Tropical climate

A climate found mainly in low latitudes, with consistently warm temperatures and rainfall patterns that often vary more by season than temperature does.

Köppen climate classification: A system that classifies climates using monthly temperature and precipitation patterns. Its tropical group is defined by warmth in every month and specific rainfall thresholds.
Convection: Vertical movement in a fluid caused by differences in temperature and density. Strong solar heating drives rising moist air, clouds, and frequent tropical downpours.
Tropical rainforest climate: A tropical climate with abundant rainfall in every month and no pronounced dry season. It represents the persistently wet end of tropical climates.
Rainfed agriculture: Crop production that relies primarily on rainfall rather than irrigation. Planting and harvest depend on the timing and reliability of tropical wet seasons.
Climate change in the tropics: Long-term shifts in tropical temperature, rainfall, and extremes associated with global climate change. It tests how warming changes the defining balance of year-round heat and seasonal rain.
Intertropical Convergence Zone: A belt of low pressure near the equator where trade winds converge and rising air produces clouds and rain. Its seasonal migration shifts major rain belts across many tropical regions.
Atmospheric circulation: The large-scale movement of air that redistributes heat and moisture around Earth. It links tropical rainfall belts to pressure zones and winds across the globe.
Tropical monsoon climate: A tropical climate with a short dry season and a pronounced wet season, often dominated by monsoon rains. It illustrates how seasonal winds can concentrate much of a year's rain.
Drought: A prolonged period of unusually low water availability relative to local conditions. A delayed or weak rainy season can produce severe drought even in warm climates.
Extreme precipitation: Unusually intense or prolonged rainfall events that exceed local thresholds. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, but local changes in extreme rain vary.

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