Climate zones in Dominica, 1991 to 2020
Share of Dominica's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 848 map cells used cover 96% of the country's outline (about 702 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 100%.
Almost all of Dominica is one climate: Af, tropical rainforest, which covers 99% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020. In plain terms, tropical rainforest means hot, wet and green every month of the year. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 3.5% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Am (tropical monsoon).
How Dominica'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) | 1.3% | 0.7% | Am +0.6 percentage points | Cfb -0.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 1.2% | 0% | Am +0.7 percentage points | Af -0.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 3.5% | 0% | Am +3.5 percentage points | Af -3.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 25% | 0% | Am +24.2 percentage points | Af -24.8 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Af Tropical rainforest | 99% | 99% | 99% | 96% | 75% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | - | 0.6% | 1.3% | 4.1% | 25% |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 0.7% | - | - | - | - |
| Aw Tropical savannah | - | - | - | - | 0.6% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in Dominica
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Af. See data sources and licences.