Humid subtropical climate facts for kids

A humid subtropical climate is a type of temperate climate found in many parts of the world. It's known for having long, hot, and often sticky summers, and winters that are usually cool but not freezing cold.

You'll typically find these climates on the southeastern sides of continents (except Antarctica). They are usually located between about 25 and 40 degrees latitude. This means they are warmer than the colder climates further north or south, but not as hot as tropical climates closer to the equator. Sometimes, this climate is also called a warm temperate climate.

Scientists use different ways to classify climates. In the Köppen climate classification system, these climates are often called Cfa or Cwa. For a place to have this climate, the average temperature in its coldest month must be between 0°C (or -3°C) and 18°C. Also, the average temperature in its warmest month needs to be 22°C or higher.

Even though many humid subtropical climates are near the coast, some stretch far inland. A good example is in China and the United States. In these inland areas, the difference between summer and winter temperatures can be much bigger.

What Makes This Climate Special?

Natural fog often forms in humid subtropical areas, like here in northwest Vietnam.

The beautiful Li River in China is a great example of a humid subtropical climate.

In a humid subtropical climate, summers are usually long, hot, and very humid. Imagine a lot of warm, moist air from tropical areas moving in. This often leads to daily thunderstorms that are strong but don't last very long.

Winters are generally mild, meaning not too cold. The average monthly temperatures in winter might be just above freezing.

Rainfall is common throughout the year, but it often rains the most in summer. This is especially true in places influenced by monsoons, like parts of Asia. Unlike Mediterranean climates, which have dry summers, humid subtropical climates always have some rain in summer. Most summer rain comes from thunderstorms caused by the strong sun heating the ground. Sometimes, tropical storms or even typhoons can bring a lot of rain in summer too.

Winter rain often comes from large storm systems that move from west to east. Sometimes, these storms can even bring snow, especially in areas closer to the colder parts of the world.

Understanding the Climate Letters

The letters in the Köppen climate classification tell us specific things about the climate:

• Cfa:

* C means it's a mild temperate climate. * f means it's fully humid, so it rains all year. * a means it has a hot summer.

• Cwa:

* C means it's a mild temperate climate. * w means it has a dry winter. * a means it has a hot summer.

Where Are Humid Subtropical Climates Found?

Africa

In Africa, you'll find humid subtropical climates mostly in the southern part of the continent. The Cwa climate (with dry winters) covers a large area in central and eastern Africa. This includes parts of Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia. Some higher areas in Ethiopia also have this climate.

The Cfa climate (with rain all year) is found along the narrow coastal areas of southern and eastern South Africa. Places like KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces have this climate. Because these areas are close to the ocean, their temperatures are generally milder, especially in winter.

Asia

East Asia

In East Asia, this climate is found in the southeastern part of mainland China, from Hong Kong up to Nanjing. It also covers the northern half of Taiwan, southern and central Japan (like Kyushu, Shikoku, and half of Honshu), and the southernmost parts of Korea. Big cities like Hong Kong, Taipei, and Tokyo are in this climate zone.

Winters in East Asia can be colder than in other humid subtropical areas. This is because of strong winds from Siberia. In most of this region, winters are dry, and summers have heavy rainfall due to the East Asian Monsoon.

Some areas, especially along the coast of Japan, get more rain in winter than in summer. This winter rain comes from low-pressure systems. Summer rain comes from the monsoon and frequent typhoons. Annual rainfall is usually over 1,000 mm (about 40 inches).

South Asia

Humid subtropical climates are also found in northern India and Pakistan. These areas have a unique pattern:

• Winters: Cool to mild, sometimes foggy.
• Spring: Mild.
• Summers: Long and very hot, often over 40°C (104°F). They start dry with dust storms, then become very humid in July.
• Monsoon Season: (August-September) Cooler but still hot and extremely humid, with heavy daily rains.
• Autumn: (October-November) Pleasant.

Cities like New Delhi, Lucknow, and Kanpur in India, and Islamabad and Rawalpindi in Pakistan, show this climate. In Bangladesh, cities like Rangpur have the monsoon type (Cwa).

In Nepal, cities like Kathmandu also have this climate, but without the extreme heat seen in other South Asian locations.

