Climate map

Climatic zones distribution across the globe according to the Wladimir Köppen

Af = tropical with no dry season
Aw = tropical with dry winter
BS = arid steppe climate
BW = arid desert climate
Cf = warm temperate with no dry season
Cs = warm temperate with dry summer
Cw = warm temperate with dry winter
Df = cool temperate with no dry season
Dw = cool temperate with dry winter
ET = polar tundra
EF = perennial ice cap

A region’s climate is affected by astronomical and geographical features as well as by weather patterns that develop periodically.
Some climatic factors: the latitude, which determines the angle of incidence of the solar radiation on the Earth’s surface which also varies in accordance to the time of the day; the topographic conditions of the land with relation to insolation; the altitude, which causes temperature to drop by 0.6 °C (1.08 °F) every 100 metres above sea level; the proximity to water bodies, which absorb heat from the sun and release it gradually into the atmosphere producing a moderating effect on the local climate; the ocean currents, both warm and cold; the presence of vegetation, which increases humidity and has a cooling effect on air temperature.

climate	temperature	climatic types	vegetation	features
megathermal humid (megatherms)	T always 18°C (64°F) or above	-(Af) equatorial -(Aw) subequatorial or tropical	rain forest savannah (riparian forests along rivers; jungles of monsoon regions)	abundant precipitation throughout the year and high humidity due to evapotranspiration plentiful rains followed by dry spells
arid (xerophytes)	T 18°C (64°F) or above for BW; down to -30°C (22°F) for BS	-(BW) dry subtropical -(BS) arid with cold winter	desert steppe	very dry areas with scarce precipitation rare intense storms
warm temperate (mesotherms)	T always between -3°C (27°F) and 18°C (64°F)	-(Cw) high-altitude mesothermal climate (Cf) continental monsoon climate -subtro-/ pical \ (Cs) mediter- ranean -(Cf) cool humid	high-altitude forest laurel-leaved forest mediterranean scrub deciduous broadleaf forest and heath	dry winter and warm summer mild wet winter and warm dry summer mild winter and dry summer
cold temperate (microtherms)	T of coldest month -3°C (27°F) or below T of warmest month 10°C (50°F) or above	-(Df) humid -(Dw) dry winter	broadleaf forest and steppe-prairie conifers (taiga)	Cold winter, short warm summer with precipitation evenly distributed throughout the year; long winter season and low annual precipitation
polar (hekistotherms)	T always below 10°C (50°F)	-(ET) subarctic -(EF) ice cap	polar tundra perennial ice