Intro

Hello and Welcome to this episode of the podcast, "The Mnemonic Tree", where we add a single mnemonic leaf to our Tree of Knowledge.

Today's episode is on the five major climate zones of earth which are categorised by temperature and precipitation. More specifically this episode will be based on the most widely used climate classification system the Koppen climate classification, which was developed by German climatologist Wladimir Koppen in 1884.

There are a few variations out there to this system with arid sometimes referred to as dry and temperate sometimes referred to as mild but generally the intention is very similar. It’s also important to note that geographical factors, such as elevation and proximity to water bodies, can also create additional microclimates within these zones.

Today’s mnemonic is on the five major climate zones according to the Koppen classification system.

So, with that being said, we will begin with a summary from Wikipedia.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:K%C3%B6ppen-Geiger_Climate_Classification_Map_(1980%E2%80%932016)_no_borders.png

Wikipedia Summary

The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884,[2][3] with several later modifications by Köppen, notably in 1918 and 1936.[4][5] Later, German climatologist Rudolf Geiger (1894–1981) introduced some changes to the classification system, which is thus sometimes called the Köppen–Geiger climate classification.[6][7]

The Köppen climate classification divides climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are A (tropical), B (arid), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). Each group and subgroup is represented by a letter. All climates are assigned a main group (the first letter). All climates except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation subgroup (the second letter). For example, Af indicates a tropical rainforest climate. The system assigns a temperature subgroup for all groups other than those in the A group, indicated by the third letter for climates in B, C, D, and the second letter for climates in E. For example, Cfb indicates an oceanic climate with warm summers as indicated by the ending b. Climates are classified based on specific criteria unique to each climate type.[8]

As Köppen designed the system based on his experience as a botanist, his main climate groups are based on the types of vegetation occurring in a given climate classification region. In addition to identifying climates, the system can be used to analyze ecosystem conditions and identify the main types of vegetation within climates. Due to its association with the plant life of a given region, the system is useful in predicting future changes of plant life within that region.[1]

The Köppen climate classification system was modified further within the Trewartha climate classification system in 1966 (revised in 1980). The Trewartha system sought to create a more refined middle latitude climate zone, which was one of the criticisms of the Köppen system (the climate group C was too general).[9]: 200–1

Extracted from: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification#:~:text=The%20K%C3%B6ppen%20climate%20classification%20scheme,%2C%20and%20E%20(polar).]

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:K%C3%B6ppen_Climate_Types_Idaho.png

Mnemonic

The Five Major Climate Zones Mnemonic – PACTT

(Picture the AI from all the countries of the world coming together and forming a pact to protect the planet from humans!)

1. Polar

2. Arid/Dry

3. Continental

4. Temperate

5. Tropical

Five Fun Facts

1. The key difference between weather and climate is somewhat misunderstood. The weather is what is happening now, for instance it might be sunny, raining or overcast. Whereas the climate is the pattern of weather in a place over a much longer period of time.

2. A Summary of the zones is as follows. The polar zone is extremely cold, arid zones are dry like deserts, continental zones are inland, temperate zones are mild, and tropical zones are where you would find rainforests.

3. Local climates can exist in a particular zone that are incongruous to the region’s climate zone. For instance, there may be a snow-capped mountain in a temperate zone.

4. Still on mountains, as mentioned the higher the altitude the cooler the temperature. This is because the air is thinner and less able to absorb and store heat.

5. Another factor that modifies the temperature is proximity to large bodies of water. The ocean absorbs and stores large amounts of heat and thus usually milder and wetter than inland areas.

6. Bonus Fact: Each climate zone can be broken down into sub-categories. For example, Polar is broken down into Tundra, ice cap and highlands.

Now, I thought coming up with a weather pun was going to be a breeze but as you know I’ve been a bit under the weather as of late. However, I did find a story of a man who was driving a train who got struck by lightning. Now apparently, it was stated by many of the eye witnesses to the event that “he was a good conductor!”