Tropical belt winds in summer and winter. Climate zones of the earth

On Earth, depending on the prevailing type of climate, the following climate zones are distinguished: two polar (Arctic and Antarctic), two temperate, two tropical, one equatorial and transitional - two subequatorial, two subtropical, two subpolar.

Equatorial belt extends to the basins of the Amazon and Congo rivers, the shores of the Gulf of Guinea, and the Sunda Islands. The sun occupies all year round high position, causing the earth's surface to become very hot. Average annual temperatures in this climate zone temperatures range from 25 to 28 °C. At the same time, this territory is characterized high humidity (70-90%). Annual quantity precipitation is usually more than 2000 mm, and it is distributed evenly throughout the year. Thanks to the constant hot weather and high humidity, the preconditions are created for the development of lush vegetation - the equatorial jungle.

Subequatorial belts cover a vast territory, in particular Central Africa north and east of the Congo River basin, the Brazilian Highlands in South America, the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas, Northern Australia. Characteristic feature climate of a given zone is the change in types of air masses during the seasons: in summer period the entire territory is covered by equatorial masses, and in winter by tropical ones. Accordingly, two seasons are distinguished: summer wet and winter tropical. Most of the belt's territory is covered by open forests and savannas.

Tropical zone located on both sides of the tropics on sea and land. Tropical tropical climates predominate here all year round. air masses. In the presence of high atmospheric pressure and slight cloudiness, it is characterized by high temperatures. The average monthly temperature of the hottest month is more than 30 °C. There is very little precipitation here (less than 200 mm). It is in this belt that the most vast deserts world - Sahara, desert of the Arabian Peninsula, Western Australia.

Sub tropical zone passes between 25° and 40° north and south latitude. The climate here is characterized by changing types of air masses according to the seasons of the year. Thus, tropical air dominates in summer, and air masses dominate in winter. temperate latitudes. This belt is divided into three more climatic region: western, eastern and central. Summer in the western region is characterized by clear and dry weather, while winter is warm and humid. This is the so-called Mediterranean climate. In the central and eastern regions the climate is slightly different.

Temperate zone extends north and south from the subtropical and reaches the polar circles. IN Southern Hemisphere It is characterized by an oceanic type of climate; in the North it is divided into three climatic regions: western, central and eastern. IN western region and the Southern Hemisphere is dominated by humid sea air. Annual temperature ranges are small. The distribution of precipitation throughout the year is uniform. A decrease in temperature in winter is observed due to the movement of Arctic (Antarctic) air masses. IN eastern region The climate is monsoon. Continental air masses of temperate latitudes accumulate in the central region and are characterized by sharp temperature changes throughout the year. Transitional subarctic and subantian arctic belt and extend north of the temperate zones of the two hemispheres. They are characterized by changes in air masses in accordance with the changing seasons of the year. Summer is short and cold, winter is long, snowy, with frosts and snowstorms. The Arctic and Antarctic belts lie in the polar regions. The climate here is formed at high atmospheric pressure by cold air masses. Characteristic feature These zones include polar nights and days lasting up to six months. The ice sheet does not melt and covers Antarctica and Greenland.

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Our planet is extremely unique. Only on Earth temperature and weather suitable for human life. The climate map of the world is divided into 4 main and 3 additional climate zones, each of which is unique due to its temperature conditions, precipitation rate and wind direction. It is thanks to this diversity of climate that a huge number of plants can grow on our planet: tiny daisies and giant sequoias and eucalyptus. Let's see what is remarkable about these climatic zones.

Basic belts

Within these climatic zones, the same air masses prevail throughout the year. The equatorial belt extends along the equator. Further, other belts adjoin it from the north and south. Closes climate map the world's Arctic and Antarctic belts. Now a little more about each of them.

Equatorial climate zone

The smallest of all. It reigns in the southern part of the Indochina peninsula, some islands of Indonesia, in the center of Africa and in a small part South America. It rains most often here. They are so frequent and abundant that the moisture does not have time to evaporate. Therefore, these areas are often swampy. Temperature all year round stays at around 24-28 degrees.

