Climate zones in Haiti, 1991 to 2020
Share of Haiti's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 32,754 map cells used cover 99% of the country's outline (about 26,600 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 95%, C (temperate) 4.3%, B (arid) 0.8%.
Aw, tropical savannah, is the main climate of Haiti, covering 58% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Af (tropical rainforest) next at 21%. In plain terms, tropical savannah means hot all year, with a clear dry season. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 18% 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 Haiti'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) | 17% | 3.6% | Af +2 percentage points | Cwb -4.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 16% | 2.3% | Am +4 percentage points | Af -2.3 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 18% | 3.1% | Aw +3.6 percentage points | Af -3.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 22% | 5% | Aw +11.5 percentage points | Af -6.6 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 | 56% | 58% | 58% | 62% | 70% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 19% | 21% | 19% | 18% | 15% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 17% | 16% | 20% | 17% | 13% |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 1.2% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 5.7% | 1.1% | - | - | - |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 1.6% |
| Csb Warm-summer Mediterranean | 0.2% | - | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Haiti and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Port-au-Prince | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Haiti
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.