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Old 12-16-2016, 07:50 PM
 
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
5,592 posts, read 3,426,169 times
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Depending on who you believe Auckland has either an oceanic or a subtropcial climate. The debate stems from a classification scheme that is based only on temperatures and rainfall. The limitations of such schemes are created by arbitrary and sometimes confusing cut off points; this leads to uncertainty and doubt in edge cases such as Auckland.

However, evidence has emerged from the study of climate genetics placing Auckland firmly in the oceanic realm. The evidence is based on the study of seasonal exposure to large-scale circulation systems. Oceanic climates are exposed year-long to a westerly maritime circulation. Subtropical climates are exposed to different circulation systems at different times of the year. Analysis of seasonal wind patterns can then be used to resolve otherwise difficult to classify climates.

Auckland's wind roses clearly demonstrate exposure to continual southwest circulation throughout the year. (The slight north-east rise in January is accounted for by local sea breezes from daytime heating and not by large-scale airflow.)
Auckland Winter

Auckland Summer


This continual exposure to a westerly oceanic flow is in keeping with an oceanic climate. Compare it to a prototype of the genre such as Dublin (again, local sea breezes add some noise in the summer).
Dublin Winter

Dublin Summer


This is in stark contrast to subtropical climates which are exposed to either temperate or tropical large-scale circulation systems during different seasons. Look at Atlanta and Tokyo for example:
Tokyo Winter:

Tokyo Summer:


Atlanta Winter:

Atlanta Summer:


Wind data is courtesy of windfinder.com

Thoughts?
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Old 12-16-2016, 07:53 PM
 
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Good thread. Good analysis.

I couldn't agree more.
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Old 12-16-2016, 08:02 PM
 
Location: Sydney
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Yes, here's Sydney in January



vs July

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Old 12-16-2016, 08:39 PM
 
Location: Top of the South, NZ
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Auckland clearly belongs in the Oceanic classifications, as mid latitude westerly airflow is the dominant feature of the climate, year round.

It's the environment/biome that is subtropical, not the climate.
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Old 12-16-2016, 09:25 PM
 
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I do agree that Auckland is an oceanic climate but the northeast wind in summer is actually not really seabreeze at all as during those months there are quite a lot of weather systems coming down from the North East bringing a lot of rain and humid
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Old 12-16-2016, 09:32 PM
 
Location: Top of the South, NZ
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longaotian View Post
I do agree that Auckland is an oceanic climate but the northeast wind in summer is actually not really seabreeze at all as during those months there are quite a lot of weather systems coming down from the North East bringing a lot of rain and humid
Yep, the long range forecast is showing a good chance of a subtropical low right around Christmas -they are usually good for 50mm-100mm on the coast around my area, and 200mm -300mm in the mountains.
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Old 12-16-2016, 10:11 PM
 
Location: Esquel, Argentina
795 posts, read 733,414 times
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I don't consider the terms Subtropical and Oceanic to be mutually exclusive.

I use the Trewartha definition of Subtropical: 8 or more months were the average temperature is above 10°C.
I use Oceanic to refer to climates with little seasonality (less than 18°C difference between the warmest and the coldest month).

So I consider Auckland both Subtropical and Oceanic.
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Old 12-16-2016, 11:27 PM
 
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Palider View Post
So I consider Auckland both Subtropical and Oceanic.
Well that's just not very helpful at all.
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Old 12-16-2016, 11:53 PM
 
Location: Top of the South, NZ
22,219 posts, read 21,484,935 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed's Mountain View Post
Well that's just not very helpful at all.


Koppen's original system was supposedly based on the natural range of plant species and correlation with geography, and temperature/rainfall/ weather patterns. Places like NZ didn't fit the vegetation part of the equation.

Trewartha's system (I think) uses a temperature threshold that seems related to requirements for plant growth -length of growing season is considered the subtropical factor, by Trewartha.

Auckland is oceanic in a genetic sense, and subtropical in how the degree of year round warmth has shaped the biome.

Last edited by Joe90; 12-17-2016 at 12:02 AM..
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Old 12-17-2016, 12:55 AM
 
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That wind data is kinda useless if u are going to say that year round westerly winds means oceanic , because going by that means that places like Wellington are less oceanic Than Auckland even though not having these constant westerly winds as they show just the wind direction, not the actual weather systems moving west
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