Climate Classification

Pallavi Murugesh Prabhu

 Thornthwaite climate classification
(1933)
• C. W Thornthwaite – American Climatologist
• Published his book “Climatic Maps” for North America in 1931
• 1933- extended to world climate
• 1948- revised edition – Classification of world climate
• This is more complex classification and is based on Empirical data
• Precipitation index - gives an idea of available water for the growth of vegetation
• It’s a ratio of P/E where P – Precipitation and E – Evaporation (1933)
• Temperature index – positive departure of monthly mean temperature from freezing point
(T-E index)
• Considered Natural vegetation of a region – indication of the climate of that region (like
Koeppen).
• Also considered evaporation (along with temperature and precipitation)
• Used 2 factors Precipitation effectiveness and Temperature effectiveness - For delimiting
boundaries of different climatic regions
Thornthwaite climate classification
(1948)
 Thornthwaite climate classification
• On basis of Precipitation effectiveness, ratio P/E calculated amount of water available for
vegetation ----- identified 5 Humidity zones
Humidity Zone Vegetation P/E index
A – Wet or Perhumid Rainforest 127
B – Humid Forest 64-127
C – Subhumid Grassland 32-63
D – Semi arid Steppe 16-31
E – Arid Dessert <16
• Unlike Koeppen gave importance to temperature, Thornthwaite gave importance to Humidity.
• On basis of T-E index (t-32)/4 where t is the mean monthly temperature in °C
Temperature Province T-E index
A’ Tropical 127
B’ Mesothermal 64-127
C’ Microthermal 32-63
D’ Taiga 16-31
E’ Tundra 1-15
F’ Frost 0
Thornthwaite climate classification
 Thornthwaite climate classification
• Critisism of 1931 Climate classification:
• Thronthwaite devised a complex and empirical classification which was very
close to Koppen classification
• In reality- climate boundaries is quantitatively not so strong eg – Temperature,
boundary line for a particular temperature is difficult to plot
• Did classification on basis of Temp. effectiveness and Precip. effectiveness, and
further subdivided into precip. seasonal distribution which was more complex to
understand.
• Vegetation, soil and drainage patterns were ignored
• On the basis of precip. efficiency, temp efficiency and seasonal rainfall
distribution – probable 120 combination, but practically only 32 climate types on
world map
 Thornthwaite climate classification
1948
• Instead vegetation (1931), used Potential Evapotranspiration (PE) as
indicator of climate of a region
• PE – ability of atmosphere to remove water, constitutes Evaporation of
liquid, Transpiration from plant leaves
• Represents amount of transfer of both moisture and heat to the
atmosphere from soil and vegetation
• Function of energy received from the Sun --- more Insolation
• Index of Thermal efficiency depends on factors like Sunshine,
Temperature, Humidity and wind speed
 Thornthwaite climate classification
1948
•
 Thornthwaite climate classification
1948
Moisture Index Humid Province Thermal Efficiency Index Thermal Province
> 100 Perhumid A > 114 Megathermal A’
20-100 Humid B (B1-B4) 57-114 Mesothermal B’
0-20 Moist Subhumid C2 28.5-57 Microthermal C’
-33-0 C1
-67 –(-34) Semi Arid D 14.2-28.5 Tundra D’
(-100)-(-6) Arid E < 14.2 Dry Frost E’

Hence Moisture Index ----- 9 Humidity index

 Thornthwaite climate classification
1948
Pros

1. Help find water availability of any region

2. Soil moisture quantification further helped agriculture patterns, crop combination, land
management , soil moisture conservation etc.
3. Used by ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) and NBSSLUP (National
Bureau of Soil Survey And Land Use Planning)

Cons

1. Difficult to map province, too much calculations

2. Most applicability (North America) --- not entire World
3. Quantitative in nature – based on PE – moisture index – other factors not considered
 Thornthwaite climate classification
Similarities Koppen and Thornthwaite
1948
1. Both used Letters
2. Focus on Vegetation classification
3. Empirical basis of classification
4. Considered Rainfall and Temperature – basic element of Climate

