Climate zones in Brazil, 1991 to 2020
Share of Brazil's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 10,177,147 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 8,500,794 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 86%, C (temperate) 9.1%, B (arid) 5%.
Brazil has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Aw (tropical savannah), covers only 48% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Am (20%) and Af (18%). 7 zones each cover 1% or more of it. In plain terms, tropical savannah means hot all year, with a clear dry season. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 13% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Aw (tropical savannah).
How Brazil's zones have changed and may change
Each row compares a map with 1991 to 2020. "Share in a different zone" is the share of the country's area whose class is different from 1991 to 2020. Future rows are model projections under an emissions scenario, not forecasts.
| Map | Share in a different zone | Different major group | Biggest gain | Biggest loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 to 1930 (past) | 14% | 5.6% | Aw +3.7 percentage points | Am -1.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 8.1% | 2.7% | Aw +2.5 percentage points | Am -1 percentage point |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 13% | 4.7% | Aw +3.4 percentage points | Af -2.3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 19% | 6.9% | Aw +5.2 percentage points | Af -2.8 percentage points |
For the past row, the comparison runs the other way: the 1901 to 1930 map against 1991 to 2020.
Zone shares by map
| Zone | 1901 to 1930 | 1991 to 2020 | SSP1-2.6 (2071 to 2099) | SSP2-4.5 (2071 to 2099) | SSP5-8.5 (2071 to 2099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aw Tropical savannah | 45% | 48% | 51% | 52% | 53% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 22% | 20% | 19% | 20% | 19% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 18% | 18% | 17% | 16% | 15% |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | 5.6% | 5.8% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 3.4% | 5% | 6% | 6.8% | 7.6% |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 3.3% | 1.8% | 0.9% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | 1.6% | 1.1% | 0.7% | 0.2% | - |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 2.1% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.1% | - |
| BWh Hot desert | - | - | - | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Brazil and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| São Paulo | Cfa Humid subtropical | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Rio de Janeiro | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Belo Horizonte | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Salvador | Af Tropical rainforest | Af Tropical rainforest |
| Fortaleza | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Manaus | Af Tropical rainforest | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Brasília | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Curitiba | Cfb Temperate oceanic | Cfa Humid subtropical |
| Recife | Am Tropical monsoon | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Goiânia | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Belém | Af Tropical rainforest | Af Tropical rainforest |
| Porto Alegre | Cfa Humid subtropical | Cfa Humid subtropical |
| Guarulhos | Cfa Humid subtropical | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Maceió | Am Tropical monsoon | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Campinas | Cfa Humid subtropical | Aw Tropical savannah |
| São Luís | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Campo Grande | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Natal | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Teresina | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Duque de Caxias | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Nova Iguaçu | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
| São Bernardo do Campo | Cfa Humid subtropical | Cfa Humid subtropical |
| João Pessoa | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Sorocaba | Cfa Humid subtropical | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Uberlândia | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Osasco | Cfa Humid subtropical | Aw Tropical savannah |
| São José dos Campos | Cfa Humid subtropical | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Ribeirão Preto | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Aracaju | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Joinville | Cfa Humid subtropical | Af Tropical rainforest |
| Santo André | Cfa Humid subtropical | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Jaboatão dos Guararapes | Am Tropical monsoon | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Contagem | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Cuiabá | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Feira de Santana | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Brazil
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Aw. See data sources and licences.