Climate zones in British Virgin Islands, 1991 to 2020
Share of British Virgin Islands's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 143 map cells used cover 79% of the country's outline (about 116 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 100%.
Aw, tropical savannah, is the main climate of British Virgin Islands, covering 56% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Am (tropical monsoon) next at 44%. In plain terms, tropical savannah means hot all year, with a clear dry season. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 27% 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 British Virgin Islands'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) | 78% | 0% | Aw +43.3 percentage points | Af -44.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 7.7% | 0% | Aw +0.7 percentage points | Am -0.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 27% | 0% | Aw +25.2 percentage points | Am -25.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 44% | 0% | Aw +44.1 percentage points | Am -44.1 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aw Tropical savannah | 13% | 56% | 57% | 81% | 100% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 43% | 44% | 43% | 19% | - |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 44% | - | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in British Virgin Islands
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.