Tropical rainforest climate facts for kids
A tropical rainforest climate is an amazing, super wet kind of tropical climate. Scientists also call it an equatorial climate because it is usually found close to the equator. Places with this weather stay warm and wet all year long. There is never a winter, and there is no real dry season either!
In the famous Köppen climate classification system, scientists use the letters Af to label this climate. The big letter A stands for A-type climates, which are always hot. The little letter f means there is plenty of rain during every single month of the year.
Contents
What Makes This Weather So Special?
The weather here feels like a warm greenhouse. It is hot, sticky, and damp every single day. The sun shines brightly, heating up the ground and air. Then, big rain clouds roll in almost every afternoon to drop heavy showers.
Daily Temperatures and Sun
In these areas, the temperature does not change much between summer and winter. It stays between 20°C and 33°C (68°F to 91°F) nearly all year. Surprisingly, the temperature drops more between day and night than it does from month to month! People often joke that night is the only "winter" these regions ever get.
Endless Rainfall
Rain falls constantly throughout the year. Many of these regions receive over 2,000 millimeters (around 80 inches) of rain annually. Some super wet spots, such as Quibdó, Colombia, get more than 8,000 millimeters of rainfall! That is enough water to fill deep swimming pools. Because water is everywhere, a unique biome flourishes here, including thick forests and lush flooded grasslands and savannas.
Types of Rainforest Climates
Not all rainforest zones get their rain in the exact same way. Wind and weather patterns create two main varieties.
Pure Equatorial Climates
Pure equatorial zones sit directly on or very near the equator. A special wind zone called the Intertropical Convergence Zone dominates these areas. Here, warm air rises smoothly into the sky, so ground winds are gentle and soft. Giant thunderstorms form quickly in the afternoon heat. These peaceful, warm conditions help dense tropical rainforest jungles grow tall and thick.
Tropical Trade-Wind Climates
Other rainforest areas sit a bit further from the equator. These places are pushed by strong, steady winds called trade winds. Ocean winds blow wet air against hills and mountains, which causes frequent rains. Because these breezy regions face gusty winds, their trees must grow stronger to survive sudden storms.
Where Around the World Can You Find It?
Most of this climate sits within 10 to 15 degrees north or south of the equator. However, warm ocean currents carry it further away to places like the Okinawa chain in Japan and south Florida.
Asia and Oceania
Many bustling cities in Southeast Asia enjoy this warm climate. Island nations receive frequent tropical rainstorms:
- Singapore, Singapore
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Davao City, Philippines
- Kuching, Malaysia
- Palikir, Federated States of Micronesia
- Suva, Fiji
- Apia, Samoa
- Hilo, Hawaii
Africa and the Americas
Massive river basins like the Amazon and Congo have huge patches of this climate:
- Paramaribo, Suriname
- Belém, Brazil
- Leticia, Colombia
- Iquitos, Peru
- Kisumu, Kenya
- Kampala, Uganda
- Moroni, Comoros
Weather Around the World
| Weather chart for Paramaribo, Suriname | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
200
30
22
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140
30
22
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150
30
22
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210
31
22
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290
30
23
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290
31
22
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230
31
22
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170
32
23
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90
32
23
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90
33
23
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120
32
23
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180
30
22
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| temperatures in °C precipitation totals in mm source: [1] |
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Imperial conversion
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| Weather chart for Mbandaka, DR Congo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
80
31
19
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100
32
20
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150
32
20
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140
31
20
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130
31
20
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110
30
19
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100
30
17
|
100
29
17
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200
30
19
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210
30
19
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190
30
19
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120
30
19
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| temperatures in °C precipitation totals in mm source: [2] |
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Imperial conversion
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| Weather chart for Pontianak, Indonesia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
260
32
23
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215
33
23
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254
33
23
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292
33
23
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256
33
23
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212
33
23
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201
33
22
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180
33
23
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295
33
23
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329
33
23
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400
32
23
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302
32
22
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| temperatures in °C precipitation totals in mm source: [3] |
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Imperial conversion
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| Weather chart for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
227
33
24
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193
33
24
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270
34
25
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302
34
25
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230
34
25
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146
33
25
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165
33
24
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174
33
25
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220
33
24
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284
33
24
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356
32
24
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281
32
24
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| temperatures in °C precipitation totals in mm source: Monthly Statistical Bulletin Sarawak |
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Imperial conversion
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| Weather chart for Davao, Philippines | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
140
31
23
|
109
31
23
|
108
32
24
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125
33
24
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159
33
25
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187
32
24
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165
32
24
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170
32
24
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170
32
24
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175
32
24
|
138
32
24
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113
31
24
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| temperatures in °C precipitation totals in mm source: [4] |
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Imperial conversion
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| Weather chart for Quibdó, Colombia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
579
30
23
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505
30
23
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526
30
23
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655
31
23
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776
31
23
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762
31
23
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803
31
23
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852
31
23
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702
31
23
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654
30
23
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728
30
23
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589
30
23
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| temperatures in °C precipitation totals in mm source: [5] |
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Imperial conversion
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See also
In Spanish: Clima ecuatorial lluvioso para niños
- Tropics
- Monsoon climate
- Tropical savanna climate
- Köppen climate classification
