Cold climate with dry winters (Dw)
Also called: Subarctic dry winter climate · Topic: World Climate Classification: Koeppen's Scheme · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 11 "World Climate and Climate Change"
Meaning
Dw is a cold snow forest climate in Koeppen's scheme where the winters are dry. It is found mainly in north-eastern Asia. In winter a strong anticyclone (a high-pressure system) forms over Siberia, and dry, very cold air flows outward from it. In summer this high weakens and the winds reverse, much like a monsoon. Winters are very harsh, with up to seven months below freezing. The little rain it gets, about 12-15 cm a year, falls in summer.
Example
Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon in eastern Siberia, Russia, have a Dw climate. They form the Northern Hemisphere's cold pole, with readings of −67.8°C (1892) and −67.7°C (1933). Their annual temperature range is over 60°C, the largest in the world.
Don't confuse with
- Cold climate with humid winters (Df): Df gets snow and rain all year. Dw has a dry winter because air flows out of the Siberian high.
- Humid subtropical climate with dry winter (Cwa): Cwa also has dry winters and summer rain, but its coldest month stays above −3°C. In Dw the coldest month is −3°C or below.