Impenetrable multi-tiered jungles are an integral part of this climate. They find homes in them great amount species of animals, many of which live only here, and some of which have not even been studied. It is in this belt that the tallest and most powerful trees in the world grow - 100-meter eucalyptus trees.

Tropical zone

This type of climate is varied. Thus, high atmospheric pressure prevails on land, and precipitation is extremely rare. The average temperature in summer rises to 40 degrees, and in winter drops to +10. During the day the fluctuation can be 35-40 degrees. Such temperature changes destroy rocks, turning them into sand. That is why the majority of the continental tropical zone lies sandy deserts. Sahara - bright that example. It occupies almost half of the African continent. At sea tropical climate very similar to the equatorial one. Only clear skies and slight seasonal temperature variations distinguish it.

Temperate zone

This type of climate can also be divided into marine and continental. Morskoy is characterized by cool summers and mild winters, thanks to west winds which blow all year round. This belt extends along the western coast of America and Eurasia. Moderate continental climate not so mild, since cyclones rarely pass deep into the continent. Therefore, there are hot summers and cold winters. For example, in some areas of Siberia, in summer the air warms up to +30, and in winter it cools down to -40 degrees.

Polar belt

It dominates the Arctic and Antarctic regions globe, forming the belts of the same name, it is frosty here all year round. It is here that phenomena such as the northern lights, polar day, polar night and permafrost. Clear skies, weak winds, ice fields and terrible cold - this is what makes this uninhabitable climate remarkable. Only penguins can live here.

Characteristics of climatic zones (table)
There are 7 types of climate zones on the planet. They are divided into two types: permanent (main) and transitional.
Constant climate zones- belts where one single air mass dominates throughout the year.
Transitional- written with the prefix “sub”, two air masses change in them throughout the year: in the summer there comes more hot (the one closer to the equator), colder in winter (the one closer to the pole). In December-February airthe masses are shifted to the south, and in June-August - to the north of the planet.
Name of climate zones: 1) Equatorial climate zone-type: permanent-main - location: located on both sides of the equator from 5°-8° northern latitude to 4°-11° south latitude, between subequatorial belts.-description: The predominance of equatorial air masses throughout the year. Constantly high temperatures (on the plains 24° - 28°C). Weak, unstable winds. Characterized by the presence of a stripelow pressure with a constant influx of trade winds into it and a tendency towards general upward movements of air andrapid transformation of tropical air into humid equatorial air. Heavy rainfall throughout the year.Constantly hot and humid equatorial climate, caused by a large influx of solar radiation.
2) Tropical climate zone-type: permanent-primary -location: The belt is located in tropical latitudes. The northern and southern tropical zones of the Earth can be clearly distinguished. - description: In the tropical zone, one single air mass dominates all year round - the tropical air mass. She, in her turn, forms a zone above the climate zone constantly high blood pressure With clear weather throughoutof the year. Thus, the weather in the tropics depends entirely on the height of the sun above the horizon. IN summer months, Whenthe sun rises to its zenith, the temperature in the tropics rises above +30°C. In winter, when the sun is abovethe horizon is no longer so high, the temperature in the tropics is falling, and the cold winter nights can even go down tonegative temperatures. Sharp changes from hot to cold throughout the day and throughout the year, as well as low amountsprecipitation has led to the formation of a natural zone of deserts and semi-deserts in the tropical climate zone withvery sparse flora and fauna.
3)Temperate climate ic belt-type: permanent-primary- location: It is located between 40 and 60 latitudes, bordering on the subtropical and subarctic (in the southern hemisphere - subantarctic) climatic zones.-description: There are northern and southern temperate zones on the planet, however, in the Southern Hemisphere it is practically not affects continents. since the temperature of a moderate air mass varies with the seasons of the year, in a temperateclimatic zone there is a clear change in them. All seasons are clearly expressed: snowy winter gives way to spring, which is replaced byhot summer comes and autumn comes again. Temperature differences in the temperate zone are very significant. Actuallythe border with the subtropics practically coincides with the winter isotherm of 0°C. In the temperate zone there are negativetemperature. Over a large area of ​​the belt in winter time snow cover is established.
4) Arctic (Antarctic) climate zone-type: permanent-primary -location: Belt occupies polar regions Earth. The belt occupies the largest area in Antarctica, spreading almost the entire continent. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is located in the very north of Eurasia and North America, including inyourself to Baffin Island, Greenland, Taimyr Peninsula, New Earth, Spitsbergen, islands of the Arctic Ocean.-description: All year round, one single Arctic (in the Southern Hemisphere - Antarctic) air dominates here. weight. Almost the entire year in the Arcticclimate zone, the air temperature does not rise above0°C, and with further removal to the poles it always remains negative. Especially harsh winters observed inAntarctica. There is very little precipitation. Belt busy natural area arctic and Antarctic deserts. Bigpart of it is covered by a multi-kilometer-long shell of cover glaciers. So much low temperatures these areasare explained by the fact that the sun never rises high above the horizon in subpolar latitudes, its rays “slide”on the surface of the earth and do not warm it up even in polar day conditions, when the polar night comes (and onAt the poles they last for six months) the surface of the planet does not receive any heat from the sun and cools to -70 -80°C.

