Encyclopedia of Geography Terms, Themes, and Concepts

Table 1. Climate Typology (Continued)

Ko ̈ppen
code Climate name Climate characteristics Largest extent

Cwa Humid subtropical Summers warm to hot with plentiful
precipitation; winters dry with
temperatures sometimes below freezing

Southeastern
China-Northeastern
India
Cwb Humid subtropical Same as Cwa except for a cooler
summer

Southeastern
China-Northeastern
India
Cfb Marine west coast Many cloudy days with light
precipitation year round; moderate
summer and winter temperatures

Western Europe

Cfc Marine west coast Same as Cfb except for cooler summers Northern Europe
Dfa Humid Continental Hot summer, cold winter, year-round
precipitation

U.S. Midwest

Dfb Humid continental Summer briefer and winter colder than
Dfa; significant length of
snow cover

Western Russia

Dwa Humid continental Hot summer, cold winter, small amount
of winter precipitation

Southwestern Russia

Dwb Humid Continental Summer not as hot as Dwa, small
amount of winter precipitation;
significant length of snow cover

Southwestern Russia

Dfc Subarctic Moderate precipitation; summer
brief and cool

Northern Russia

Dfd Subarctic Moderate precipitation; summer
brief and cold

Northern Russia

Dwc Subarctic Winter very dry; summer brief
and cool

Eastern Siberia

Dwd Subarctic Winter very dry; summer brief
and cold

Eastern Siberia

ET Tundra Up to four months average above
freezing; modest precipitation

Northernmost
Eurasia
EF Polar ice cap No month averages above freezing;
very little precipitation

Antarctica

H Highland An accumulation of heterogeneous
mountain climates present with all the
other climate types; H climates are
found at all latitudes and are cooler and
moisture than their lowland surroundings

Tibetan Plateau