Tropical rainforest climate

A tropical rainforest climate is a tropical climate usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator, and has at least 60 millimetres (2.4 in) of rainfall every month of the year. Regions with this climate are typically designated Af by the Köppen climate classification. A tropical rainforest climate is typically hot, very humid, and wet.

Worldwide zones of Tropical rainforest climate (Af).

Description

Tropical rain forests have a type of tropical climate in which there is no dry season—all months have an average precipitation value of at least 60 mm (2.4 in). In rainforest climates the dry season is very short, and rainfall is normally heavy throughout the year. One day in a tropical rainforest climate can be very similar to the next, while the change in temperature between day and night may be larger than the average change in temperature during the year.[1]

When tropical rain forest climates are more dominated by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) than the trade winds (and with no or rare cyclones), so usually located near the equator, they are also called equatorial climates. Otherwise, when they are more dominated by the trade winds than the ITCZ, they are called tropical trade-wind climates. In pure equatorial climates, the atmospheric pressure is low, almost constant so the (horizontal) pressure gradient is low. Consequently the winds are rare and usually weak (except sea and land breezes in coastal areas) while in tropical trade-wind climates, often located at higher latitudes than the equatorial climates, wind is almost permanent which incidentally explains why rainforest formations are impoverished compared to those of equatorial climates due to their necessary resistance to strong winds accompanying tropical disturbances.[2]

Distribution

Upland rain forest in Borneo. Sabah, Malaysia

A tropical rain forest climate is usually found at latitudes within 15 degrees North and South of the equator, which are dominated by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The climate is most commonly found in South America, Central Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceania. These rain forests are uniformly and monotonously wet throughout the year. Locations in Oceania, areas along the coast of South and Central America, from Ecuador to Belize, parts of Central Africa, and much of Indonesia have this type of hot and humid climate.

Notable cities with tropical rain forest climates

Africa Moroni, Comoros Kisumu, Kenya Harper, Liberia (equatorial climate) Antalaha, Madagascar Manakara, Madagascar Kampala, Uganda Americas Punta Gorda, Belize Boca Raton, Florida, United States Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States Limón, Costa Rica Higüey, Dominican Republic Puerto Barrios, Guatemala La Ceiba, Honduras Port Antonio, Jamaica Havana, Cuba Bluefields, Nicaragua Changuinola, Panama Belém, Brazil (equatorial climate) Macaé, Brazil Salvador, Brazil Florencia, Colombia Medellín, Colombia Puyo, Ecuador (equatorial climate) Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, French Guiana (equatorial climate) Georgetown, Guyana Iquitos, Peru (equatorial climate) Paramaribo, Suriname (equatorial climate)

Asia Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (equatorial climate) Balikpapan, Indonesia (equatorial climate) Jayapura, Indonesia (equatorial climate) Padang, Indonesia (equatorial climate) Tangerang, Indonesia (equatorial climate) Ishigaki, Japan Johor Bahru, Malaysia (equatorial climate) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (equatorial climate) Kuching, Malaysia (equatorial climate) Davao City, Philippines (subequatorial climate) Polomolok, Philippines (subequatorial climate) Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines Singapore (equatorial climate) Kurunegala, Sri Lanka Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka (subequatorial climate) Hualien, Taiwan Orchid Island, Taiwan Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand Oceania Pago Pago, American Samoa Innisfail, Australia Palikir, Federated States of Micronesia Suva, Fiji Tarawa, Kiribati (subequatorial climate) Majuro, Marshall Islands Tabubil, Papua New Guinea (equatorial climate) Lae, Papua New Guinea (equatorial climate) Apia, Samoa Honiara, Solomon Islands Nuku’alofa, Tonga Funafuti, Tuvalu Hilo, United States Port Vila, Vanuatu

Paramaribo, Suriname
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     200     30 22     140     30 22     150     30 22     210     31 22     290     30 23     290     31 22     230     31 22     170     32 23     90     32 23     90     33 23     120     32 23     180     30 22 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source:
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     7.9     86 72     5.5     86 72     5.9     86 72     8.3     88 72     11     86 73     11     88 72     9.1     88 72     6.7     90 73     3.5     90 73     3.5     91 73     4.7     90 73     7.1     86 72 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

Mbandaka, DR Congo
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     80     31 19     100     32 20     150     32 20     140     31 20     130     31 20     110     30 19     100     30 17     100     29 17     200     30 19     210     30 19     190     30 19     120     30 19 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source:
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     3.1     88 66     3.9     90 68     5.9     90 68     5.5     88 68     5.1     88 68     4.3     86 66     3.9     86 63     3.9     84 63     7.9     86 66     8.3     86 66     7.5     86 66     4.7     86 66 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

Biak, Indonesia
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     250     29 25     240     28 25     250     29 25     200     29 25     250     29 25     230     29 25     250     28 25     240     29 25     220     29 25     180     29 25     190     30 25     230     29 25 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source:
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     9.8     84 77     9.4     82 77     9.8     84 77     7.9     84 77     9.8     84 77     9.1     84 77     9.8     82 77     9.4     84 77     8.7     84 77     7.1     84 77     7.5     86 77     9.1     84 77 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

Kuching, Malaysia
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     466     30 23     445     29 23     465     30 23     251     32 23     347     33 24     310     32 23     184     31 23     326     32 23     208     32 23     307     32 23     482     32 24     516     30 23 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source: Monthly Statistical Bulletin Sarawak
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     18     87 73     18     84 74     18     87 73     9.9     90 74     14     91 74     12     89 73     7.2     88 74     13     89 73     8.2     90 74     12     89 74     19     89 74     20     87 74 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

Quibdó, Colombia
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     579     30 23     505     30 23     526     30 23     655     31 23     776     31 23     762     31 23     803     31 23     852     31 23     702     31 23     654     30 23     728     30 23     589     30 23 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Source:
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     23     86 73     20     86 74     21     87 74     26     87 74     31     88 74     30     88 73     32     88 73     34     88 73     28     87 73     26     87 73     29     86 73     23     85 73 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches

See also

• Tropics
• Köppen climate classification

References

1. McKnight, Tom L; Hess, Darrel (2000). "Climate Zones and Types". Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. pp. 205–8. ISBN 978-0-13-020263-5.
2. Climatologie Pierre Estienne Alain Godard, pages 309 and 316