Definition 1

Climate zone is a latitudinal strip on the Earth’s surface with a relatively uniform climate.

Climate zones differ from each other air temperature And dominant air masses. In accordance with their properties, the main features of the climate are determined. Climate zones on the planet are changing zonally, i.e. from equator to poles. The classification of climate zones, which is used in Russia and in most countries of the world, was created by a Soviet climatologist B.P. Alisov in $1956$ He highlights basic and transitional climatic zones.

There are seven main climatic zones:

• Equatorial belt;
• Two tropical zones;
• Two temperate zones;
• Two polar belts – Arctic and Antarctic.

In these climatic zones, only air masses with the same names dominate throughout the year.

Equatorial climate zone located on both sides of the equator. The territory and water area of ​​the belt receives throughout the year a large number of warm, and average monthly temperatures are $24$-$28$ degrees. On land, the radiation balance reaches $90$ kcal/cm2. in year. Annual precipitation is up to $3000$ mm per year, and on the windward slopes - up to $10,000$ mm. There is excessive moisture here because the amount of precipitation is much greater than evaporation.

Tropical climate zones. One tropical zone is located in Northern hemisphere of the planet, the second - in South hemispheres. Tropical zones cross all continents except Antarctica and are well expressed in the oceans between the $20$ and $30$ parallels of both hemispheres. The formation of the tropical climate is influenced by tropical air masses, with their characteristic high atmospheric pressure and anticyclonic circulation. There is very little cloud cover throughout the year, relative humidity and annual precipitation. By the prevailing winds are trade winds. Summer average monthly air temperatures are +$30$-$35$ degrees, winter temperatures are not lower than +$10$ degrees. Per diem and annual amplitudes quite high. Annual precipitation ranges from $50$-$200$ mm. The exception is the eastern outskirts of the continents, and on the islands the windward slopes of the mountains receive up to $2000$ mm or more. For example, on Hawaiian Islands drops out about $13,000$ mm. On the western coasts of the continents the climate will be cooler, which is associated with cold ocean currents. There will be higher air humidity, an even temperature change and frequent fogs.

Temperate climate zones. One temperate zone is located in Northern hemisphere, between $40$ and $65$ parallel, the other - in South between $42$ and $58$ parallel. These are the largest climatic zones in terms of area. One of the differences between these belts is that in the Northern Hemisphere the belt occupies more than half sushi, while in the Southern Hemisphere it is the opposite. There $98\%$ comes from ocean. In temperate zones there is a clear seasonality of climate. It is expressed in big difference between summer and winter temperatures. Moreover, in the Northern Hemisphere, the annual and daily amplitude is significantly higher than in the Southern Hemisphere. The western transport of air masses of temperate latitudes dominates here, and intense cyclonic activity is observed. Towards the outskirts of the continents, the amount of precipitation increases, and the annual amount is $800$-$2000$mm. On windward oceanic slopes their number increases and reaches $5000$-$8000$ mm.

