Climatologies at High resolution for the Earth Land

Surface Areas
BIOCLIM+ A novel set of global climate-related
predictors at kilometre-resolution: Technical
specification
Release Date: 13. 06. 2022
Document version: 1.0

Dirk Nikolaus Karger, Philipp Brun & Niklaus E. Zimmermann

Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

Zürcherstrasse 111
CH-8903 Birmendorf
Switzerland

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 CHELSA: File Specification

Document maintained by Dirk Nikolaus Karger (WSL, dirk.karger@wsl.ch)

CHELSA-BIOCLIM+ data should be cited as:

Scientific publication:
Brun, Philipp; Zimmermann, Niklaus E.; Hari, Chantal; Pellissier, Loïc; Karger, Dirk
Nikolaus (2022). A novel set of global climate-related predictors at kilometre-
resolution. EnviDat. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-212

Data citation:
Brun, Philipp; Zimmermann, Niklaus E.; Hari, Chantal; Pellissier, Loïc; Karger, Dirk
Nikolaus (2022). CHELSA-BIOCLIM+ A novel set of global climate-related predictors
at kilometre-resolution. EnviDat. https://doi.org/10.16904/envidat.332

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Revision history

Version Date Changes

1.0 13.06.2022 Initial document
1.1 22.09.2022 Added Köppen-Geiger table

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 5
2. CMIP6 ISIMIP3b .......................................................................................................................... 6
2.1 ISIMIP3b BA ................................................................................................................................ 6
3. Format and File Organization...................................................................................................... 7
3.1 Dimensions .................................................................................................................................... 8
3.2 Variables........................................................................................................................................ 8
4. Grid Structure ................................................................................................................................... 9
5. File Naming Conventions ................................................................................................................ 10
6. Changes between version 1 and 2................................................................................................... 11
7. Variable Names................................................................................................................................ 11
7.1. Climatologies.............................................................................................................................. 11
7.2. Monthly ...................................................................................................................................... 16
7.3. Annual ........................................................................................................................................ 17
7.4. Climate classification – Köppen Geiger ..................................................................................... 17
7.5. Climate classification – Wissmann 1939 ................................................................................... 19
7.6. Climate classification – Thornthwaite 1931 ............................................................................... 20
7.7. Climate classification – Troll-Pfaffen ........................................................................................ 22

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1. Introduction

A multitude of physical and biological processes on which ecosystems and human societies
depend are governed by climatic conditions. Understanding how these processes are altered by
climate change is central to mitigation efforts. Based on mechanistically downscaled climate
data, we developed a set of climate-related variables at yet unprecedented spatiotemporal detail
as a basis for environmental and ecological analyses. We created gridded data for near-surface
relative humidity (hurs), cloud area fraction (clt), near-surface wind speed (sfcWind), vapour
pressure deficit (vpd), surface downwelling shortwave radiation (rsds), potential
evapotranspiration (pet), climate moisture index (cmi), and site water balance (swb), at a
monthly temporal and 30 arcsec spatial resolution globally starting 1980 until 2018. At the same
spatial resolution, we further estimated climatological normals of frost change frequency (fcf),
snow cover days (scd), potential net primary productivity (npp), growing degree days (gdd),
and growing season characteristics for the periods 1981-2010, 2011-2040, 2041-2070, and
2071-2100, considering three shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP126, SSP370, SSP585) and
five Earth system models. Time-series variables showed high accuracy when validated against
observations from meteorological stations. Climatological normals were also highly correlated
to observations although some variables showed notable biases, e.g., snow cover days (scd).
Together, the data sets presented here allow improving our understanding of patterns and
processes that are governed by climate, including the impact of recent and future climate
changes on the world’s ecosystems and associated services to societies.

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2. CMIP6 ISIMIP3b

2.1 ISIMIP3b BA

CHELSA-BIOCLIM+ is currently only available for a selected number of CMIP6 scenarios.