Differences
Koppen Thornthwaite
Use direct indicators Used indirect indicators
- temp & precip - evaporation and transpiration
Used absolute values in climate Used derived values in climate Classification
classification – temp, precip - Thermal and precip. Effectiveness
Cimate Region (A,B,C,D,E,H) Climate region much well define (subclassify)
eg – Humid (B1, B2, B3, B4)
Considered Altitude Not considered Altitude
 Penman climate classification
1948
• The Penman equation describes evaporation (E) from an open water surface, and
was developed by Howard Penman in 1948.
• Penman's equation requires daily mean temperature, wind speed, air pressure,
and solar radiation to predict E.
• Numerous variations of the Penman equation are used to
estimate evaporation from water, and land. Specifically the Penman–Monteith
equation refines weather based potential evapotranspiration (PET) estimates of
vegetated land areas. It is widely regarded as one of the most accurate models, in
terms of estimates.
• The original equation was developed by Howard Penman at the Rothamsted
Experimental Station, Harpenden, UK.
• The equation for evaporation given by Penman is:
Penman climate classification
1948
 Trewartha climate classification
1966
• The Trewartha climate classification was first published by American geographer Glenn Thomas Trewartha in 1966.
• It is a modified version of the Köppen–Geiger system, created to answer some of its deficiencies. The Trewartha system
attempts to redefine the middle latitudes to be closer to vegetation zoning and genetic climate systems.
• It was considered a more true or "real world" reflection of the global climate.
• The changes were seen as most effective on the large landmasses in Asia and North America, where many areas fall into
a single group (C) Mild Mid-Lattidue, in the Köppen–Geiger system.
• For example, under the standard Köppen system, Washington and Oregon are classed into the same climate zone (Csb) as
parts of Southern California, even though the two regions have strikingly different weather and vegetation. Another
example was classifying cities like London in the same climate group (C) as Brisbane or New Orleans, despite great
differences in seasonal temperatures and native plant life.
• Trewartha's modifications to the 1899 Köppen climate system sought to reclass the middle latitudes into three groups:
• C (subtropical)—8 or more months have a mean temperature of 10 °C (50 °F) or higher;
• D temperate—4 to 7 months have a mean temperature of 10 °C or higher; and
• E boreal climate 1 to 3 months have a mean temperature of 10 °C or higher.
• Otherwise, the tropical climates and polar climates remained the same as the original Köppen climate classification.
Trewartha climate classification
1966
 Trewartha climate classification
• Universal Thermal Scale 1966
• An option exists to include information on both the warmest and coldest months for every climate by adding a
third and fourth letter, respectively. The letters used conform to the following scale:
i — severely hot: Mean monthly temperature ≥35 °C (95 °F) or higher
h — very hot: 28 to 34.9 °C (82.4 to 94.8 °F)
a — hot: 22.2 to 27.9 °C (72.0 to 82.2 °F)
b — warm: 18 to 22.1 °C (64.4 to 71.8 °F)
l — mild: 10 to 17.9 °C (50.0 to 64.2 °F)
k — cool: 0.1 to 9.9 °C (32.2 to 49.8 °F)
o — cold: −9.9 to 0 °C (14.2 to 32.0 °F)
c — very cold: −24.9 to −10 °C (−12.8 to 14.0 °F)
d — severely cold: −39.9 to −25 °C (−39.8 to −13.0 °F)
e — excessively cold: −40 °C (−40 °F) or below.

• Examples of the resulting designations include BWil for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; BWhl for Aswan,
Egypt; Awha for Surabaya, Indonesia; Cfak for Tokyo; Csll for San Francisco, California; Cfhk for Dallas, Texas,
U.S.; Dobk for London; Ecle for Oymyakon, Russia; Ecbd for Yakutsk, Russia; Ftkd for Utqiagvik, Alaska,
U.S.; Cfbl for Melbourne, Australia; Ambb for Mérida,
Mérida, Venezuela; Ftkk for Ushuaia, Argentina; Dcbo for Klagenfurt, Austria; Cflk for Nelson, New
Zealand; BSbc for Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; BSaa for Patos, Brazil; BWho for Turpan, China; BWih for Dallol,
Ethiopia; and Fide for Vostok Station in Antarctica.