Climate zones in Lebanon, 1991 to 2020
Share of Lebanon's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 13,886 map cells used cover 99% of the country's outline (about 9,894 km²).
By major group: C (temperate) 94%, D (cold (continental)) 6.3%.
Csa, hot-summer mediterranean, is the main climate of Lebanon, covering 75% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Csb (warm-summer mediterranean) next at 19%. In plain terms, hot-summer mediterranean means dry, hot summers and mild, wetter winters. 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 Csa (hot-summer mediterranean).
How Lebanon'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) | 21% | 4.4% | Csa +16.1 percentage points | Csb -11.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 14% | 2.6% | Csa +11.1 percentage points | Csb -8.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 20% | 4.5% | Csa +15 percentage points | Csb -11.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 27% | 8% | Csa +20 percentage points | Csb -17.1 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | 59% | 75% | 86% | 90% | 95% |
| Csb Warm-summer Mediterranean | 30% | 19% | 10% | 7.2% | 1.6% |
| Dsb Warm-summer continental with dry summer | 10% | 6.2% | 3.8% | 2.4% | 0.9% |
| Dsc Subarctic with dry summer | 0.7% | 0.1% | - | - | - |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | - | - | - | 0.5% | 2.6% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Lebanon and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Beirut | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean |
| Ra’s Bayrūt | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean |
Zones found in Lebanon
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Csa. See data sources and licences.