Since the number of models and rcps has increased a lot from CMIP5 to CMIP6, we do not
provide a full list of all possible GCM and SSP combinations at 1km resolution anymore. We
rather opted for an approach of preselecting GCMs and SSP. The selection follows the models
given for the Intersectoral Impact Model Intercomparion Project (ISIMIP). Before downscaling
to 1km the models have been bias corrected using a trend-preserving bias correction following
(Lange 2019). GCM selection follow that of ISIMIP3b documented here:
https://www.isimip.org/documents/413/ISIMIP3b_bias_adjustment_fact_sheet_gWHNhgH.p
df

The priority of the model is given following ISIMIP3b. If less than five models are used, GCMs
selection should follow the priority with priority=1 equals highest priority, and priority=5
equals lowest priority.

Some of the models show spatial interpolation artefacts from the statistical downscaling
employed in ISIMIP3b_BA. These artefacts are an effect of the statistical downscaling in
ISIMIP3b_BA, not from CHELSA, and therefore we cannot remove them.

For a total selection of all possible GCM and scenario combinations for various timeperiods,
we provide the chelsa_cmip6 python package available here:
https://gitlabext.wsl.ch/karger/chelsa_cmip6

Table 3.1 Climate Scenario Specifiers

Scenario specifier Description
ssp126 SSP1-RCP2.6 climate as simulated by the GCMs.
ssp370 SSP3-RCP7 climate as simulated by the GCMs.
ssp585 SSP5-RCP8.5 climate as simulated by the GCMs.

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 Table 3.2. Climate forcing data and source for the CHELSA CMIP6 ISIMIP3 data. The
priority of models follows the suggestions of the ISIMIP3b protocol.

title model institution native ensemble priority

resolution member
GFDL- gfdl-National Oceanic and Atmospheric 288x180 r1i1p1f1 1
ESM4 esm4 Administration, Geophysical Fluid
Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton,
NJ 08540, USA
UKESM1- ukesm1- Met Office Hadley Centre, Fitzroy 192x144 r1i1p1f2 2
0-LL 0-ll Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 3PB,
UK
MPI- mpi- Max Planck Institute for 384x192 r1i1p1f1 3
ESM1-2- esm1-2- Meteorology, Hamburg 20146,
HR hr Germany
IPSL- ipsl- Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Paris 144x143 r1i1p1f1 4
CM6A-LR cm6a-lr 75252, France

MRI- mri- Meteorological Research Institute, 320x160 r1i1p1f1 5

ESM2-0 esm2-0 Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0052, Japan

3. Format and File Organization

All files are provided as georeferenced tiff files (GeoTIFF). GeoTIFF is a public domain
metadata standard which allows georeferencing information to be embedded within a TIFF file.
Additional information included in the file are: map projection, coordinate systems, ellipsoids,
datums, and fill values.

All GeoTIFF files are saved as integer with a compression = deflate, predictor = 2, and an
internal scale and offset in case of continuous variables. Scale and offset are internally stored
in the GeoTIFF files and are supported by GDAL Version 2.3 or higher.

In some cases, problems have been reported using older versions of GDAL or ArcGIS. In this
case the scale and offset has to be set manually for the variables.

GeoTIFF can be viewed using standard GIS software such as:

SAGA GIS – (free) http://www.saga-gis.org/
ArcGIS - https://www.arcgis.com/
QGIS - (free) www.qgis.org
DIVA – GIS - (free) http://www.diva-gis.org/
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GRASS – GIS - (free) https://grass.osgeo.org/

3.1 Dimensions

All CHELSA-BIOCLIM+ files contain a variable that define the dimensions of longitude and
latitude. The time variable is usually encoded in the filename.

Table 3.1. Dimension Variables

Name Description type Attribute

longitude Longitude double degrees_east
latitude Latitude double degrees_north
variable variable int variable

3.2 Variables

All variables of CHELSA-BIOCLIM+ are time-averaged and contain either monthly, annual
means, or long term normals (climatologies), but not mixtures of these. Instantaneous
parameters are not provided. Monthly time-averaged are files usually based on means of
synoptic hours. Monthly files represent averages for the calendar months, accounting for leap
years. For monthly means, each file contains a single month. For annual means or
accumulations, files contain a single year. For climatological values, a file contains the means
of a given period (e.g. 1981-2010).

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4. Grid Structure

All global CHELSA products are in a geographic coordinate system referenced to the WGS 84
horizontal datum, with the horizontal coordinates expressed in decimal degrees. The CHELSA
layer extents (minimum and maximum latitude and longitude) are a result of the coordinate
system inherited from the 1-arc-second GMTED2010 data which itself inherited the grid extent
from the 1-arc-second SRTM data.

