New York is Subtropical. Really? According to the Koppen Climate Classification, it has the same Humid Subtropical Climate as New Orleans in the Deep South. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? And what about Bogota, Colombia having the same climate as London. That can’t be right, surely. But Koppen put them both in the same Oceanic Climate Zone. In this video I break apart these zones into different sub-types based upon winter temperatures.
Climates
Microclimates – Sudden climatic shifts over just a few miles
Microclimates – dramatic shifts in temperature, rainfall or both over just a few kilometers or miles. How are these sudden shifts possible. In this video I look at the five basic types of microclimates, with a particular focus on how closeness to the ocean can impact.
Seasons – Origin and Variation Across Earth. Types Of Seasons by Climate Zone
Seasons – Origin and Variation Across Earth. Types Of Seasons by Climate Zone
There are various types of seasons on this earth, determined by which climate zone one is in. In this video, I will share the origin of seasons! Searing heat. Freezing ice. Monsoon rains and dusty droughts. Spring. Summer. Autumn. Winter.
For hundreds of millions of years they have defined the rhythm of nature on our planet. They underpin the daily existence of billions of us today. A product of the clockwork of the heavens. These are the seasons of Planet Earth.
Journey Across The Earth and Its Climate Zones and Biomes
The biodiversity of the Tropical Rainforests. The endless rhythm of wet and dry seasons in the Tropical Monsoon and Savannah. The lofty temperate paradise of the Subtropical Highlands. The scorching drought of the Hot Deserts. The great cities of the Humid Subtropical. The idyllic coastlines of the Mediterranean. The beautiful countryside of the Oceanic. The remote and empty Cool Deserts. The great plains and cities of the Continental. The vast forests and extreme temperatures of the Sub-Arctic. The barren wastes of the Tundra… and the Icecap – as if it was in a different world entirely.
The Icecap Climate – Secrets of World Climate
The coldest places on earth, where 99% of the Earth’s freshwater lies, locked up in ice sheets kilometers deep. A land of ice, snow, glaciers, freezing winds, and bitter cold. This is Greenland. This is Antarctica. This is the icecap.
The Tundra Climate
Tundra Climate: Life, Permafrost & Survival Explained
What is the tundra climate?
The tundra climate is one of Earth’s most extreme environments, stretching across the northern edges of the planet in a treeless, frozen expanse. While it may appear lifeless at first glance, beneath the icy surface lies a remarkably resilient ecosystem. Found mostly in the Arctic, the tundra supports hardy plants, iconic Arctic animals, and indigenous communities that have adapted to thrive under its harsh conditions. In this article, we’ll explore the key features of the tundra climate and why it remains one of the most fascinating biomes on Earth.
Why the Tundra Climate Is Unique
Extreme Temperatures and Short Summers
The tundra climate is known for its brutal winters and ultra-short summers. During the summer, temperatures barely rise above freezing, typically ranging between 0°C and 10°C — just enough to support some plant life. Winters are long, dark, and bitterly cold, though slightly moderated near the coasts by the Arctic Ocean.
Frozen Ground: The Role of Permafrost
One of the tundra’s most defining features is permafrost — a permanent layer of frozen soil beneath the surface. It prevents water from draining and roots from penetrating deep into the earth. As a result, the landscape becomes saturated in thawing months, forming shallow lakes, bogs, and marshes that dominate the flat terrain.
Where the Tundra Climate Is Found
Arctic Strongholds
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Northern Alaska
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Arctic Canada
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Greenland’s coastlines
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Russia’s northern territories
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Svalbard, north of Norway
These regions experience true tundra climate with permafrost, icy winds, and treeless plains.
Alpine Tundra
In mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and the Alps, tundra-like environments exist where it’s too cold for trees, despite the absence of permafrost. Iceland and parts of Norway also exhibit this alpine tundra, with short summers and limited plant diversity.
Southern Hemisphere Zones
Cold zones in the southern tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula mirror tundra conditions but are slightly warmer due to oceanic influences. These areas lack permafrost but are too cold in summer for trees to grow.
Plant Life in the Tundra
Though treeless, the tundra biome is not lifeless. During summer, a thin layer of thawed soil allows fast-growing vegetation to emerge. Mosses, lichens, grasses, and dwarf shrubs cover the ground, clinging low to avoid harsh winds.
Plants in the tundra bloom quickly and stay compact. Some even produce natural antifreeze compounds to survive the frost. For a few fleeting weeks, the landscape transforms into a tapestry of green and scattered color — a short-lived miracle of Arctic resilience.
Wildlife in the Tundra Climate
Despite its barren appearance, the tundra teems with wildlife. Large herbivores like caribou and musk oxen migrate across the plains, feeding on grasses and lichens. Predators like the Arctic fox and polar bear rely on dense fur and hunting instincts to survive.
Along the coasts, seals rest on the ice while whales navigate icy waters. Each summer, a wave of migratory birds arrives, turning the tundra into a seasonal sanctuary buzzing with life.
Human Life in the Tundra
For centuries, indigenous peoples like the Inuit have thrived in the tundra by living in sync with the land. They rely on hunting and fishing, using every part of the animal to sustain their communities. Their deep knowledge of the terrain and wildlife is essential for survival.
Modern settlements are few and far between. Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, is the largest tundra city, with around 18,000 people. Homes are built on stilts to avoid melting the permafrost underneath — a vital engineering adaptation.
How Climate Change Is Affecting the Tundra
As the planet warms, the tundra climate is undergoing dramatic changes. Thawing permafrost is releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Wildlife migration routes are shifting, and plant ecosystems are being disrupted.
The tundra stores vast amounts of carbon in its frozen soil. If this biome continues to melt, it could trigger feedback loops that accelerate climate change — making tundra preservation a global priority.
Why the Tundra Climate Matters
So, the tundra is a paradox — stark yet alive, fragile yet essential. Understanding the tundra climate helps us appreciate Earth’s extremes and the life that flourishes there. As climate threats grow, protecting this frozen frontier is more urgent than ever.
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The Tropical Rainforest Climate
The Tropical Rainforest Climate, also known as the Equatorial Climate. A place of steamy jungles, and the rainforest after which the climate is named.
When you think of the equator, Indonesia and Malaysia, the Amazon river basin, Borneo, Java, Bali and the Congo of Central Africa then you are thinking correctly, for these are the places in the world where such a climate exists.
A place of no seasons, this is the tropical rainforest climate where every day is hot, and where heavy rain occurs throughout the year.
The Subarctic Climate
Warm summers… but long, dark, cold winters. Here in the far north of the major continents, we find the widest temperature ranges to be found anywhere on earth. One of the last great wildernesses, the few cities that are here are the coldest on the planet. A place of snow, swamp, lake and trees. These are the lands of the boreal forest. The taiga. This is the subarctic.
The Continental Climate
The great plains of the northern continents. Lands of hot summers, but cold winters. The bread baskets of the developed world, they are also home to many great cities and are the heartlands for the two largest countries on earth. In a band encircling the earth of the mid-latitudes, between the forbidding arctic cold to the north, and the deserts and humid plains to the south, these are the lands of the Continental Climates.
The Cool Desert Climate
Majestic landscapes. Endless plains. Where a lack of rain combines with cold winters. On the wrong side of mountains, or thousands of miles from the ocean. These are the cool deserts of Planet Earth.