Analyzing climates charts.

A climate char is the graphic representation of the temperatures and precipitations that take place on a region. Due to that, it gives us a lot of information. For analyzing it and arriving to the conclusion of the correct climate that it is represented, we can follow the following steps. 

STEP 1: Temperatures. 

Temperatures give us information about the location of the climate: hemisphere, climatic are. This is will help us to reject some climates and focus on one climatic area.  The following picture will give you some clues for a better understanding. 

Another important element is the annual average temperature, that will help us to locate the climatic area of the climate chart we are analyzing. For calculating it, we need to add up the temperatures of each month (Note: take care if there are negative temperatures) and divide the result between 12. Once we have made it, we can guess the area:

a) + than 20º C = the place is in the warm area

b) between 0 and 20º C = the climate belongs to the temperate area

c) - than 0º C = it is a cold climate. 

This photo will show you and example. 

Step 2. Precipitations.

Precipìtations helps us to determinate the climate, once we have the climatic region. The first element is to verify if the rainfalls are constant and regular during the whole year or, on the contrary, there is a dry season, what means a period of the year with really few precipitations. 

In addition to this, the analysis of this aspect will give us more information about how the precipitations are.

a) - than 250 = very scarce. (we identify this climate as a desert)

b) 250 to 700= scarce. 

c) 700 to 1300 = abundant

d) more than 1300= very abundant. 

It also important the period in which the rainfalls take place, because there are some climates that receive mostly of precipitations in a specific season, like the continental one.

Now, it is the moment for testing your knowledge doing the following activity

Activity: Analyzing climates charts: warm area II