Polar climate zones(Arctic and Antarctic). In the Northern Hemisphere arctic the belt begins north of the $70$ parallel, and Antarctic south of the $65$ parallel. Both zones are characterized by polar nights and polar days. Eternal ice and snow emit a huge amount solar heat, which causes very cool air. Atmospheric pressure is high all year round and dominates easterly winds. Located in Antarctica pole of cold planets. During the summer average temperature air -$30$ degrees, and winter -$70$. At the Russian polar station " East"The temperature drops to -$88.3 degrees. On the Antarctic coast, average monthly summer temperatures range from -$1$ to -$5$ degrees, and winter temperatures from -$18$ to -$20$ degrees. Above the Greenland ice sheet in Arctic climatic conditions are similar, but milder. In the Atlantic regions Arctic and to the pole, the summer temperature is about $0$ degrees, and with warm air invasion it rises to + $5$. Average winter temperatures are around -$20$ degrees. American The Arctic sector is more severe with temperatures of -$50$ degrees in winter and -$10$ degrees in summer. Nai large quantity precipitation falls on European sector of the Arctic, where $300$-$350$ mm falls, and in Asian and American sector from $160$-$250$ mm.

Transitional climatic zones.

Between the main climatic zones there are zones transition zones. There are $6$ and they are characterized by seasonal changes in the prevailing air masses, i.e. In summer, one air mass dominates there, and in winter, another. The names of all transition zones are appended with the prefix “ sub", which translated from Latin means " under", i.e., a belt located under main.

Transitional belts include:

• Two subequatorial belts;
• Two subtropical zones;
• Subarctic belt;
• Subantarctic belt.

Subequatorial climate zone. These belts are located south and north of the equatorial one. As a result of the shift in climate zones according to the seasons of the year, humid equatorial air comes here in the summer, and dry tropical air comes here in the winter. Summer for subequatorial belts it will be wet, A winter is dry. Despite this, the average annual precipitation is excessive and reaches $1500$ mm per year. On the slopes of the mountains, precipitation falls even more - $6000$-$10000$ mm per year. The difference between summer and winter temperatures is small, but the difference with the equatorial belt is noticeable. Summer temperatures range from $22$-$30$ degrees. In addition to the oceans, the subequatorial belt passes through South America, Central Africa, Hindustan, Indochina, and Northern Australia.

Subtropical climate zones. They are located within $30$-$40$ degrees of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In the south, the subtropics border on the tropical zone, and in the north on the temperate zone in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, there is a tropical zone to the north of the subtropics, and a temperate zone to the south. Thermal regimes alternate by half-year - in winter it is observed moderate mode, and in summer – tropical. For the subtropics, frosts are already possible. Within the ocean, the belts differ high temperature and high salinity of water.

Subarctic climate zone. This transition belt is the closest to North Pole Earth. Temperate and arctic air masses replace each other throughout the year. The belt occupies Northern Canada, Alaska, the southern tip of Greenland, northern Iceland and the Scandinavian Peninsula. Within Russia it passes through the northern part of Western and Central Siberia, as well as the Far East.

Subantarctic climate zone. Located in the Southern Hemisphere, this belt occupies a number of Antarctic islands and the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The belt is characterized by short summers with temperatures below + $20$ degrees. Cold air masses in winter reduce temperatures to negative values. And it stays below zero for most of the year. This is also typical for subarctic belt. There is little precipitation and it decreases from $500$-$250$ mm and below.

Climate-forming factors

On the formation of the planet's climate big influence provide external and internal factors. Most of external factors influence the total amount of incoming solar radiation, its distribution across seasons, hemispheres and continents.

TO external factors The parameters of the earth's orbit and the earth's axis include:

• Distance between the Sun and Earth. It determines the amount of solar energy received;
• The inclination of the rotation of the earth's axis to the orbital plane, which determines seasonal changes;
• Earth's orbital eccentricity. Affects heat distribution and seasonal changes.

TO internal factors relate:

• Configuration of oceans and continents and their relative positions;
• The presence of active volcanoes that can change the climate until a volcanic winter;
• Albedo of the Earth's atmosphere and its surface;
• Air masses;
• The proximity of oceans and seas that moderate the climate, with the exception of cold currents;
• The nature of the underlying surface;
• Human economic activity;
• Heat flows of the planet.

