Climate Zones Weather MET

The best approach to understand this problem is to understand the four "main" zones and then think about what happens to the ones in between as the seasons change. The four "main" zones" are:

• The Equatorial Zone (0° N/S). Here the weather is warm and wet all year round owing to solar heating.
• The Arid Zones (30° N/S): Here the weather is warm but dry all year, owing to the descending air in the high pressures.
• The Disturbed Temperate zone (60° N/S). Here the weather is very changeable all year owing to the travelling low pressures.
• The Polar Zone (90° N/S). Here the weather is cold but dry owing to the high pressures at the poles.

Now, think about the ones "in between" these zones. In the northern hemisphere summer, the ITCZITCZ —Inter Tropical Convergence Zone moves north. This pushes each of the zones above north towards the centre of the band above it. Conversely, in winter, the ITCZITCZ —Inter Tropical Convergence Zone moves south, dragging all the bands south. Hence, the following conclusions can be reached:

• The Savannah Zones (15° N/S) is affected by the Equatorial Zone weather pushing north in summer and Arid Zone weather pushing south in winter. Hence: warm and wet in summer, warm and dry in winter.
• The Warm Temperate/Mediterranean Zone is affected by the Arid Zone weather pushing north in summer and the Disturbed Temperate Zone pushing south in winter. Hence, warm and dry in summer and mild and wet in winter.