Grid extent:

Attribute value
Resolution 0.0083333333
West extent (minimum X- −180.0001388888
coordinate, longitude):
South extent (minimum −90.0001388888
Y-coordinate, latitude)
East extent (maximum X- 179.9998611111
coordinate, longitude)
North extent (maximum 83.9998611111
Y-coordinate, latitude)
Rows 20,800
Columns 43,200

Note that because of the pixel center referencing of the input GMTED2010 data the full extent
of each CHELSA grid as defined by the outside edges of the pixels differs from an integer value
of latitude or longitude by 0.000138888888 degree (or 1/2 arc-second). Users of products based
on the legacy GTOPO30 product should note that the coordinate referencing of CHELSA (and
GMTED2010) and GTOPO30 are not the same. In GTOPO30, the integer lines of latitude and
longitude fall directly on the edges of a 30-arc-second pixel. Thus, when overlaying CHELSA
with products based on GTOPO30 a slight shift of 1/2 arc-second will be observed between the
edges of corresponding 30-arc-second pixels.

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5. File Naming Conventions

The filename of each CHELSA data product follows a similar structure including the
respective model used, the variable short name, the respective time variables, and the
accumulation (or mean) period in the following basic format:

CHELSA_[short_name]_[timeperiod]_[Version].tif

For CMIP6 data:

CHELSA_[short_name]_[timeperiod]_[model] _[ssp] _[Version].tif

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6. Changes between version 1 and 2
• Shift from ERA-Interim to ERA5 as forcing data.
• Version 2 uses a temperature lapse rate based on the 950 and 850 hPa pressure level
from the ERA5 reanalysis atmospheric temperature instead of estimating the
temperature lapse rate through the entire atmosphere.
• Version 2 uses an improved bias correction for precipitation that wraps around the
dateline. Precipitation is also bias corrected for systematic gauge undercatch using
(Beck et al. 2020).
• All variables are saved as integers with a given offset and scale embedded in the
geotiff file to arrive at e.g. Celsius or kg m^-2 (mm) (only for climatologies).

7. Variable Names
Table 7.1 gives the variable short names, longnames, units, scale, offsets, and explanations.
Scale and offset are internally stored in the GeoTIFF files and are supported by GDAL
Version 2.3 or higher. In some cases, problems have been reported using older versions of
GDAL or ArcGIS. In this case the scale and offset has to be set manually for the variables.
This can be done by first multiplying the raster values with the ‘scale’ value and then adding
the ‘offset’ value.
7.1. Climatologies
shortname longname unit scale offset explanation
cmi_max Maximum kg m-2 0.1 0 The climate moisture index of the
monthly climate month-1 month with the highest precipitation
moisture index surplus
cmi_mean Mean monthly kg m-2 0.1 0 Average monthly climate moisture
climate moisture month-1 index over 1 year
index
cmi_min Minimum kg m-2 0.1 0 The climate moisture index of the
monthly climate month-1 month with the highest precipitation
moisture index deficit
cmi_range Annual range of kg m-2 0.1 0 Difference between maximum and
monthly climate month-1 minimum monthly climate moisture
moisture index index
cmi_01, …, Monthly climate kg m-2 0.1 0 Climate moisture indices for each
cmi_12 moisture indicies month-1 month
fcf Frost change count - - Number of events in which tmin or
frequency tmax go above, or below 0°C
fgd first day of the julian day - - first day of the growing season
growing season according to TREELIM
TREELIM (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-014-
0124-0)

