Tropical savanna climate

A tropical savanna climate is a type of tropical climate where there is a clear difference between wet and dry seasons. It is part of the Köppen climate classification system and is labeled as Aw when the dry season happens in the winter and As when it happens in the summer. In these climates, the driest month gets less than 60 mm (about 2.4 inches) of rain. This makes the dry season very noticeable and sometimes leads to drought conditions.

Unlike a tropical monsoon climate, where there is still some rain even in the driest month, a tropical savanna climate can have long periods with almost no rain. This often results in grasslands with scattered trees instead of thick jungles. These grassy areas are called savannas, which is where the climate gets its name.

Because of the long dry season, plants and animals in these areas must be able to survive with little water for part of the year. This climate is found in many parts of the world, and it shapes the landscape and the lives of many people and creatures who live there.

Versions

There are four main types of tropical savanna climates:

• Wet and dry seasons that are about the same length. Most rain falls during the wet season, and very little rain falls during the dry season.
• A long dry season and a short wet season. This type has seven or more months of dry weather and five or fewer months of wet weather. In some places, the wet season has just enough rain to keep it from becoming a very dry climate. Other places have a long dry season followed by a very rainy but short wet season, though not enough rain to be a tropical monsoon climate.
• A long, moderately wet season and a short dry season. This version has seven or more months of wet weather and five or fewer months of dry weather. It has similar rainfall patterns to some other climates but not enough rain to be classified as those climates.
• A dry season with some rain followed by a wet season. This type mimics the rainfall patterns of tropical monsoon climates but does not get enough rain to be classified as such.

Distribution

Tropical savanna climates are mainly found in Africa, Asia, Central America, and South America. You can also find this climate in parts of northern Australia, some Pacific Islands, and southern North America, especially in south Florida and certain Caribbean islands.

These climates usually appear at the edges of the tropical zone, though sometimes they can be found right inside it, like in San Marcos and Antioquia in Colombia. In some areas along the Caribbean coast from the Gulf of Urabá to the Orinoco river delta, there are very long dry periods. The driest places, like parts of the Guajira and western Venezuela, get less than 300 mm (about 12 inches) of rain each year, mostly in just a few months.

Some examples of tropical savanna climates

A tropical savanna climate, also called a tropical wet and dry climate, is found in many warm places around the world. In these areas, there is a dry season and a wet season. During the dry season, very little rain falls—less than 60 mm (about 2.4 inches) in a single month. This makes the dry season quite dry compared to other tropical climates.