---
id:"kb-2026-00384"
title:"Climate Zones"
schema_type:"TechArticle"
category:"geography"
language:"en"
confidence:"high"
last_verified:"2026-05-22"
generation_method:"ai_assisted"
ai_models:["claude-opus"]
derived_from_human_seed:true
primary_sources:
  - title:"Köppen Climate Classification"
    type:"standard"
    year:2024
    url:"https://www.britannica.com/science/Koppen-climate-classification"
    institution:"Encyclopedia Britannica"
secondary_sources:
  - title: "MDN Web Docs — HTTP"
    type: "documentation"
    year: 2026
    url: "https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP"
    institution: "Mozilla"
  - title: "RESTful Web APIs"
    authors: ["Richardson", "Amundsen"]
    type: "book"
    year: 2013
    url: "https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/restful-web-apis/9781449359713/"
    institution: "O'Reilly"
completeness: 0.88
ai_citations:
  last_citation_check:"2026-05-22"
---

## TL;DR

The Köppen climate classification (Wladimir Köppen, 1884) categorizes world climates into 5 main groups: A (Tropical), B (Arid/Desert), C (Temperate), D (Continental), E (Polar). Further subdivided by precipitation and temperature patterns. Most widely used climate classification system.

## Core Explanation

A Tropical: year-round warm, high rainfall — rainforest (Af), monsoon (Am), savanna (Aw). B Arid: evaporation exceeds precipitation — desert (BW), steppe (BS). C Temperate: mild winters — Mediterranean (Cs), humid subtropical (Cfa), marine west coast (Cfb). D Continental: cold winters, warm summers — only in Northern Hemisphere. E Polar: tundra (ET), ice cap (EF). Highland (H): mountain climates.

## Further Reading

- [Köppen Climate Classification](https://www.britannica.com/science/Koppen-climate-classification)