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gdd0 Growing degree °C 0.1 0 heat sum of all days above the 0°C
days heat sum temperature accumulated over 1 year.
above 0°C
gdd5 Growing degree °C 0.1 0 heat sum of all days above the 5°C
days heat sum temperature accumulated over 1 year.
above 5°C
gdd10 Growing degree °C 0.1 0 heat sum of all days above the 10°C
days heat sum temperature accumulated over 1 year.
above 10°C
gddlgd0 Last growing julian day - - Last day of the year above 0°C
degree day above
0°C
gddlgd5 Last growing julian day - - Last day of the year above 5°C
degree day above
5°C
gddlgd10 Last growing julian day - - Last day of the year above 10°C
degree day above
10°C
gdgfgd0 First growing julian day - - First day of the year above 0°C
degree day above
0°C
gdgfgd5 First growing julian day - - First day of the year above 5°C
degree day above
5°C
gdgfgd10 First growing julian day - - First day of the year above 10°C
degree day above
10°C
gsl growing season number - - Length of the growing season
length TREELIM of days
gsp Accumulated kg m-2 0.1 0 precipitation sum accumulated on all
precipiation gsl-1 days during the growing season
amount on based on TREELIM
growing season (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-014-
days TREELIM 0124-0)
gst Mean °C 0.1 -273.15 Mean temperature of all growing
temperature of season days based on TREELIM
the growing (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-014-
season 0124-0)
TREELIM
hurs_max Maximum % 0.01 0 The highest monthly near-surface
monthly near- relative humidity
surface relative
humidity
hurs_mean Mean monthly % 0.01 0 Average monthly near-surface
near-surface relative humidity over 1 year
relative humidity
hurs_min Minimum % 0.01 0 The lowest monthly near-surface
monthly near- relative humidity
surface relative
humidity

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hurs_range Annual range of % 0.01 0 Difference between maximum and
monthly near- minimum near-surface relative
surface relative humidity
humidity
hurs_01, …, Monthly near- % 0.01 0 Near-surface relative humidity for
hurs_12 surface relative each month
humidity
kg0 Köppen-Geiger category - - Köppen Geiger
climate
classification Koeppen, W., Geiger, R. (1936):
Handbuch der Klimatologie.
Gebrüder Borntraeger, Berlin.
Wikimedia.
kg1 Köppen-Geiger category - - Köppen Geiger without As/Aw
climate differentiation
classification
Koeppen, W., Geiger, R. (1936):
Handbuch der Klimatologie.
Gebrüder Borntraeger, Berlin.
Wikimedia.
kg2 Köppen-Geiger category - - Köppen Geiger after Peel et al. 2007
climate
classification Peel, M. C., Finlayson, B. L.,
McMahon, T. A. (2007): Updated
world map of the Koeppen-Geiger
climate classification. Hydrology and
earth system sciences discussions,
4(2), 439-473. Free Access.
kg3 Köppen-Geiger category - - Wissmann 1939
climate
classification Wissmann, H. (1939): Die Klima-
und Vegetationsgebiete Eurasiens:
Begleitworte zu einer Karte der
Klimagebiete Eurasiens. Z. Ges.
Erdk. Berlin, p.81-92.
kg4 Köppen-Geiger category - - Thornthwaite 1931
climate
classification Thornthwaite, C. W. (1931): The
climates of North America:
according to a new classification.
Geographical review, 21(4), 633-655.
JSTOR.
kg5 Köppen-Geiger category - - Troll-Pfaffen
climate
classification Troll, C. & Paffen, K.H. (1964):
Karte der Jahreszeitenklimate der
Erde. Erdkunde 18, p5-28 Free
Access.
lgd last day of the julian day - - Last day of the growing season
growing season according to TREELIM
TREELIM
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 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-014-
0124-0)
ngd0 Number of number - - Number of days at which tas > 0°C
growing degree of days
days
ngd5 Number of number - - Number of days at which tas > 5°C
growing degree of days
days
ngd10 Number of number - - Number of days at which tas > 10°C
growing degree of days
days
npp Net primary g C m−2 0.1 0 Calculated based on the ‘Miami
productivity yr−1 model’, Lieth, H., 1972. "Modelling
the primary productivity of the earth.
Nature and resources", UNESCO,
VIII, 2:5-10.
pet_penman Maximum kg m-2 0.01 0 The highest monthly potential
_max monthly potential month-1 evaporation; calculated with the
evapotranspiratio Penman-Monteith equation.
n
pet_penman Mean monthly kg m-2 0.01 0 Average monthly potential
_mean potential month-1 evaporation over 1 year; calculated
evapotranspiratio with the Penman-Monteith equation.
n
pet_penman Minimum kg m-2 0.01 0 The lowest monthly potential
_min monthly potential month-1 evaporation; calculated with the
evapotranspiratio Penman-Monteith equation.
n
pet_penman Annual range of kg m-2 0.01 0 Difference between maximum and
_range monthly potential minimum monthly potential
evapotranspiratio evapotranspiration; calculated with
n the Penman-Monteith equation
pet_penman Monthly potential kg m-2 0.01 0 Potential evapotranspiration for each
_01, …, evapotranspiratio month-1 month; calculated with the Penman-
pet_penman n Monteith equation
_12
pr_01, …, Monthly kg m-2 0.1 0 Precipitation amount for each month;
pr_12 precipitation month-1 "Amount" means mass per unit area.
amount "Precipitation" in the Earth's
atmosphere means precipitation of
water in all phases.
rsds_max Maximum MJ m-2 d- 0.001 0 The highest monthly surface
monthly surface 1 downwelling shortwave flux in air
downwelling
shortwave flux in
air
rsds_mean Mean monthly MJ m-2 d- 0.001 0 Average monthly surface
1
surface downwelling shortwave flux in air
downwelling over 1 year

