Warmklima

Warmklima is a term used in climatology to describe climate regimes characterized by persistently warm temperatures and relatively mild winters. In some classification schemes, it encompasses tropical and subtropical zones as well as parts of the warm temperate zone near the tropics. The defining feature is that average temperatures are high year round, and freezing conditions are rare or absent in most months of the year.

Characteristics include high mean annual temperatures, often above 18°C in tropical areas, and a small or moderate annual temperature range in equatorial regions. Precipitation patterns vary widely, giving rise to several subtypes such as tropical rainforest, tropical monsoon, tropical savanna, and warm temperate variants. Humidity and rainfall seasonality range from year-round rain to marked wet and dry seasons. Vegetation typically ranges from lush forests in the wet tropics to open grasslands in drier subregions.

Global distribution covers most of the tropical belt around the equator and extends into subtropics and warm temperate zones, including regions of Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, northern Australia, southern Europe, and parts of North America.

Implications include adaptations in agriculture, architecture, and urban design to heat exposure and water availability. Climate change is expected to shift isotherms poleward, intensify heat waves, and alter rainfall regimes within Warmklima regions.

Terminology note: Warmklima is common in German-language literature and older regional classifications but is not a single official category in all global schemes. It is often used descriptively to contrast with cold or cold-dry climates rather than as a strict, formal class.