1. microclimate
   • small scale temperature, humidity, and wind effects
   • topography = slope, aspect, elevation, etc.
   • ecosystems and agriculture
     • impacts (crop video)
     • aerial tanker video ... video 2 ...
   • building design
     • landscapping
     • simple design
     • building materials matter
   • snow fences
     • artificial ... or here
     • vegetation
2. local climate
   • city-sized areas
   • role of albedo
   • vegetated areas
   • urban heat island (Phoenix UHI)
   • land use patterns
3. mesoclimate
   • regional in size
     • Great Lakes (lake effect)(Buffalo, NY, 2010); Tornado Alley (Flagstaff, 2010);
4. macroclimate
   • continental or global in size and/or scope
   • ENSO
     • El Nino: global effects
     • La Nina: global effects
     • ENSO effects on wind patterns
     • current status

1. Organize, Simplify and Generalize Data
2. Similarities vs. Dissimilarities
3. Greek classification system (latitude based)
   • torrid zone
   • temperate zone
   • frigid zone
   • ... or winterless, summerless, and both winter & summer?
4. Thornthwaite System
   • potential evapotranspiration

(based on vegetation types)

A.   Three letter system (descriptive terms)

1. First (upper case) letter is a general temperature profile based on latitude:
   A -- tropical rainy
   • torrid / winterless
   • coolest month > 64°F
   B -- dry climates
   • relationship between temperature and evapotranspiration.
   • subdivisions based on temps, precip pattern
   • ... even prevalence of fog
   C -- midlatitude rainy, mild winter
   • warm temperate (January temps)
   • coolest month > 27°F
   • warmest month > 50°F
   D -- midlatitude rainy, cold winter
   • cold temperate
   • coolest month < 27°F
   • warmest month > 50°F
   E -- Polar climates
   • frigid / summerless
   • warmest month < 50°F
   H -- highland climates
   • mountainous terrain = rapid elevation & slope changes
   • cause rapid climatic changes over short distances
   • cool/cold climate

2. Second letter (lower case) = additional precision in precipitation pattern:

   f -- wet year-round
   s -- dry summer season
   w -- dry winter season (precip follows sun)
   m -- monsoon

3. Third letter (lower case) = additional precision in temperature pattern:

   a -- hot summer
   b -- warm summer
   c -- cool summer
   d -- very cold winters
   

1. ET / EF
2. BS / BW
   • h = "hot" (avg. annual temp >64°F)
   • k = "cold" (avg. annual temp <64°F)
3. and still more...

CLIMATOLOGY CHAPTERS ----->

Regional

Climates

Reconstruction

Change

Warming