ABSTRACT

When we think about climate, we are generally referring to overall or generalized weather conditions at a particular place or region over a period of time. In addition to precipitation and temperature, climates have been classified into zones by vegetation, moisture index, and even measures of human discomfort. Using the general climate zone names allows us to differentiate between a particular climate (with its specific climatic conditions) and another one with differing conditions. When geographical patterns in the weather occur again and again over a long period, they can all be used to define the climate of a region. Some climate zones are known as the hot climates, which include desert, tropical continental, tropical monsoon, tropical marine, or equatorial types. Warm climates include west coast (Mediterranean) and warm east coast. Another category includes the cool climates, such as cold desert, west coast (cool), cool temperature interior, and cool temperate east coast types. Finally, there are the mountain and the cold climate categories of cold continental and polar or tundra. Each of these different climate types is differentiated from the others. However, they all have one major feature in common: they are large-scale regional climates (with variations), occurring at various places throughout the world. They only consider the broad similarities between a particular climate at various locations worldwide; local differences are ignored and boundaries are approximate.