The Earth has a very diverse climate due to the fact that the planet heats unevenly and also falls unevenly. precipitation. Climate classification began to be proposed back in the 19th century, around the 70s. Moscow State University professor B.P. Alisova spoke about 7 climate types that make up their own climate zone. In her opinion, only four climatic zones can be called basic, and three zones are transitional.

Types of climate zones:

Equatorial belt

Here, equatorial air masses predominate throughout the year. At a time when the sun is directly above the belt, and these are the days of spring and autumn equinox, it is hot in the equatorial belt, the temperature reaches approximately 28 degrees above zero. The water temperature does not differ much from the air temperature, about 1 degree. There is a lot of precipitation here, about 3000 mm. Evaporation is low here, so this belt has a lot of wetlands, as well as a lot of dense rain forests, due to swampy soil. Precipitation in these areas equatorial belt trade winds bring, that is, rainy winds. This type of climate is located over the north of South America, over the Gulf of Guinea, over the Congo River and the upper Nile, as well as over almost the entire Indonesian archipelago, over part of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, which are located in Asia and over the shores of Lake Victoria, which is located in Africa.

Tropical zone

This type of climate zone is located simultaneously in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. This type of climate is divided into continental and oceanic tropical climates. The mainland is located above larger territory region high pressure Therefore, this belt has little precipitation, approximately 250 mm. Summers are hot here, so the air temperature rises to 40 degrees above zero. In winter, the temperature does not drop below 10 degrees above zero. There are no clouds in the sky, so this climate is characterized by cold nights. Daily temperature changes are quite large, so this contributes to high destruction rocks. Due to the great decay of rocks, a huge amount of dust and sand is formed, which further forms sandstorms. These storms for humans cause potential danger. Western and East End Continental climates differ greatly. Since cold currents flow along the western coast of Africa and Australia, and therefore the air temperature here is much lower, there is little precipitation, approximately 100 mm. If you look East Coast, then they flow here warm currents Therefore, the air temperature is higher and there is more precipitation. This area is quite suitable for tourism.

Oceanic climate

This type of climate is somewhat similar to the equatorial climate, the only difference being that there is less cloud cover and strong, stable winds. The summer air temperature here does not rise above 27 degrees, and in winter it does not fall below 15 degrees. The period for precipitation here is mainly summer, but there is very little of it, approximately 50 mm. This arid area is summer time filled with tourists and guests of coastal cities.

Precipitation here occurs frequently and occurs throughout the year. This happens under the influence western winds. In summer, the air temperature does not rise above 28 degrees, and in winter it reaches –50 degrees. On the coasts there is a lot of precipitation - 3000 mm, and in central regions– 1000 mm. Vivid changes appear with the changing seasons of the year. The temperate climate is formed in two hemispheres - northern and southern and is located above a moderate latitude. The area of ​​low pressure prevails here.

This type of climate is divided into subclimates: marine and continental.

Marine subclimates predominate in western North America, Eurasia and South America. The wind is brought from the ocean to the mainland. From this we can conclude that summers here are cool (+20 degrees), but winters are relatively warm and mild (+5 degrees). There is a lot of precipitation - up to 6000 mm in the mountains.
Continental subclimate - predominates in the central regions. There is less precipitation here, since cyclones practically do not pass here. In summer the temperature is approximately +26 degrees, and in winter it is quite cold -24 degrees with heavy snow cover. In Eurasia, a continental subclimate is clearly expressed only in Yakutia. Winters here are cold with little rainfall. This is because in the interior of Eurasia, the areas are least exposed to the influence of the ocean and oceanic winds. On the coast, under the influence of large amounts of precipitation, the frost is softened in winter, and the heat is moderated in summer.

There is also a monsoon subclimate, which prevails in Kamchatka, Korea, northern Japan, and part of China. This subtype is expressed by frequent changes in monsoons. Monsoons are winds that, as a rule, bring rain to the mainland and always blow from the ocean to land. Winters here are cold due to cold winds, and summers are rainy. Rains or monsoons are brought here by winds from Pacific Ocean. On Sakhalin Island and Kamchatka there is quite a bit of precipitation, approximately 2000 mm. Air masses throughout the temperate climate are only moderate. Due to high humidity On these islands, with 2000 mm of precipitation per year for an unaccustomed person, acclimatization in this area is necessary.

