Tropical Climate

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  • Tropical Climates
    • all tropical climates are hot and most are wet
      • they're hot because the sun is overhead(high in the sky)= lots of solar radiation reaching surface
      • they're usually wet as they are affected by the ITCZ.
        • In this zone, NE and SE trade winds meet and create a low pressure zone of rising air that cools and condenses= frequent heavy rainfall
      • also wet because of travelling low pressure systems such as subtropical cyclones.
        • these are spinning storms with a low pressure centre that form outside the tropics. They often move towards the equator bringing cooler air, winds and rain
    • Tropical Savanna Climates
      • Hot with a wet season and a dry season
      • found between 5 and 20o north and south of the equator
        • between the ITCZ and zones of subtropical high pressure
      • Characteristics
        • Hot temperatures all year round
          • between 18 and 30oC
        • Medium annual rainfall
          • Rainfall is seasonal- most of rainfall is in wet season and little in dry season
        • Winds are mostly trade winds
      • why is climate like this?
        • 1. Sun is overhead all year round
        • 2. The we and dry seasons are caused by seasonal shift in  position of ITCZ
          • JANUARY
            • the ITCZ moves south
              • the northern hemisphere tropical savannas lie under the high pressure zones=little rain
          • JULY
            • the ITCZ moves north
              • this brings low pressure and heavy rainfall to tropical savannas in northern hemisphere
      • E.G. LAGOS, NIGERIA
        • temperature varies from 24.9-28.2oc
        • Rainfall is 1740mm ayear and varies from 25mm December, 414mm in June

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