Warm temperate climates (C)

Geography glossary

Also called: Mid-latitude climates, Group C climates · Topic: World Climate Classification: Koeppen's Scheme · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 11 "World Climate and Climate Change"

Meaning

Warm temperate climates (C) form the Koeppen group in which the coldest month averages between −3°C and 18°C. They lie between 30° and 50° on the eastern and western edges of continents. Summers are warm and winters mild. West coasts are Cs (dry summer under the subtropical high) or, further from the equator, Cfb (rain all year from the westerlies). East coasts are Cfa (rain all year) or, where a monsoon controls the weather, Cwa (dry winter).

Example

The Ganga plain of north India is shown as Cwg on Koeppen's map of India. Summers there are hot and rainy, winters are dry, and the coldest month falls below 18°C.

Don't confuse with

  • Tropical climates (A): in A the coldest month is 18°C or more, so there is no cool season.
  • Cold snow forest climates (D): in D the coldest month is −3°C or below.

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