Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Climatic Zones
Infinite variety of climates
Interaction of solar radiation with atmosphere and gravitational
forces
Distribution of land and sea masses
Certain zones of approximately uniform climates can be distinguished
Boundaries cannot be accurately mapped
One zone merges gradually into the next
Classification
Classification suggested by G A Atkinson in 1953
Basis of classification Temperature and Humidity dominant
influence on comfort
Tropical climate-warm humid equatorial (warm humid island or trade wind
climate), Hot-dry desert (hot-dry maritime desert climate), composite or
monsoon (tropical upland climate)
Comparison
Quito (Ecuador)
Pernambuco (Brazil)
Very little seasonal variation
Periods with more or less rain
Gusty winds and electric storms
DBT
Wind
Typically low velocities
Frequent calm periods
Strong winds can occur during rain squalls
Gusts of 30 m/s have been reported
Usually one or two dominant directions
Vegetation
Grows quickly due to frequent rains and high temperatures
Difficult to control
Subsoil water table is usually high
Ground may be water logged
Little light is reflected from the ground
Special characteristics
High humidity accelerates mould and algal growth, rusting and
rotting.
Organic buliding materials tend to decay rapidly.
Mosquitoes and insects
Thunder storms with lightning
Islands within the equitorial belt and in the trade wind zone
The Caribbeans
The Philippines
Seasonal Variations are negligible
DBT
Mean Max : 29 - 32C
Mean Min : 18 - 24 C
Diurnal range : less than 8C
Annual Range : 14C
Humidity
Varies between 55% and 100%
Vapor pressure : 1750 2500 N/sqm
Precipitation
1250 1800 mm per annum
200-250 mm in wettest month
Driving rain almost horizontal in windward coasts
Solar Radiation
Strong and mainly direct
Varies with cloud cover
Sky Conditions
Normally clear or filled with broken clouds of high brightness
Dark and dull during storms
Clear blue skies of low luminance (1700-2500 cd/sqm)
Winds
Predominant trade wind (6-7 m/s)
Higher during cyclones
Vegetation
Less luxuriant and of much lighter green color
Sunlight reflected from coral and sand very bright
Dry soil with low water table
Tropical Cyclones 45-70 m/s
High salt content in atmosphere corrosion in coastal areas
Sky
Conditions
Normally clear
Very few clouds low AH
Dark blue sky : 1700 2500 cd/sqm
Dust or sand storms : 850 cd/sqm
End of hot period- dust suspended in air creates white haze3500-10000 cd/sqm- Produces diffuse light and painful glare
Solar Radiation
Direct and strong
Absence of cloud easy release of heat stored in day, as long
wave radiation in night
Diffuse radiation only present during dust haze
Winds
Usually local winds
Heating of air over hot ground causes temperature inversion
Lower warm air mass breaks through higher cooler air local
whirlwinds
Winds are hot, carrying dust and sand often develop into dust
storm
Vegetation
Sparse and difficult to maintain because of lack of rain and low
Humidity
Seasons
Hot-dry
Warm-humid
Cool-dry
Mean-max
32-43
27-32
<27
Mean-min
Diurnal range
21-27
11-22
24-27
3-6
4-10
11-22
Humidity
Low throughout the dry periods (20-55%)
Vapor pressure 1300 -1600 N/sqm
Rises in wet period (55-95%)
Vapor pressure 2000-2500 N/sqm
Precipitation
Monsoon rains intense and prolonged
25-38 mm can fall in an hour
Annual 500-1300 mm
200-250 mm in wettest month
Sky conditions
Vary markedly with seasons heavily overcast and dull during
monsoons clear with dark blue color in dry seasons
Towards end of hot-dry season sky becomes brighter with
frequent dust haze
Special characteristics
Changes in relative humidity cause rapid weakening of building
materials
Dust and sand-storms, termites
Solar Radiation
Alternates between warm-humid and hot-dry conditions
Winds
Hot and dusty during dry period
Directional changes in prevailing winds at beginning of warm
humid season brings rain clouds and humid air from sea
Monsoon winds are fairly strong and steady
Vegetation
Sparse with brown and red barren ground, changes rapidly with
rain
landscape becomes green and fertile in a few days plants grow
quickly
Vegetation covers ground when cool but diminishes as
temperature rises
Soil is damp during rains but dries out quickly
Risk of soil erosion during monsoons
Strong ground glare during dry season
Mountainous regions and plateau more than 900 -1200 m above sealevel experience such climate
Bogota, Mexico city, Nairobi
Seasonal Variations are small near equator, but further away, seasons
follow those of nearby low lands
DBT
Decreases with altitude
Mean Max 24-30 C
Mean min 10-13 C
May fall below 4C at some locations ground frost can occur