too

[seamoredick]

Very interesting video. A lovely way to remind me of everything you taught us in the first series. Truly cannot wait for the Climate Casebook.

I must say, having watched all your videos, I think that the Cwb Sub-tropical Highland would be the most suitable place for me to live. Never too hot, never too cold and never too dry. I've always wanted to visit Lesotho and the Drakensburg for that very reason.

[Cylindropuntia]

This Chanel should have way more subscribers.

[BMFAWAD]

This is SUCH a great video!! How does this not have more views?!? Thank you for this!

[PremierCCGuyMMXVI]

This was interesting, I’m really into Earth sciences such as climate science, meteorology, geology, ecology, etc. so this was cool thank you. I live in New Jersey so we are on the edge of a Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa) 5:47 and a Humid Continental Climate with Hot Summers (Dfa) 8:46

[bungumsays]

High Quality Content, deserves much more views!

[barkofink]

Between Cfa and Csa is probably the best climate ever to live.

[AaronGeo]

Petition for YT to stop shoehorning this climate change context tab in every video talking about climate

[PeterSwinkels]

Csb doesn't always lie above Csa. It always lies further away from the equator/closer to the poles.

[shiladityachowdhury]

The A category weather is really unsuitable for people suffering from excessive
I hv that condition...and i hate every minute of the weather here...