Tropical wet climate, Tropical monsoon climate, and Tropical wet and dry climate are the three types of tropical climates. Tropical humid climates exist between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This climate is hot and humid as the sun’s rays fall obliquely on this region throughout the year and due to the existence of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The annual temperature range is quite narrow, and the annual rainfall is abundant.

Tropical Wet Climates

• Regions: It is found near the equator and the major areas are the Amazon Basin in South America, western equatorial Africa, and the islands of the East Indies
• Temperature and Rainfall: Every month of the year, a significant amount of rain falls as thunderstorms in the afternoon
• The temperature is consistently hot, with a little annual temperature fluctuation
• On any particular day, the maximum temperature is around 30°C, and the minimum temperature is around 20°C
• Vegetation and Biodiversity: Large biodiversity and dense canopy cover are seen in Tropical evergreen forests

Tropical Monsoon Climates

• Regions: It can be found in the Indian subcontinent, the northern section of South America, and northern Australia
• Rainfall: Summers are characterised by heavy rainfall, while winters are characterised by a lack of precipitation
• Vegetation and Biodiversity: There is a lot of biodiversity in areas with tropical monsoon climates
• Monsoon forest is present
• During the dry season, trees drop their leaves

Tropical wet and Dry Climate

• Regions: It occurs north and south of Af-type climate regions
• Climate: On the western side of the continent, it has a dry climate
• Such climate can be found to the north and south of the Amazon forest in Brazil, as well as adjacent portions of Bolivia and Paraguay in South America, Sudan, and the south of Central Africa
• Rainfall: This climate has significantly less yearly rainfall than the Af and Am climate types, and it is also more unpredictable
• The rainy season is shorter, and the dry season is longer, with more severe droughts
• Temperature: Throughout the year the temperature is hot, with large diurnal temperature swings

Dry Climate

Dry climates are characterised by very low rainfall that is not adequate for the growth of plants.

• Regions: These climates span a wide portion of the planet, spanning altitudes ranging from 15° to 60° north and south of the equator
• They occur at low latitudes, between 15° and 30°, in the area of subtropical high, when subsidence and temperature inversion do not cause the rainfall
• They are confined to the interior of continents where maritime-humid winds do not reach and to locations often surrounded by mountains at middle latitudes
• This latitudinal range is between 35° and 60° north and south of the equator
• Steppe or semi-arid climate and desert climate are the two types of dry climates
• They are further separated into the subtropical steppe and subtropical desert at latitudes ranging from 15° to 35°, and mid-latitudinal steppe at latitudes ranging from 15° to 35°

Subtropical Steppe and Subtropical Desert Climates

• Subtropical steppe and subtropical desert have, to some extent, similar precipitation and temperature characteristics
• Regions: The subtropical steppe is situated in the transition zone between wet and dry climates and receives more rainfall than the desert
• However, this is enough to form sparse grasslands
• Rainfall: In both climates, rainfall is highly erratic
• Rainfall unpredictability has a considerably greater impact on life in the steppe regions than it does in the desert regions, producing starvation more frequently
• In deserts, rainfall is scarce, powerful thunderstorms occur, and soil moisture is poorly retained
• Temperature: In coastal deserts near cold currents, fog is common
• In the summer, the maximum temperature is extremely high
• On September 13, 1922, the maximum shade temperature of 58° C was recorded in Al Aziziyah, Libya
• The yearly and daily temperature ranges are similarly wide

Conclusion

The tropical wet and dry climates, tropical monsoon climates and subtropical climates are very different in their characteristics owing to their location and variation in temperature and precipitation. These climates spread across continents and hence have played an important role in shaping the life of the people living in this area.