Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Nowadays the study of
climate,
the average temperature and precipitation conditions that oc-
cur at a location over a long period of time, is looked upon more as a source of useful in-
formation than of fear. Knowledge of climates and their distribution help us to understand, for
example, why particular patterns of agriculture are practiced in particular parts of the world.
This may prove very useful in devising development scenarios aimed at increased food pro-
duction. In addition, knowledge of climate helps us to understand why people live where they
do (as well as where they could live), the problems and potentials of various regions, and the
geographies of architecture and dress.
Obviously, therefore, climate is an immensely important geographic variable. Accordingly,
climato-
logy
is a major sub-field of study and research within geography, and the subject of this chapter.
I'd like to throw in my own two cents here. Although each chapter is designed to stand on
its own, I advise you to read Chapter 9, which recounts the reasons why particular climates
occur in particular regions, prior to this one in order to grasp the full meaning of weather and
climates. Global warming and climate change are important, timely, and controversial topics.
While this is a logical place to discuss them, I'm going to hold off until Chapter 18, which
focuses on current issues of human-environment interaction.
Giving Class to Climates
One thing that has not changed since ancient Greece is the need to classify climates. Because no two
areas have exactly the same average temperature and rainfall regimes, Earth is a climatic crazy quilt.
To make sense of it, various categories — climate types — have been defined on the basis of maxim-
um and/or minimum temperature and precipitation data.
In 1898, Vladimir Köppen, a German geographer and climatologist, developed the climate classifica-
tion system that is most in use today. He identified about 25 specific climates and used a rather arcane
letter code (using codes such as BWh, Dfb) to identify and define them. If this topic were
Climate for
Dummies,
then it would be appropriate to discuss the Köppen system
ad nauseum.
But because this
topic's title is
Geography For Dummies,
and because I'm a nice guy and don't feel it necessary to
bog you down with unnecessary information, I'm going to forego the letter code and several of Köp-
pen's climate-types and aim for just enough descriptive treatments of just enough climates to provide
a global overview consistent with the goals of this topic.
