Köppen–Geiger Zones

High resolution climatic zones

Here the available via the API climatic variables are presented and described. The detailed reference for the API can be found here.

Climate Classification

The varying climatic conditions can be clustered or better classified into different categories based on the the long term meteorological conditions that are present. Many different classification approaches exist, but the Köppen–Geiger climate classification system is the system most widely used.

The classification system originated by the German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884. Köppen altered the system several time, with notable changes in 1918 and 1936. A few years later, the climatologist Rudolf Geiger (1894–1981) introduced some changes to the classification system. The result is the current Köppen–Geiger climate classification system.

Köppen climate classification schema symbols description table

Symbol	Climate Main Class	Climate Class	Climate Sub-Class
Af	Tropical	Rainforest	N/A
Aw	Tropical	Savannah	N/A
Am	Tropical	Monsoon	N/A
BWh	Arid	Desert	Hot
BWk	Arid	Desert	Cold
BSh	Arid	Steppe	Hot
BSk	Arid	Steppe	Cold
Csa	Temperate	Dry summer	Hot summer
Csb	Temperate	Dry summer	Warm summer
Csc	Temperate	Dry summer	Cold summer
Cwa	Temperate	Dry winter	Hot summer
Cwb	Temperate	Dry winter	Warm summer
Cwc	Temperate	Dry winter	Cold summer
Cfa	Temperate	Without dry season	Hot summer
Cfb	Temperate	Without dry season	Warm summer
Cfc	Temperate	Without dry season	Cold summer
Dsa	Boreal	Dry summer	Hot summer
Dsb	Boreal	Dry summer	Warm summer
Dsc	Boreal	Dry summer	Cold summer
Dsd	Boreal	Dry summer	Very cold winter
Dwa	Boreal	Dry winter	Hot summer
Dwb	Boreal	Dry winter	Warm summer
Dwc	Boreal	Dry winter	Cold summer
Dwd	Boreal	Dry winter	Very cold winter
Dfa	Boreal	Without dry season	Hot summer
Dfb	Boreal	Without dry season	Warm summer
Dfc	Boreal	Without dry season	Cold summer
Dfd	Boreal	Without dry season	Very cold winter
ET	Polar	Tundra	N/A
EF	Polar	Frost	N/A

*N/A = Not Applicable

Available Data

We have processed and integrated climatic datasets (current and future predictions) to generate different climate zones. The future predictions are based on different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs).

• Current climate classes

• Future (2030s) climate classes with RCP 2.6,

• Future (2030s) climate classes with RCP 4.5

• Future (2030s) climate classes with RCP 6.0

• Future (2030s) climate classes with RCP 8.5

Example Current Climatic Zones

Example Climate Zones for RCP2.6

Initial source of information has been taken from the following publication: Cui, D., Liang, S., Wang, D., and Liu, Z.: A 1-km global dataset of historical (1979–2017) and future (2020–2100) Köppen-Geiger climate classification and bioclimatic variables, Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2021-53, 2021.