Köppen BSk

E486079

Köppen BSk is a cold semi-arid climate type characterized by low annual precipitation, large temperature variations between seasons, and generally dry conditions.

Jump to: Statements Referenced by

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf climate type
cold semi-arid climate
contrastsWith Köppen BSh
distinguishedFrom Mediterranean climates NERFINISHED
humid continental climates
tropical savanna climates
hasAgriculturalConstraint limited rain-fed agriculture
hasAgriculturalUse suitable for grazing and pastoralism
hasClimateRisk high interannual precipitation variability
periodic droughts
hasCloudCover generally low cloudiness
hasEnergyBalanceFeature intense solar radiation in summer
strong radiative cooling in winter nights
hasEvaporation potential evapotranspiration exceeding precipitation
hasGeneralCondition generally dry conditions
hasHumanSettlementPattern often supports low to moderate population density
hasHumidity low relative humidity overall
hasMoistureCharacteristic semi-arid
hasPrecipitationLevel low annual precipitation
hasPrecipitationPattern irregular precipitation
often summer-dominant rainfall
hasSeasonality cold winters
distinct warm summers
hasSeasonalTemperatureRange large temperature variations between seasons
hasSnowCharacteristic winter snowfall possible but usually limited
hasSoilTendency susceptibility to drought
hasTemperatureCharacteristic frequent frost in winter
large diurnal temperature range
hasThermalCharacteristic cold
hasWaterBalance chronic water deficit
hasWindCharacteristic can be windy, enhancing evaporation
isSubtypeOf Köppen B climate NERFINISHED
arid and semi-arid climates
oftenAssociatedWith grassland vegetation
steppe ecosystems
oftenFoundIn Central Asia NERFINISHED
North American Great Plains margins NERFINISHED
Patagonian steppe NERFINISHED
interior basins of western North America
parts of Eastern Europe
partOf Köppen climate classification NERFINISHED
typicalIn continental interiors
mid-latitude steppe regions
rain shadow regions
usedIn agroclimatic classification
bioclimatic zoning
ecoregion mapping

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Baotou climateClassification Köppen BSk
Yakima climateClassification Köppen BSk