Chapter 15, Problem 1RQ

To determine

The reason why temperature and precipitation are used to classify climates. Compare marine and continental climates.

Answer to Problem 1RQ

Temperature and precipitation are used to classify climates since they are the easily obtained data and it is easy to apply them. Marine climates are considered as relatively mild for their latitude, whereas continental climates are likely to be much more extreme.

Explanation of Solution

The Koppen climate classification system was introduced by Wladimir Koppen, a Russian born German climatologist. It is a most widely used method for classifying climate based on the average annual and average monthly rate of temperature and precipitation. This data can be combined and compared in a variety of ways. Also, this data can be obtained and applied easily.

The differential heating of the surface of the Earth has resulted in classification of climates into two different categories. They are marine and continental. Marine climates are considered relatively mild for their latitude due to the moderating effect of water, which produces warm summers and cool winters. On the other hand, continental climates are much more extreme. Even though a marine station and a continental station along the same parallel in the middle latitudes are characterized by similar annual mean temperatures, the annual temperature range will be far greater at the continental station.