Abstract
This study introduces the climates of Iran defined by Köppen-Geiger, Feddema’s, and UNPEP classifications that applied to a high-resolution ground-based gridded data set relative to the 1985–2017 period. Ten Köppen-Geiger climate types were found for Iran, from which Bwh, Bsk, Csa, Bsh, and Bwk cumulatively account for more than 98% of the territory. Likewise, from 36 possible Feddema’s climate types, Iran possesses fifteen climate types from which the Dry Cool, Semiarid Torrid, Semiarid Hot, Semiarid Warm, Dry warm, Semiarid Cool, and Moist Cool climates collectively occupied approximately 93% of the country. Similarly, arid, semi-arid, humid, and sub-humid UNEP climate types characterized more than 98% of Iran. A few other vertically stratified climates appeared at the highlands of Iran just because of changes in elevation and slope aspects of the mountains. The combined effect of topography and vicinity to sea also creates very distinct climate types in northern Iran. The climate maps of the three used methods reflect the joint effects of topography, latitudinal variation, and land/sea surface contrast on the climate of Iran. A pairwise comparison made between the three classifications showed a satisfactory agreement between the three schemes in representing the main climate types of Iran.
Testing E-OBS European high-resolution gridded data set of daily precipitation and surface temperature
