KöppenGeigerKlimaklassifikation

The Köppen-Geiger climate classification system is a widely used method for categorizing the Earth's climates. Developed by Vladimir Köppen, a German-Russian geographer, and later refined by Rudolf Geiger, it was first published in 1900 and has undergone several revisions. The system classifies climates based on average monthly temperature and precipitation, as well as seasonal precipitation.

The primary classification divides climates into five main groups, denoted by capital letters: A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). Each of these groups is further subdivided into a second letter, indicating precipitation patterns (e.g., f for fully humid, w for winter dry, s for summer dry). A third letter, often a lowercase letter, denotes temperature variations (e.g., a for hot summers, b for warm summers, c for cool summers, d for very cold winters).

For example, a tropical rainforest climate is classified as Af, indicating a tropical location with no dry season. A hot desert climate is BWh, signifying a dry climate with hot summers. The system provides a standardized framework for understanding and comparing climate patterns across different regions of the world. Its intuitive nature and widespread adoption have made it an indispensable tool in geography, ecology, and climatology.