Climate zones in Jamaica, 1991 to 2020
Share of Jamaica's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 13,311 map cells used cover 98% of the country's outline (about 10,860 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 99%, C (temperate) 0.9%.
Jamaica has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Am (tropical monsoon), covers only 44% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Af (31%) and Aw (24%). 3 zones each cover 1% or more of it. 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), 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).
How Jamaica'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) | 49% | 0.3% | Am +26.5 percentage points | Af -37.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 12% | 0.3% | Aw +3.4 percentage points | Af -1.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 15% | 0.5% | Aw +6.2 percentage points | Af -3.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 31% | 0.8% | Aw +18.4 percentage points | Af -10.2 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 | 18% | 44% | 43% | 42% | 37% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 68% | 31% | 29% | 27% | 20% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 13% | 24% | 28% | 31% | 43% |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | - | - | - | - | 0.1% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Jamaica and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Kingston | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Jamaica
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.