Water in the Atmosphere | Class 11 Geography Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 6 min read
Water in the Atmosphere – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of Water in the Atmosphere from Class 11 Geography, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
KOEPPEN'S SCHEME OF CLASSIFICATION OF CLIMATE
Vladimir Koeppen developed an empirical climate classification scheme that is still widely used today. He identified a close relationship between climate and vegetation distribution, which helped him select specific temperature and precipitation values to classify climates. Koeppen's classification is based on mean annual and mean monthly temperature and precipitation data. He used capital letters to denote major climatic groups and small letters to indicate subtypes based on seasonality of precipitation and temperature characteristics. The five major climatic groups he recognized are: A (Tropical), B (Dry), C (Warm Temperate or Mid-Latitude), D (Cold Snow Forest), and E (Polar or Cold). Groups A, C, D, and E are humid climates, while B represents dry climates. Subdivisions within these groups use small letters such as 'f' for no dry season, 'm' for monsoon, 'w' for winter dry season, and 's' for summer dry season. Temperature severity is indicated by letters a, b, c, and d. Dry climates (B) are further subdivided into steppe (S) and desert (W) types, with additional classification based on latitude. This system effectively links climate types with vegetation patterns and geographical distribution, making it practical for understanding global climate zones.
📊 Diagram: Table on page 1 (6×2): Climatic Groups According to Koeppen; Table on page 2 (15×4): Climatic Types According to Koeppen
🔗 Connection: This section sets the foundation for detailed descriptions of each climatic group and their characteristics in subsequent sections.
Table on page 1 (6×2)
| Group | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| A - Tropical | Average temperature of the coldest month is 18 C or higher |
| B - Dry Climates | Potential evaporation exceeds precipitation |
| C - Warm Temperate | The average temperature of the coldest month of the (Mid-latitude) climates years is higher than minus 3 C but below 18 C |
| D - Cold Snow Forest Climates | The average temperature of the coldest month is minus 3 C or below |
| E - Cold Climates | Average temperature for all months is below 10 C |
Table on page 2 (15×4)
| Group | Type | Letter Code | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-Tropical Humid Climate | Tropical wet | Af | No dry season |
| Tropical monsoon | Am | Monsoonal, short dry season | |
| Tropical wet and dry | Aw | Winter dry season | |
| B-Dry Climate | Subtropical steppe | BSh | Low-latitude semi arid or dry |
| Subtropical desert | BWh | Low-latitude arid or dry | |
| Mid-latitude steppe | BSk | Mid-latitude semi arid or dry | |
| Mid-latitude desert | BWk | Mid-latitude arid or dry | |
| C-Warm temperate (Mid-latitude) Climates | Humid subtropical | Cfa | No dry season, warm summer |
| Mediterranean | Cs | Dry hot summer | |
| Marine west coast | Cfb | No dry season, warm and cool summer | |
| D-Cold Snow-forest Climates | Humid continental | Df | No dry season, severe winter |
| Subarctic | Dw | Winter dry and very severe | |
| E-Cold Climates | Tundra | ET | No true summer |
| Polar ice cap | EF | Perennial ice |
Frequently asked questions
1. Multiple choice questions. (i) Which one of the following is suitable for Koeppen's "A" type of climate? (a) High rainfall in all the months (b) Mean monthly temperature of the coldest month more than freezing point (c) Mean monthly temperature of all the months more than 18° C (d) Average temperature for all the months below 10 C (ii) Koeppen's system of classification of climates can be termed as : (a) Applied (b) Systematic (c) Genetic (d) Empirical (iii) Most of the Indian Peninsula will be grouped according to Koeppen's system under: (a) "Af" (b) "BSh" (c) "Cfb" (d) "Am" (iv) Which one of the following years is supposed to have recorded the warmest temperature the world over? (a) 1990 (b) 1998 (c) 1885 (d) 1950 (v) Which one of the following groups of four climates represents humid conditions? (a) A—B—C—E (b) A—C—D—E (c) B—C—D—E (d) A—C—D—F
(i) (c) Mean monthly temperature of all the months more than 18° C Explanation: Koeppen's 'A' type climate is tropical, characterized by high temperatures throughout the year, with mean monthly temperatures above 18°C.
(ii) (d) Empirical Explanation: Koeppen's classification is empirical because it is based on observed temperature and precipitation data rather than genetic or applied criteria.
(iii) (d) "Am" Explanation: Most of the Indian Peninsula falls under the 'Am' category, which is trop
2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words. (i) Which two climatic variables are used by Koeppen for classification of the climate? (ii) How is the "genetic" system of classification different from the "empirical one"? (iii) Which types of climates have very low range of temperature? (iv) What type of climatic conditions would prevail if the sun spots increase?
(i) Koeppen used temperature and precipitation as the two main climatic variables for classification.
(ii) Genetic classification is based on the origin and causes of climate, while empirical classification is based on observed data like temperature and rainfall.
(iii) Tropical climates have very low range of temperature because temperatures remain fairly constant throughout the year.
(iv) If sunspots increase, it generally leads to warmer climatic conditions due to increased solar radiation.
3. Answer the following questions in about 150 words. (i) Make a comparison of the climatic conditions between the "A" and "B" types of climate. (ii) What type of vegetation would you find in the "C" and "A" type(s) of climate? (iii) What do you understand by the term "Greenhouse Gases"? Make a list of greenhouse gases.
(i) 'A' type climate is tropical, characterized by high temperatures throughout the year and significant rainfall, supporting dense vegetation like tropical rainforests. 'B' type climate is arid or semi-arid, with low precipitation and high temperature variability, leading to sparse vegetation such as deserts and grasslands.
(ii) In 'C' type (temperate) climates, vegetation includes deciduous and mixed forests due to moderate temperature and rainfall. In 'A' type (tropical) climates, vegetation
Project Work Collect information about Kyoto declaration related to global climate changes.
The Kyoto Declaration, also known as the Kyoto Protocol, is an international treaty adopted in 1997 that commits its parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the scientific consensus that global warming is occurring and human-made CO2 emissions are driving it. The protocol sets binding emission reduction targets for developed countries to combat climate change and its effects.
Students should collect detailed information on the objectives, mechanisms, and impact of the Kyoto Protoco
Ready to ace this chapter?
Get the full Water in the Atmosphere chapter — interactive notes, diagrams, worked solutions, polls and a free practice quiz — in the ConceptScroll app.
Study smarter with ConceptScroll
Daily NCERT-aligned reels, AI doubt solving and chapter quizzes — all free.
Start learning freeContinue reading
- Introduction To Remote Sensing | Class 11 Geography Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on Introduction To Remote Sensing for Class 11 Geography.
- Introduction To Remote Sensing | Class 11 Geography Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on Introduction To Remote Sensing for Class 11 Geography.
- Introduction To Remote Sensing | Class 11 Geography Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on Introduction To Remote Sensing for Class 11 Geography.