Koeppen’s scheme is based on the monthly values of temperature and precipitation. Koeppen identified five major climatic types—tropical climates, dry climates, warm climates, snow climates and ice- climates. He used letter symbols A, B, C, D and E to denote these climatic types.
- Tropical climates: Where mean monthly temperature throughout the year is over 18°C. Dry climates, where precipitation is very low in comparison to temperature, and hence, dry. If dryness is less, it is semi-arid (S); if it is more, the climate is arid (W).
- Warm temperate climates: Where mean temperature of the coldest month is between 18°C and minus 3°C.
- Cool temperate climates: Where mean temperature of the warmest month is over 10°C, and mean temperature of the coldest month is under minus 3°C.
- Ice climate: Where mean temperature of the warmest month is under 10°C.
