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For a "tropical" climate, this city receives rediculously low rainfall count. I'm looking at its NWS and here is the average annual precipitation from 1981 in inches:
1981-2010: 17.05
2011: 15.69
2012: 8.59
So how is this a tropical climate? People like to argue how Miami may not be tropical, yet the biggest misconception is maybe about Honolulu being a tropical climate. Can you tell me another sure fire tropical climate with as low rainfall count? Got dang
Please. Let us rightfully classify this climate. Another one is Conakry? How is that a Am climate with well distinct dry seasons?
Under Köppen's rules, Honolulu is As and Miami is Am. Do the calculations yourself and you will see. If Honolulu's wet season coincided with summer, then yes, it would probably be semi-arid because of the higher evaporation.
Under Köppen's rules, Honolulu is As and Miami is Am. Do the calculations yourself and you will see. If Honolulu's wet season coincided with summer, then yes, it would probably be semi-arid because of the higher evaporation.
So then are Aruba and Mossoro "As" as well?...since both have the same rainfall pattern, except with warmer temps and slightly higher annual rainfall count. However both classified as BSh according to Koppen. I don't get it.
According to the definition of a semi-arid climate, Honolulu is semi arid (BSh).
You have Honolulu annual rainfall count (in mm): 535.2
You take Honolulu average temp (in C): 29.3
Multiply by 20...
29.3 * 20 = 586
Then you take the high sun season (April to September in northern hemisphere) total rainfall count and divide it by annual rainfall count to get threshold...
.2016 = 20.1%
If your threshold is over 70 %, add 280...between 30 % & 70 %, add 140...under 30 %, add 0 to your temp...
586 + 0 = 586
If your annual precipitation (535.2) is less than your threshold (586), but greater than half your threshold (293), then you are classified as semi arid.
So then are Aruba and Mossoro "As" as well?...since both have the same rainfall pattern, except with warmer temps and slightly higher annual rainfall count. However both classified as BSh according to Koppen. I don't get it.
I get Conakry though.
Aruba is semi-arid due to higher average annual temperature and what little precipitation that falls, does so in winter. Although at 12N I'm not sure it makes a big difference but the average temperature is high enough anyway.
Quote:
You take Honolulu average temp (in C): 29.3
Multiply by 20...
29.3 * 20 = 586
Assuming the information on wikipedia is correct:
29.3 is the average annual high. The average annual temperature is the number that is multiplied by 20, so it's:
29.3 + 21.6 / 2 = 25.45
25.45 * 20 = 509
The average annual precipitation (535.2 mm) is greater than the threshold, so Honolulu is barely classified as tropical savanna. I agree that Honolulu is essentially semi-arid though and Köppen's system isn't very realistic in a lot of cases.
Aruba is semi-arid due to higher average annual temperature and what little precipitation that falls, does so in winter. Although at 12N I'm not sure it makes a big difference but the average temperature is high enough anyway.
Assuming the information on wikipedia is correct:
29.3 is the average annual high. The average annual temperature is the number that is multiplied by 20, so it's:
29.3 + 21.6 / 2 = 25.45
25.45 * 20 = 509
The average annual precipitation (535.2 mm) is greater than the threshold, so Honolulu is barely classified as tropical savanna. I agree that Honolulu is essentially semi-arid though and Köppen's system isn't very realistic in a lot of cases.
Mistake there, but according to Koppen's formula, where T = 20 * tAVG + a piecewise definition of Koppen adding certain numbers depending on what P is w/ P = a percentage of the ratio of precipitation in high sun season (April to Sept in Northern Hemisphere) to annual precipitation , it's still semi-arid since annual precipitation (433.07) is still less than Koppens threshold formula (T = 509), but greater than half the threshold (0.5T = 254.5).
I'm using NWS Honolulu (1981-2010 stats).
Although with Trewarthas formula, T = 10( tAVG - 10 ) + 3P, w/ P = a percentage of the ratio of precipitation in high sun season (April to Sept in Northern Hemisphere) to annual precipitation, annual precipitation is higher than twice the threshold, which makes Honolulu tropical
Last edited by canefandynasty; 12-03-2012 at 01:25 PM..
I'm not sure where that 21.07" figure came from on wikipedia but according to the 1971-2000 data (Index of /climatenormals/clim84/HI), Honolulu would still be semi-arid under Köppen's rules.
Interesting that it would be tropical under Trewartha's system.
Anyway, I just edited the wikipedia page. Someone added an extra inch to several months.
Like Candle said, Honolulu qualifies, even if barely, as a tropical savannah (Koppen As) climate.
That was with false/incorrect data. With the correct data, it qualifies well within the BSh classification. Yes, the temperatures are tropical but that isn't how Köppen's system works. Since we're using Köppen's system to classify this climate you have to follow his rules.
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