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 shortwave flux in
air
rsds_min Minimum MJ m-2 d- 0.001 0 The lowest monthly surface
1
monthly surface downwelling shortwave flux in air
downwelling
shortwave flux in
air
rsds_range Annual range of MJ m-2 d- 0.001 0 Difference between maximum and
1
monthly surface minimum monthly surface
downwelling downwelling shortwave flux in air
shortwave flux in
air
rsds_01, …, Monthly potential MJ m-2 d- 0.001 0 Potential evapotranspiration for each
1
rsds_12 evapotranspiratio month; calculated with the Penman-
n Monteith equation
scd Snow cover days count - - Number of days with snowcover
calculated using the snowpack model
implementation in from TREELIM
(https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-014-
0124-0)
sfcWind_ma Maximum m s-1 0.001 0 The highest monthly near-surface
x monthly near- wind speed; near surface represents
surface wind 10 m above ground.
speed
sfcWind_me Mean monthly m s-1 0.001 0 Average monthly near-surface wind
an near-surface wind speed over 1 year; near surface
speed represents 10 m above ground.
sfcWind_mi Minimum m s-1 0.001 0 The lowest monthly near-surface
n monthly near- wind speed; near surface represents
surface wind 10 m above ground.
speed
sfcWind_ran Annual range of m s-1 0.001 0 Difference between maximum and
ge monthly near- minimum monthly near-surface wind
surface wind speed; near surface represents 10 m
speed above ground.
sfcWind_01, Monthly near- m s-1 0.001 0 Near-surface wind speed for each
…, surface wind month; near surface represents 10 m
sfcWind_12 speed above ground.
swe Snow water kg m-2 0.1 0 Amount of luquid water if snow is
equivalent year-1 melted
tasmax_01, Mean daily °C 0.1 -273.15 Daily maximum air temperature at 2
…, maximum 2m air metres from hourly ERA5 data for
tasmax_12 temperature each month
tas_01, …, Mean daily air °C 0.1 -273.15 Daily mean air temperature at 2
tas_12 temperature metres from hourly ERA5 data for
each month
tasmin_01, Mean daily °C 0.1 -273.15 daily minimum air temperature at 2
…, minimum air metres from hourly ERA5 data for
tasmin_12 temperature each month

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clt_max Maximum % 0.01 0 The highest percentage of monthly
monthly total total cloud cover
cloud cover
clt_mean Mean monthly % 0.01 0 Average monthly total cloud cover
total cloud cover over 1 year
clt_min Minimum % 0.01 0 The lowest percentage of monthly
monthly total total cloud cover
cloud cover
clt_range Annual range of % 0.01 0 Difference between maximum and
monthly total minimum monthly total cloud cover
cloud cover
clt_01, …, Monthly total % 0.01 0 Total cloud cover for each month
clt_12 cloud cover
vpd_max Maximum Pa 0.1 0 The highest monthly vapor pressure
monthly vapor deficit
pressure deficit
vpd_mean Mean monthly Pa 0.1 0 Average monthly vapor pressure
vapor pressure deficit over 1 year
deficit
vpd_min Minimum Pa 0.1 0 The lowest monthly vapor pressure
monthly vapor deficit
pressure deficit
vpd_range Annual range of Pa 0.1 0 Difference between maximum and
monthly vapor minimum monthly vapor pressure
pressure deficit deficit
vpd_01, …, Monthly vapor Pa 0.1 0 Vapor pressure deficit for each
vpd_12 pressure deficit month