Polar climate

This type of climate forms two zones: Antarctic and Arctic. Polar air masses dominate here all year round. During the polar night, in this type of climate, the sun is absent for several months, and during the polar day, it does not go away at all, but shines for several months. The snow cover here never melts, and ice and snow, which radiate heat, carry constant cold air into the air. Here the strength of the winds is weakened and there are no clouds at all. There is catastrophically little precipitation here, but particles resembling needles are constantly flying in the air. The maximum precipitation here is 100 mm. In summer the air temperature does not exceed 0 degrees, and in winter it reaches –40 degrees. In summer, periodic drizzle predominates in the air. When traveling to this area, you may notice that your face tingles a little with frost, so the temperature seems higher than it actually is.

All the types of climates discussed above are considered basic, because here the air masses correspond to these belts. There are also intermediate types of climates, which have the prefix “sub” in their names. In these types of climates, air masses change characteristically during the coming seasons. They move from nearby belts. Scientists explain this by the fact that when the Earth moves around its axis, climate zones shift alternately, now to the south, now to the north.

Intermediate types of climates

Subequatorial climate type

Here in the summer they come equatorial masses, and in winter tropical masses dominate. There is a lot of precipitation only in the summer - about 3000 mm, but despite this, the sun here is merciless and the air temperature reaches +30 degrees all summer. Winter is cool. This climate zone has good ventilation and drying of the soil. The air temperature here reaches +14 degrees and in terms of precipitation, there is very little in winter. Good soil drainage prevents water from stagnating and forming swamps, as in the equatorial climate. This type of climate makes it possible to settle. Here are states that are populated to the limit by people, for example, India, Ethiopia, Indochina. Many grow here cultivated plants which are exported to various countries. In the north of this belt are Venezuela, Guinea, India, Indochina, Africa, Australia, South America, Bangladesh and other states. In the south are the Amazon, Brazil, northern Australia and the center of Africa.

Subtropical climate type

Tropical air masses predominate here in summer, and in winter they come here from temperate latitudes and carry large amounts of precipitation. Summers are dry and hot, and temperatures reach +50 degrees. Winter is very mild with maximum temperature-20 degrees. Low precipitation, approximately 120 mm. The west has a Mediterranean climate characterized by hot summers and rainy winters. This area is different in that it receives slightly more rainfall. Approximately 600 mm of precipitation falls here per year. This area is favorable for resorts and people's lives in general. Crops grown here include grapes, citrus fruits and olives. Here they prevail monsoon winds. In winter it is dry and cold, and in summer it is hot and humid. The precipitation here is approximately 800 mm per year. Through the forest, monsoons blow from the sea to the land and carry precipitation with them, and in winter the winds blow from the land to the sea. This type of climate is pronounced in the Northern Hemisphere and eastern Asia. Vegetation grows well here thanks to the abundant rainfall. Also, thanks to the abundant rains, agriculture is well developed here, which gives life to the local population.

Subpolar climate type

Summers here are cool and humid. The temperature rises to +10, and precipitation is approximately 300 mm. There is more precipitation on mountain slopes than on plains. The swampiness of the territory indicates that the territory is poorly weathered, and there are also a large number of lakes. Winters here are quite long and cold, with temperatures reaching -50 degrees. The boundaries of the poles do not run smoothly, which is precisely what indicates the uneven heating of the Earth and the diversity of the relief.

Antarctic and Arctic climate zones

Arctic air dominates here, and the snow crust does not melt. In winter, the air temperature reaches -71 degrees below zero. In summer, temperatures can only rise to -20 degrees. There is very little precipitation here.
In these climatic zones, air masses change from arctic, which predominate in winter, to moderate air masses, which predominate in summer. Winter here lasts 9 months, and it is quite cold, since on average the air temperature drops to -40 degrees. In summer, on average, the temperature is around 0 degrees. For this type of climate there is high humidity, which is approximately 200 mm, and fairly low moisture evaporation. The winds here are strong and blow frequently in this area. This type of climate is located on the northern coast of North America and Eurasia, as well as Antarctica and the Aleutian Islands.

