Mid-latitude steppe climate (BSk)
Also called: Cold semi-arid climate · Topic: World Climate Classification: Koeppen's Scheme · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 11 "World Climate and Climate Change"
Meaning
The mid-latitude steppe climate (BSk), also called the cold semi-arid climate, lies inside continents between about 35° and 60°. It is semi-arid: wetter than a desert, but too dry for forest. Summers are hot and winters are cold, because these interiors are far from the sea. The rain is enough only for short grass, which forms wide grasslands.
Example
The Eurasian steppes, the vast grasslands that stretch across Kazakhstan, are a BSk region. The Great Plains of North America are another.
Don't confuse with
- Subtropical steppe climate (BSh): BSh lies at lower latitudes (15°-35°) on the edges of hot deserts and is hot (annual mean 18°C or more), without cold winters.
- Mid-latitude desert (BWk): BWk is drier still and too dry for grassland.
Related concepts
- Dry climates (B)
- Subtropical steppe climate (BSh)
- Subtropical desert climate (BWh)
- Coastal desert
- Mid-latitude desert climate (BWk)