7.2. Monthly
shortname longname unit scale offset explanation
-2
cmi Climate moisture kg m 0.1 0 Climate moisture index is the
index month- difference between precipitation
1
amount and potential
evapotranspiration
hurs Near-surface % 0.01 0
relative humidity
pet_penman Potential kg m-2 0.01 0 Calculated with the Penman-
evapotranspiration month- Monteith equation.
1

pr Precipitation kg m-2 - - "Amount" means mass per unit

amount month- area. "Precipitation" in the
1
/100 earth's atmosphere means
precipitation of water in all
phases.
rsds Surface MJ m-2 0.001 0 Attenuating effects of clouds
downwelling d-1 are accounted for
shortwave flux in
air

16
sfcWind Near-surface wind m s-1 0.001 0 Near surface represents 10 m
speed above ground.
tasmax Mean daily K/10 - - Daily maximum air
maximum 2m air temperatures at 2 metres from
temperature hourly ERA5 data
tas Mean daily air K/10 - - Daily mean air temperatures at
temperature 2 metres from hourly ERA5
data
tasmin Mean daily K/10 - - Daily minimum air
minimum air temperatures at 2 metres from
temperature hourly ERA5 data
clt Total cloud cover % 0.01 0 Considers clouds across the
at surface entire atmospheric column as
seen from the surface upwards
vpd Vapor pressure Pa 0.1 0
deficit

7.3. Annual
shortname longname unit scale offset explanation
swb Soil water balance kg m-2 0.1 0 Site water balance (swb) is the
-1
year cumulative amount of water
available throughout the year. It
maximum is given by available
water holding capacity of the
soil. Minimum values indicate
that evaportranspiration has
exceeded precipitation minus
runoff.

7.4. Climate classification – Köppen Geiger

shortname kg0, kg1, kg2 kg0, kg1, kg2
longname Köppen Geiger, Köppen Köppen Geiger, Köppen
Geiger without As/Aw Geiger without As/Aw
differentiation, Köppen differentiation, Köppen
Geiger after Peel et al. Geiger after Peel et al.
2007 2007
value code class name
1 Af equatorial fully humid
2 Am equatorial monsoonal
3 As equatorial summer dry

4 Aw equatorial winter dry

5 BWk cold desert

6 BWh hot desert

7 BSk cold steppe

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8 BSh hot steppe

9 Cfa warm temperate fully

humid hot summer
10 Cfb warm temperate fully
humid warm summer
11 Cfc warm temperate fully
humid cool summer

12 Csa warm temperate summer

dry hot summer

13 Csb warm temperate summer

dry warm summer

14 Csc warm temperate summer

dry cool summer

15 Cwa warm temperate winter

dry hot summer

16 Cwb warm temperate winter

dry warm summer

17 Cwc warm temperate winter

dry cool summer
18 Dfa snow fully humid hot
summer
19 Dfb snow fully humid warm
summer
20 Dfc snow fully humid cool
summer
21 Dfd snow fully humid
extremely continental
22 Dsa snow summer dry hot
summer
23 Dsb snow summer dry warm
summer
24 Dsc snow summer dry cool
summer
25 Dsd snow summer dry
extremely continental
26 Dwa snow winter dry hot
summer
18
27 Dwb snow winter dry warm
summer

28 Dwc snow winter dry cool

summer
29 Dwd snow winter dry
extremely continental
30 ET polar tundra

31 EF polar frost

7.5. Climate classification – Wissmann 1939

shortname kg3 kg3
longname Wissmann 1939 Wissmann 1939

value code class name

1 I_A Rainforest equatorial
2 I_F Rainforest weak dry
period
3 I_T Savannah and monsoonal
Rainforest
4 I_S Steppe tropical

