Climate zones in Moldova, 1991 to 2020
Share of Moldova's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 56,755 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 33,111 km²).
By major group: D (cold (continental)) 100%.
Dfa, hot-summer humid continental, is the main climate of Moldova, covering 69% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Dfb (warm-summer humid continental) next at 31%. In plain terms, hot-summer humid continental means hot summers and cold winters, with rain all year. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 99% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Cfa (humid subtropical). The most common zone would then be Cfa (humid subtropical).
How Moldova'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) | 54% | 0% | Dfa +54.2 percentage points | Dfb -54.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 50% | 19% | Cfa +19 percentage points | Dfb -31.3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 99% | 83% | Cfa +82.7 percentage points | Dfa -51.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 100% | 100% | Cfa +95.7 percentage points | Dfa -68.7 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dfa Hot-summer humid continental | 15% | 69% | 81% | 17% | - |
| Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | 86% | 31% | - | - | - |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | - | - | 19% | 83% | 96% |
| BSk Cold semi-arid (steppe) | - | - | - | - | 4.3% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Moldova and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Chisinau | Dfa Hot-summer humid continental | Cfa Humid subtropical |
Zones found in Moldova
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Dfb. See data sources and licences.