Climate zones in Nepal, 1991 to 2020
Share of Nepal's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 194,810 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 147,330 km²).
By major group: C (temperate) 70%, E (polar) 18%, D (cold (continental)) 12%, B (arid) 0.2%.
Cwa, humid subtropical with dry winter, is the main climate of Nepal, covering 51% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Cwb (subtropical highland (dry winter)) next at 19%. In plain terms, humid subtropical with dry winter means hot, wet summers and dry, mild winters. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 31% 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 Nepal'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) | 4.2% | 2.5% | Cwa +1 percentage point | ET -0.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 19% | 11% | Aw +2.5 percentage points | ET -2.4 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 31% | 19% | Aw +6.1 percentage points | ET -4.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 58% | 41% | Aw +20.3 percentage points | Cwa -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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | 50% | 51% | 53% | 52% | 40% |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 19% | 19% | 18% | 17% | 15% |
| ET Tundra | 18% | 18% | 15% | 13% | 9% |
| Dwb Warm-summer continental with dry winter | 8.5% | 8.4% | 6.6% | 6.3% | 7.3% |
| Dwc Subarctic with dry winter | 4.2% | 3.8% | 4.1% | 4.9% | 5.3% |
| EF Ice cap (frost) | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.1% | - |
| BSk Cold semi-arid (steppe) | 0.1% | 0.1% | - | - | - |
| Am Tropical monsoon | - | - | 0.4% | 0.7% | 2.9% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | - | - | 2.5% | 6.1% | 20% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Nepal and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
| Pokhara | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter | Cwa Humid subtropical with dry winter |
Zones found in Nepal
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Cwa. See data sources and licences.