Climate zones in Dominican Republic, 1991 to 2020
Share of Dominican Republic's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 59,289 map cells used cover 99% of the country's outline (about 48,162 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 87%, C (temperate) 11%, B (arid) 2.2%.
Dominican Republic has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Af (tropical rainforest), covers only 37% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Aw (36%) and Am (14%). 5 zones each cover 1% or more of it. In plain terms, tropical rainforest means hot, wet and green every month of the year. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 15% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Aw (tropical savannah). The most common zone would then be Aw (tropical savannah).
How Dominican Republic'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) | 18% | 6.3% | Af +6 percentage points | Aw -4.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 11% | 4.1% | Am +2.1 percentage points | Cfb -2.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 15% | 6.4% | Aw +4.7 percentage points | Cfb -4.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 32% | 12% | Aw +12.4 percentage points | Af -9.1 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Af Tropical rainforest | 31% | 37% | 37% | 35% | 28% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 41% | 36% | 37% | 41% | 49% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 14% | 14% | 16% | 14% | 12% |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 12% | 11% | 8.1% | 6.4% | 4.2% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | - | 2.2% | 2% | 3.2% | 7.3% |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 2.7% | 0.2% | - | - | - |
| Csb Warm-summer Mediterranean | 0.1% | - | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Dominican Republic and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Santo Domingo | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Santiago de los Caballeros | Af Tropical rainforest | Af Tropical rainforest |
| Santo Domingo Oeste | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
| Santo Domingo Este | Am Tropical monsoon | Am Tropical monsoon |
Zones found in Dominican Republic
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Aw. See data sources and licences.