5 I_D Desert tropical

6 II_Fa -
7 II_Fb -

8 II_Tw -

9 II_Ts -

10 II_S -

11 II_D -

12 III_F -

19
13 III_Tw Summer green and
coniferous forest winter
dry

14 III_Ts Summer green and

coniferous forest cool
etesien

15 III_S -

16 III_D -

17 IV_F Humid boreal forest

18 IV_T Winter dry boreal forest

19 IV_S Boreal steppe

20 IV_D Boreal desert

21 V Polar tundra

22 VI Polar frost

7.6. Climate classification – Thornthwaite 1931

shortname kg4 kg4
longname Thornthwaite 1931 Thornthwaite 1931

value code class name

1 - Wet/Tropical
2 - Humid/Tropical
3 - Subhumid/Tropical

4 - Semiarid/Tropical

5 - Arid/Tropical

6 - Wet/Mesothermal
7 - Humid/Mesothermal

20
8 - Subhumid/Mesothermal

9 - Semiarid/Mesothermal

10 - Arid/Mesothermal

11 - Wet/Microthermal

12 - Humid/Microthermal

13 - Subhumid/Microthermal

14 - Semiarid/Microthermal

15 - Arid/Microthermal

16 - Wet/Taiga

17 - Humid/Taiga

18 - Subhumid/Taiga

19 - Semiarid/Taiga

20 - Arid/Taiga

21 - Wet/Tundra

22 - Humid/Tundra

23 - Subhumid/Tundra

24 - Semiarid/Tundra

25 - Arid/Tundra

26 - Wet/Frost

21
27 - Humid/Frost

28 - Subhumid/Frost

29 - Semiarid/Frost

30 - Arid/Frost

7.7. Climate classification – Troll-Pfaffen

shortname kg5 kg5
longname Troll-Pfaffen Troll-Pfaffen

value code class name

1 I_1 Polar ice-deserts
2 I_2 Polar frost-debris belt
3 I_3 Tundra

4 I_4 Sub-polar tussock

grassland and moors
5 II_1 Oceanic humid coniferous
woods
6 II_2 Continental coniferous
woods
7 II_3 Highly continental dry
coniferous woods
8 III_1 Evergreen broad-leaved
and mixed woods
9 III_2 Oceanic deciduous broad-
leaved and mixed woods
10 III_3 Sub-oceanic deciduous
broad-leaved and mixed
woods
11 III_4 Sub-continental deciduous
broad-leaved and mixed
woods
12 III_5 Continental deciduous
broad-leaved and mixed
woods as well as wooded
steppe
13 III_6 Highly continental
deciduous broad-leaved and
mixed woods as well as
wooded steppe

22
14 III_7 Deciduous broad-leaved
and mixed wood and
wooded steppe favoured by
warmth but withstanding
cold and aridity in winter
15 III_7a Thermophile dry wood and
wooded stepe which
withstands moderate to hard
winters
16 III_8 Humid deciduous broad-
leaved and mixed wood
which favours warmth
17 III_9 High grass-steppe with
perennial herbs
18 III_9a Humid steppe with mild
winters
19 III_10 Short grass- or dwarf
shrub-
20 III_10a Steppe with short grass
dwarf shrups and thorns
21 III_11 Central and East-Asian
grass and dwarf shrub
steppe
22 III_12 Semi-desert and desert
with cold winters
23 III_12a Semi-desert and desert
with mild winters
24 IV_1 Sub-tropical hard-leaved
and coniferous wood
25 IV_2 Sub-tropical grass and
shrub-steppe
26 IV_3 Sub-tropical thorn- and
succulants-steppe
27 IV_4 Sub-tropical steppe with
short grass hard-leaved
monsoon wood and
wooded-steppe
28 IV_5 Sub-tropical semi-deserts
and deserts
29 IV_6 Sub-tropical high-grassland

30 IV_7 Sub-tropical humid forests

(laurel and coniferous
forests)
31 V_1 Evergreen tropical rain
forest and half deciduous
transition wood

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32 V_2 Rain-green humid forest
and humid grass-savannah
33 V_2a Half deciduous transition
wood
34 V_3 Rain-green dry wood and
dry savannah
35 V_4 Tropical thorn-succulent
wood and savannah
36 V_4a Tropical dry climates with
humid months in winter
37 V_5 Tropical semi-deserts and
deserts

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