Climate zones in Guatemala, 1991 to 2020
Share of Guatemala's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 132,016 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 109,108 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 77%, C (temperate) 23%, E (polar) 0.3%.
Guatemala has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Am (tropical monsoon), covers only 33% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Af (23%) and Aw (21%). 5 zones each cover 1% or more of it. In plain terms, tropical monsoon means hot all year, with a very wet season and a short dry spell. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 20% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Aw (tropical savannah). The most common zone would then be Aw (tropical savannah).
How Guatemala'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) | 12% | 3.9% | Af +4.1 percentage points | Am -3.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 15% | 4.6% | Aw +7.1 percentage points | Cwb -3.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 20% | 7.8% | Aw +11 percentage points | Cwb -4.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 38% | 14% | Aw +22.2 percentage points | Cwb -8.6 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Am Tropical monsoon | 37% | 33% | 32% | 31% | 30% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 19% | 23% | 22% | 21% | 17% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 17% | 21% | 28% | 32% | 43% |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 18% | 16% | 13% | 11% | 7.6% |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 7.8% | 6.8% | 5.9% | 4.7% | 2.8% |
| ET Tundra | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.1% | - | - |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | 0.4% | 0.2% | - | - | - |
| Cwc Cold subtropical highland (dry winter) | 0.1% | 0.1% | - | - | - |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | - | - | - | - | 0.5% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Guatemala and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Guatemala City | Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | Aw Tropical savannah |
| Villa Nueva | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Guatemala
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Am. See data sources and licences.