Southeast Asia

Most of Southeast Asia has a tropical climate, but humid subtropical climates can be found in places like Northern Vietnam, including Hanoi. These areas can have cool temperatures, sometimes reaching 10°C (50°F) in winter, but rarely see snow. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are cool and wet.

Western Asia

In Western Asia, you'll find small areas with humid subtropical climates along the coasts of the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. This includes parts of Iran (Gilan, Mazandaran, Golestan Provinces), Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

Summers here are a bit cooler than in typical humid subtropical climates, and snow can fall in winter, but it usually doesn't last long. Rainfall is heavy throughout the year. For example, in Rasht, Iran, summers are around 25°C (77°F) with high humidity, and winters are around 7°C (45°F).

North America

In North America, humid subtropical climates are found in the southern and eastern parts of the United States. This includes states like Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, and the Carolinas. Further north, parts of Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, and even southern New York also have this climate.

In Mexico, small areas in the northeast and in some higher elevation regions also have this climate. For example, Guadalajara has warm summers even though it's at a higher altitude.

Cities in the southern parts of this zone, like Orlando or Houston, have warm weather almost all year and rarely see snow. In contrast, cities at the northern edge, like New York City or Louisville, have hot, humid summers but chilly winters with occasional snowfall.

Rainfall is plentiful across North America's humid subtropical zone. Some areas, like Tennessee, get more rain in winter or spring. Closer to the coasts, like in Jacksonville or New Orleans, summer is usually the wettest season. Florida often has dry winters and very wet summers, similar to a monsoon pattern.

South America

A large part of South America has humid subtropical climates. This includes southern Brazil, parts of Paraguay, all of Uruguay, and central Argentina (the Pampas region).

Major cities like São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo have hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters. These areas are mostly Cfa climates, meaning they have rain throughout the year.

The Cwa climate (with dry winters) is found in some tropical highland areas of Brazil and near the Andes mountains in northwestern Argentina. These places are high up, but their summers are still warm enough to be considered humid subtropical.

Australia

In Australia, the humid subtropical climate is mainly found in the eastern part of the country. It stretches along the coast from Mackay, Queensland down to just south of Sydney. Further inland in New South Wales, the Cfa zone continues, but these areas can have drier summers and lower humidity.

Sydney often experiences extreme heat, especially in its western suburbs, with temperatures sometimes going over 40°C (104°F). Frost can occur in inland areas of Sydney. Annual rainfall in Sydney is usually between 800 and 1200 mm (31-47 inches).

Moving north, like to Brisbane, the summer rainfall becomes even more noticeable. February, the wettest month in Brisbane, gets five times more rain than September, the driest. Temperatures are warm to hot, but not usually extreme. Frost is very rare on the coast.

Annual rainfall in Australia's humid subtropical zone can be as high as 2000 mm (79 inches) in coastal areas. The amount of rain can vary a lot from year to year due to large storm systems.

Europe

Europe has smaller areas with humid subtropical climates compared to other continents. These areas are usually found where the Mediterranean climate meets oceanic climates or humid continental climates. Here, summers are rainy enough not to be Mediterranean, and temperatures are too warm to be oceanic or continental. Summer humidity is generally not as high as in other parts of the world with this climate.

The Po Valley in Northern Italy, including cities like Milan and Venice, has a humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot and humid with many thunderstorms. Winters are often foggy, damp, and chilly, with occasional frost.

In France, parts of the Garonne Valley (like Toulouse) and the Rhône Valley (like Lyon) also have this climate. Due to climate change, some cities in the Balkan peninsula and Pannonian Basin, such as Belgrade and Budapest, are now warm enough to be classified this way.

The coastal areas in the northern Adriatic Sea, including cities like Trieste in Italy and Split in Croatia, also fall into this climate zone. Along the Black Sea coast, places like Varna in Bulgaria and Sochi, Russia have summers that are warm enough to be humid subtropical, even though their winters are colder.

In the Azores islands, some areas have this climate. They have very mild and rainy winters with no snow, and warm summers without a dry season.

See also

• Subtropics
• Subtropical ridge
• List of locations with a subtropical climate