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39-582: The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics . Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from 23°26′09.8″ (or 23.43605°) to approximately 35° north and south. The horse latitudes lie within this range. Subtropical climates are often characterized by hot summers and mild winters with infrequent frost. Most subtropical climates fall into two basic types: humid subtropical ( Köppen climate classification : Cfa/Cwa), where rainfall

78-487: A United States effort to search for natural sources of quinine during World War II . He was the father of composer Lee Holdridge as well as the father of Leslie A. Holdridge, Lorena Holdridge, Marbella Holdridge, Marly Holdridge, Marisela Holdridge, Thania Holdridge, John Holdridge, Ida Holdridge, Reuseland Holdridge, Leythy J. Holdridge and youngest son Gregory Holdridge whom he fathered with Costa Rican Clara Luz Melendez. This article about an American botanist

117-457: A geographical zone was first hypothesized by the ancient Greek scholar Parmenides and lastingly modified by Aristotle . Both philosophers theorized the Earth divided into three types of climatic zones based on their distance from the equator. Like Parmeneides, thinking that the area near the equator was too hot for habitation, Aristotle dubbed the region around the equator (from 23.5° N to 23.5° S)

156-473: A more even rhythm of seasonal rainfall. Tropical lows and weakening tropical storms often contribute to seasonal rainfall in most humid subtropical climates. In the cool season (winter) the subtropical highs retreat, and the humid subtropics are more influenced by the westerlies and the fronts and storms that move with them. The Subtropical highland climate is a climate variant often grouped together with oceanic climates found in some mountainous areas of either

195-426: Is generally in areas adjacent to powerful cold ocean currents. Examples of this climate are the coastal areas of Southern Africa and the west coast of South America . The humid subtropical climate is often on the western side of the subtropical high. Here, unstable tropical airmasses in summer bring convective overturning and frequent tropical downpours, and summer is normally the season of peak annual rainfall. In

234-417: Is lower. This definition, though restricted to dry regions, is almost similar to Holdridge's. Heating of the earth by the sun near the equator leads to large amounts of upward motion and convection winds along the monsoon trough or Intertropical Convergence Zone . The upper-level divergence over the near-equatorial trough leads to air rising and moving away from the equator aloft. As the air moves towards

273-541: Is often concentrated in the warmest months, for example Southeast China and the Southeastern United States , and dry summer or Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification : Csa/Csb), where seasonal rainfall is concentrated in the cooler months, such as the Mediterranean Basin or Southern California . Subtropical climates can also occur at high elevations within the tropics , such as in

312-458: Is subdivided into seven smaller areas. According to the E. Neef climate classification, the subtropical zone is divided into two parts: rainy winters of the west sides and eastern subtropical climate . According to the Wilhelm Lauer & Peter Frankenberg climate classification, the subtropical zone is divided into three parts: high-continental , continental , and maritime . According to

351-454: Is the Trewartha climate classification , which defines a subtropical region as one that has at least eight months with a mean temperature greater than 10 °C (50.0 °F) and at least one month with a mean temperature under 18 °C (64.4 °F). German climatologists Carl Troll and Karlheinz Paffen defined warm temperate zones as plain and hilly lands having an average temperature of

390-786: The Guyanas , Caribbean South America , Andean states and the northern tip of the Southern Cone ), the Sudan , the southern regions of Western Sahara , Algeria , Libya and Egypt , West Africa , Central Africa , East Africa , larger parts of Southern Africa ( Malawi , Zambia , Zimbabwe , northern Namibia and northern Botswana ), southern Middle East (southern Saudi Arabia , southern United Arab Emirates , Oman and Yemen ), southern Indian subcontinent (south-central and southern India , southern Bangladesh , Sri Lanka and Maldives ), Southeast Asia , northern Australia (the northern regions of

429-622: The Levant ( Syria , Lebanon , Jordan , Israel , Palestine ), and Turkey ). The South Temperate Zone includes Southern Australia (the southern regions of the Australian states of Western Australia and Queensland, the southern regions of the Northern Territory, and the entire territories of the states of New South Wales , South Australia , Tasmania and Victoria ), great part of Zealandia ( New Zealand ), southern South America (large part of

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468-536: The Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn , at latitudes 23°26′09.8″ (or 23.43605°) north and south, respectively. According to the American Meteorological Society, the poleward fringe of the subtropics is at latitudes approximately 35° north and south , respectively. Several methods have been used to define the subtropical climate depending on the climate system used. The most well known

507-632: The subsolar point beneath) aligns with successive latitudes in the southern tropics. The Sun passes overhead of these then does so once per year for the Tropic of Capricorn at the December solstice , then passes back again over those latitudes to return to the equator for the March equinox . The Torrid zone includes southern Mexico , Central America , the Caribbean , northern South America (larger parts of Brazil ,

