Climatic zones and conditions

Section 1What a climatic zone is

A climatic zone is a large region of the Earth that shares similar long-term weather patterns. Each zone has its own temperature range, rainfall pattern, and seasons. Climate is the LONG-TERM average, not what happened yesterday.

Section 2Why latitude matters most

The closer you are to the equator (0° latitude), the more directly the Sun's rays hit. Direct rays = more heat per square metre = hotter climate. Further from the equator, the rays hit at a shallower angle and spread out over more ground, so it's cooler. This is the single biggest reason climate varies around the world.

Section 3Tropical zone

Roughly 0° to 23.5° latitude either side of the equator. Hot all year (typically 20–35°C), no real winter. Rainfall varies by sub-type: tropical rainforest (rain year-round, e.g. Amazon), tropical savanna (a wet season and a dry season, e.g. much of Jamaica), tropical monsoon (extreme wet/dry split, e.g. parts of India).

Section 4Temperate and polar zones

Temperate zone — roughly 23.5° to 66.5° latitude on either side of the equator. Distinct four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter), mild temperatures, moderate rainfall. Polar zone — beyond 66.5° (Arctic and Antarctic). Very cold all year, long winters with little or no sunlight, short cool summers, low precipitation that mostly falls as snow.

Section 5Arid (desert) climate

Not strictly latitude-based — found wherever very little rain falls. Hot deserts (Sahara, Arabian) have huge day-night temperature swings. Cold deserts (Gobi) are cold and dry. Less than 250 mm of rainfall per year is the usual definition of "arid."