In this climate zone, winds from the west prevail over the rest, and monsoons blow from the east. If the monsoons blow, the precipitation that falls depends on how far the area is from the sea, as well as on the topography of the area. The closer to the sea, the more precipitation falls out. The northern and western parts of the continents carry a lot of precipitation, and in southern parts there are very few of them. Winter and summer are very different here, and there are also differences in the climate on land and at sea. The snow cover here lasts only a couple of months; in winter the temperature differs significantly from the summer air temperature.

The temperate zone consists of four climatic zones: the marine climate zone (quite warm winter And rainy summer), continental climate zone (a lot of precipitation falls in the summer), monsoon climate zone (cold winters and rainy summers), as well as a climate transitional from the maritime climate zone to the continental climate zone.

Subtropical and tropical climate zones

In the tropics, hot and dry air usually prevails. Between the winter and summer periods the difference in temperature is large and even very significant. In summer the temperature averages +35 degrees, and in winter +10 degrees. Large temperature differences here occur between day and night temperatures. In the tropical climate there is little precipitation, a maximum of 150 mm per year. On the coasts, there is more precipitation, but not much, since moisture comes to land from the ocean.

In the subtropics, summer air is drier than winter. In winter it is more humid. Summer here is very hot, as the air temperature rises to +30 degrees. In winter, the air temperature rarely drops below zero degrees, so even in winter it is not particularly cold here. When snow falls, it melts very quickly and does not leave snow cover. There is little precipitation here - about 500 mm. In the subtropics there are several climatic zones: the monsoon, which brings rain from the ocean to the land and the coast, the Mediterranean, which differs big amount precipitation and continental, where there is much less precipitation and it is drier and warmer.

Subequatorial and equatorial climate zones

The average air temperature is +28 degrees, and its differences from day to night temperatures are insignificant. Quite high humidity and weak winds are typical for this type of climate. The precipitation here is 2000 mm every year. A couple of rainy periods are followed by less rainy periods. The equatorial climate zone is located in the Amazon, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, Africa, on the Malacca Peninsula, and on the islands of New Guinea.

On both sides of the equatorial climate zone are subequatorial belts. In summer, the equatorial climate prevails here, and in winter it is tropical and dry. This is why there is more precipitation in summer than in winter. On the slopes of the mountains, precipitation even goes off scale and reaches 10,000 mm per year, and this is all thanks to the heavy rains that prevail here all year round. On average, the temperature is approximately +30 degrees. The difference between winter and summer is greater than in the equatorial climate. The subequatorial climate is located in the highlands of Brazil, New Guinea and South America, as well as in Northern Australia.

Climate types

Today there are three criteria for climate classification:

• according to the characteristics of air mass circulation;
• by the nature of the geographical relief;
• according to climatic characteristics.

Based on certain indicators, the following climate types can be distinguished:

• Solar. It determines the amount of receipt and distribution of ultraviolet radiation over earth's surface. The determination of the solar climate is influenced by astronomical indicators, season and latitude
• Mountain. Climatic conditions at altitude in the mountains they are characterized by low atmospheric pressure and clean air, increased solar radiation and increased precipitation
• Arid. Dominates in deserts and semi-deserts. There are large fluctuations in temperature between day and night, and there is practically no precipitation and there is a rare occurrence once every few years
• Humid. Very humid climate. It forms in places where there is not enough sunlight, so the moisture does not have time to evaporate
• Nivalny. This climate is characteristic of areas where precipitation falls mainly in solid form, it settles in the form of glaciers and snow debris, and does not have time to melt and evaporate.
• Urban. The air temperature in the city is always higher than in the surrounding area. Solar radiation comes in reduced quantities, therefore daylight hours are shorter than on natural objects nearby. There are more clouds concentrated over cities and precipitation occurs more often, although in some populated areas humidity level is low

In general, on earth, climatic zones regularly alternate, but they are not always pronounced. In addition, climate features depend on the relief and terrain. In the area where it is most pronounced anthropogenic influence, the climate will differ from the conditions of natural objects. It should be noted that over time, a particular climatic zone undergoes changes, climatic indicators change, which leads to changes in ecosystems on the planet.

Main climate zones - video