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Tropical rainforest climate

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Worldwide zones of Tropical rainforest climate (Af).

A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator, and has at least 60 millimetres (2.4 in) of rainfall every month of the year. Regions with this climate are typically designated Af by the Köppen climate classification. A tropical rainforest climate is typically hot, very humid, and wet.

Description

Tropical rain forests have a type of tropical climate in which there is no dry season—all months have an average precipitation value of at least 60 mm (2.4 in). In rainforest climates the dry season is very short, and rainfall is normally heavy throughout the year. One day in a tropical rainforest climate can be very similar to the next, while the change in temperature between day and night may be larger than the average change in temperature during the year.[1]

Equatorial climates vis-à-vis tropical trade-wind climates

When tropical rainforest climates are more dominated by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) than the trade winds (and with no or rare cyclones), so usually located near the equator, they are also called equatorial climates. Otherwise, when they are more dominated by the trade winds than the ITCZ, they are called tropical trade-wind climates. In pure equatorial climates, the atmospheric pressure is low, almost constant so the (horizontal) pressure gradient is low. Consequently the winds are rare and usually weak (except sea and land breezes in coastal areas) while in tropical trade-wind climates, often located at higher latitudes than the equatorial climates, wind is almost permanent which incidentally explains why rainforest formations are impoverished compared to those of equatorial climates due to their necessary resistance to strong winds accompanying tropical disturbances.[2][3]

Notable cities with tropical rain forest climates

Paramaribo, Suriname
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
200
30
22
140
30
22
150
30
22
210
31
22
290
30
23
290
31
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230
31
22
170
32
23
90
32
23
90
33
23
120
32
23
180
30
22
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [1]
Mbandaka, DR Congo
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
80
31
19
100
32
20
150
32
20
140
31
20
130
31
20
110
30
19
100
30
17
100
29
17
200
30
19
210
30
19
190
30
19
120
30
19
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [2]
Pontianak, Indonesia
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
260
32
23
215
33
23
254
33
23
292
33
23
256
33
23
212
33
23
201
33
22
180
33
23
295
33
23
329
33
23
400
32
23
302
32
22
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [3]
Kuching, Malaysia
Climate chart (explanation)
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F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
466
30
23
445
29
23
465
30
23
251
32
23
347
33
24
310
32
23
184
31
23
326
32
23
208
32
23
307
32
23
482
32
24
516
30
23
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: Monthly Statistical Bulletin Sarawak
Davao, Philippines
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
140
31
23
109
31
23
108
32
24
125
33
24
159
33
25
187
32
24
165
32
24
170
32
24
170
32
24
175
32
24
138
32
24
113
31
24
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [4]
Quibdó, Colombia
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
579
30
23
505
30
23
526
30
23
655
31
23
776
31
23
762
31
23
803
31
23
852
31
23
702
31
23
654
30
23
728
30
23
589
30
23
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [5]

See also

References

  1. ^ McKnight, Tom L; Hess, Darrel (2000). "Climate Zones and Types". Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. pp. 205–8. ISBN 978-0-13-020263-5.
  2. ^ Climatologie Pierre Estienne Alain Godard, pages 309 and 316
  3. ^ Seidel, Dian J.; Fu, Qiang; Randel, William J.; Reichler, Thomas J. (January 2008). "Widening of the tropical belt in a changing climate". Nature Geoscience. 1 (1): 21–24. doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.38. ISSN 1752-0908.
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