Climate zones in Montserrat, 1991 to 2020
Share of Montserrat's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 117 map cells used cover 94% of the country's outline (about 96 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 100%.
Montserrat has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Am (tropical monsoon), covers only 42% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Aw (34%) and Af (24%). 3 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), 21% 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 Montserrat'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) | 38% | 0% | Am +29.9 percentage points | Af -35 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 44% | 0% | Am +23.1 percentage points | Aw -23.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 21% | 0% | Am +9.4 percentage points | Af -7.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 51% | 0% | Aw +35.9 percentage points | Af -23.1 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Am Tropical monsoon | 12% | 42% | 65% | 51% | 29% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 29% | 34% | 11% | 33% | 70% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 59% | 24% | 24% | 16% | 0.9% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in Montserrat
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.