546-492: The "Torrid Zone." Both philosophers reasoned the region from the Arctic Circle to the pole to be permanently frozen. This region thought uninhabitable, was called the "Frigid Zone." The only area believed to be habitable was the northern "Temperate Zone" (the southern one not having been discovered), lying between the "Frigid Zones" and the "Torrid Zone". However, humans have inhabited almost all climates on Earth, including inside

585-572: The Arctic Circle. As knowledge of the Earth's geography improved, a second "Temperate Zone" was discovered south of the equator, and a second "Frigid Zone" was discovered around the Antarctic . Although Aristotle's map was oversimplified, the general idea was correct. Today, the most commonly used climate map is the Köppen climate classification , developed by Russian climatologist of German descent and amateur botanist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940), which divides

624-565: The Australian states of Western Australia and Queensland , the northern regions of the Northern Territory , and the entire territory of the New Guinea island), the northern tip of Zealandia ( New Caledonia ), and a great part of Oceania ( Melanesia , Micronesia , and Polynesia , this later not including New Zealand). In the two temperate zones, consisting of the tepid latitudes ,

663-551: The Cwb classification have significant monsoon influence, usually having dry winters and wet summers. The Mediterranean climate regime resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin , parts of lower West Coast of the United States, parts of Western and South Australia , in southwestern South Africa and in parts of central Chile . The climate is characterized by hot dry summers and cooler winters with rainfall. In Europe,

702-487: The Siegmund/Frankenberg climate classification, subtropical is one of six climate zones in the world. Leslie Holdridge defined the subtropical climates as having a mean annual biotemperature between the frost line or critical temperature line, 16 °C to 18 °C (depending on locations in the world), and 24 °C. The frost line separates the warm temperate region from the subtropical region. It represents

741-472: The Southern Cone), and Southern Africa (southern Namibia, southern Botswana, great part of South Africa , the entire territories of Lesotho and Eswatini , and the southern tips of Mozambique and Madagascar ). The two frigid zones, or polar regions , experience the midnight sun and the polar night for part of the year – at the edge of the zone there remains one day, the winter solstice , when

780-720: The Sun is never directly overhead, and the climate is mild, generally ranging from warm to cool. The four annual seasons, spring , summer , autumn , and winter , occur in these areas. The North Temperate Zone includes North America (including northern Mexico and the northern Bahamas ), Europe , North Africa ( Morocco , Tunisia and the northern regions of Western Sahara, Algeria, Libya and Egypt), Northern Asia , East Asia , Central Asia , northern Indian subcontinent ( Pakistan , northern India and northern Bangladesh) and northern Middle East (northern Saudi Arabia, Qatar , Bahrain , northern United Arab Emirates, Iraq , Iran , Afghanistan ,

819-401: The Sun is too low to rise, and one day at the summer solstice when the Sun remains above the horizon for 24 hours. In the center of the zone (the pole ), the day is one year long, with six months of daylight and six months of night. The frigid zones are the coldest regions of Earth and are generally covered in ice and snow. It receives slanting rays of the Sun, as this region lies farthest from

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858-516: The Sun passes overhead twice a year. Within the northern tropics, the Sun passes overhead its first time for that year before the June solstice , at which time it does so as to the Tropic of Cancer. It passes over these latitudes in turn again, on its apparent southward journey, to and before the September equinox . After then, the center of the Sun at the high point, the zenith , of the sky (which makes for

897-562: The annuals or as perennial plants that can withstand the cold. The 16 °C–18 °C segment is often "simplified" as 17 °C ( 2 ( log 2 ⁡ 12   +   0.5 )   ∘ C ≈ 16.97   ∘ C ) {\textstyle {\bigl (}2^{(\log _{2}12\ +\ 0.5)}\ ^{\circ }\!\mathrm {C} \approx 16.97\ ^{\circ }\!\mathrm {C} {\bigr )}} . The Holdridge subtropical climates straddle more or less

936-409: The basis of latitudinal extent, the globe is divided into three broad heat zones. The Torrid Zone is also known as the tropics . This zone is bounded on the north by the Tropic of Cancer and on the south by the Tropic of Capricorn ; these latitudes mark the northern and southern extremes in which the Sun passes directly overhead. This happens once annually on these cusps, but in the tropics proper,

975-533: The coastal areas of the lower west coast of the United States. These climates do not routinely see hard freezes or snow due to winter on average being above freezing, which allows plants such as palms and citrus to flourish. As one moves toward the tropical side the slight winter cool season disappears, while at the poleward threshold of the subtropics the winters become cooler. Some crops which have been traditionally farmed in tropical climates, such as mango , litchi , avocado and aloe vera , are also cultivated in

1014-585: The coldest month between 2 °C (35.6 °F) and 13 °C (55.4 °F) in the Northern Hemisphere and between 6 °C (42.8 °F) and 13 °C (55.4 °F) in the Southern Hemisphere , excluding oceanic and continental climates . According to the Troll-Paffen climate classification, there generally exists one large subtropical zone named the warm-temperate subtropical zone, which

