Climate zones in Jordan, 1991 to 2020
Share of Jordan's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 121,178 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 88,941 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 98%, C (temperate) 2.1%.
BWh, hot desert, is the main climate of Jordan, covering 81% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with BWk (cold desert) next at 6.3%. In plain terms, hot desert means very dry and hot. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 15% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to BWh (hot desert).
How Jordan'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) | 40% | 3.3% | BWh +30.6 percentage points | BWk -21.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 12% | 0.5% | BWh +6.2 percentage points | BWk -5.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 15% | 1.2% | BWh +9 percentage points | BWk -5.8 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 17% | 1.9% | BWh +11.8 percentage points | BWk -6.3 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BWh Hot desert | 50% | 81% | 87% | 90% | 92% |
| BWk Cold desert | 28% | 6.3% | 1.2% | 0.5% | - |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 2.7% | 5.9% | 9.2% | 8.7% | 7.5% |
| BSk Cold semi-arid (steppe) | 14% | 5.2% | 1.2% | 0.4% | - |
| Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | 5.4% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 0.9% | 0.2% |
| Csb Warm-summer Mediterranean | 0.1% | - | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Jordan and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Amman | BSk Cold semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
| Zarqa | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BWh Hot desert |
Zones found in Jordan
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was BWh. See data sources and licences.