Subtropical - All About All

Subtropical

Subtropical (or semitropical) areas are those adjacent to the tropics, usually roughly defined as the ranges 23.5-40° N and 23.5-40° S latitude. These areas typically have very warm to hot summers, but non-tropical winters. In certain areas of the world the subtropics are plagued by tropical cyclones that originate in the tropics in the summer and fall.

Definitions in climate classification schemes

In most climate schemes, subtropical climates are a subtype of temperate climates:

• Köppen climate classification: Average temperature above 22 °C (72 °F) in their warmest months, a coldest month average between -3 °C (or 0 °C in some variants of the scheme) and 18 °C (27 °F and 64 °F), and wet, humid summers with driest winter month average precipitation greater than one-tenth wettest summer month average precipitation.
• Trewartha classification: Eight or more months with mean temperatures of 10 °C (50 °F) or warmer, at least one month averaging colder than 18 °C.
• John Griffiths classification: Mean temperature in coldest month between 6 °C (42.8°F) and 18°C (64.4°F)

Note that the Mediterranean climate (with a pronounced dry season in the summer) is subtropical from a thermal standpoint, but its vegetation and seasons are not tropical, as it lacks constant humidity - a pillar of tropical regions.

Examples of subtropical cities

• Atlanta, Georgia, United States (33.9° N)
• Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (27.3º S)
• Buenos Aires, Argentina (34.6º S)
• Istanbul, Turkey (41.0º N)
• Johannesburg, South Africa (26.1º S)
• Tallahassee, Florida, United States (30.4º N)
• New Delhi, India (28.6º N)
• New Orleans, Louisiana, United States (29.9º N)
• Pensacola, Florida, United States (30.2° N)
• Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (34.0º S)
• Tokyo, Japan (35.5º N)