1053-572: The deep southeastern United States , southeastern South America , southeastern Southern Africa , northcentral Southern Europe , and southern and southwestern Eastern Europe . In most humid subtropical climates, summer is the wettest season. In summer, the subtropical high pressure cells provide a sultry southernly flow of tropical air with high dew points, and frequent (but brief) convective showers are common. With decreasing latitude most humid subtropical climates typically have drier winters and wetter summers, however some sectors with this climate see

1092-410: The dividing line between two major physiological groups of evolved plants. Most of the plants are sensitive to low temperatures on the warmer side of the line. They can be killed back by frosts as they have not evolved to withstand periods of cold. On the colder temperate side of the line, the total flora is adapted to survive periods of variable lengths of low temperatures, whether as seeds in the case of

1131-632: The equator. Summer in this region lasts for about 2 to 3 months, and there is almost 24-hour sunlight during summer. The sun's rays are always slanting, so provide less heat per horizontal surface area. The North Frigid Zone includes the United States (only the state of Alaska ), the northern regions of Canada (the Northwest Territories , Nunavut , and Yukon ), Greenland ( Denmark ), Norway , Finland , Sweden , and Russia . The South Frigid Zone includes only Antarctica . The concept of

1170-453: The mid-latitudes, it cools, gets denser and sinks, which leads to subsidence near the 30th parallel of both hemispheres. This circulation is known as the Hadley cell and leads to the formation of the subtropical ridge . Many of the world's deserts are caused by these climatological high-pressure areas , within the subtropics. This regime is known as a semiarid / arid subtropical climate, which

1209-487: The northernmost mediterranean climates are found along the Italian Riviera , at 44° latitude. Parts of southwestern Australia around Perth have a Mediterranean climate as do areas around coastal South Africa. According to Köppen , arid subtropical climates are characterized by an annual average temperature above 18 °C (64.4 °F), the absence of regular rainfall, and high humidity. Geographical zone On

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1248-462: The southeast sides of continents) have hot and wet summers with frequent (but brief) convective rainfall ( tropical cyclones can also contribute to annual rainfall). Areas bordering cool oceans (typically on the southwest sides of continents) are prone to fog, aridity, and dry summers. Plants such as palms , citrus , mango , pistachio , lychee , and avocado are grown in the subtropics. The tropics have been historically defined as lying between

1287-640: The southern end of the Mexican Plateau and in Da Lat of the Vietnamese Central Highlands. The six climate classifications use the term to help define the various temperature and precipitation regimes for planet Earth . A great portion of the world's deserts are within the subtropics, as this is where the semi-permanent subtropical anticyclone resides (typically inland on the southwest sides of continents). Areas bordering warm oceans (typically on

1326-465: The subtropics or tropics. It has characteristically mild temperatures year-round, featuring the four seasons in the subtropics and no marked seasons in the tropics, the latter usually remaining mild to cool through most of the year. Subtropical highland climates under the Cfb classification usually have rainfall spread relatively evenly in all months of the year similar to most oceanic climates while climates under

1365-471: The subtropics. Japan receives over half of its rainfall from typhoons. The Mediterranean climate is a subtropical climate, usually found on the western side of continents, with a wet season in winter and a dry season in the summer. Regions with this type of climate include the rim lands of the Mediterranean Sea , southwestern Australia , parts of the west coast of South America around Santiago and

1404-639: The subtropics. Pest control of the crops is easier than in the tropics, due to the cooler winters. Tree ferns ( pteridophytes ) are grown in subtropical areas, as are dracaena and yucca , and trees in the Taxaceae . Apple , pear and pomegranate also grow well in the subtropics. The humid subtropical climate is a subtropical climate type characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. This climate can be found in northern Middle East , northern South Asia , northern Indochina , eastern Australia , southern and southeastern China , southern Japan ,

1443-500: The warmest subtropical climates and the less warm tropical climates as defined by the Köppen-Geiger or Trewartha climate classifications. However Wladimir Köppen has distinguished the hot or subtropical and tropical (semi-)arid climates ( BWh or BSh ) having an average annual temperature greater than or equal to 18 °C (64.4 °F) from the cold or temperate (semi-)arid climates ( BWk or BSk ) whose annual temperature average

1482-414: The winter (dry season) the monsoon retreats, and the drier trade winds bring more stable airmass and often dry weather, and frequent sunny skies. Areas that have this type of subtropical climate include Australia, Southeast Asia, and parts of South America. In areas bounded by warm ocean like the southeastern United States and East Asia, tropical cyclones can contribute significantly to local rainfall within

1521-481: The world into five major climate regions, based on average annual precipitation, average monthly precipitation, and average monthly temperature. Leslie Holdridge Leslie Ransselaer Holdridge (September 29, 1907 – June 19, 1999) was an American botanist and climatologist . In his famous 1947 paper, he defined "life zones" using three indicators: Holdridge participated in the Cinchona Missions ,

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