Climate zones in Saint Kitts and Nevis, 1991 to 2020
Share of Saint Kitts and Nevis's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 292 map cells used cover 89% of the country's outline (about 239 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 100%.
Am, tropical monsoon, is the main climate of Saint Kitts and Nevis, covering 61% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Aw (tropical savannah) next at 30%. 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), 25% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Aw (tropical savannah).
How Saint Kitts and Nevis'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) | 56% | 0% | Am +30.8 percentage points | Af -46.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 12% | 0% | Am +6.8 percentage points | Af -4.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 25% | 0% | Aw +15.4 percentage points | Af -9.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 56% | 0% | Aw +46.2 percentage points | Am -36.7 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Am Tropical monsoon | 30% | 61% | 68% | 55% | 24% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 14% | 30% | 27% | 45% | 76% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 56% | 9.6% | 5.5% | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in Saint Kitts and Nevis
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.