Climate zones in Nicaragua, 1991 to 2020
Share of Nicaragua's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 153,546 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 128,522 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 100%, C (temperate) 0.3%.
Nicaragua has no single dominant climate. The biggest zone, Am (tropical monsoon), covers only 47% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, followed by Aw (37%) and Af (16%). 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), 9.7% 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 Nicaragua'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) | 20% | 0.3% | Am +13 percentage points | Af -14.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 7.3% | 0.3% | Aw +1.4 percentage points | Af -1 percentage point |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 9.7% | 0.3% | Aw +3.3 percentage points | Af -4.7 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 19% | 0.4% | Aw +8.6 percentage points | Af -10.1 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Am Tropical monsoon | 34% | 47% | 47% | 49% | 49% |
| Aw Tropical savannah | 35% | 37% | 38% | 40% | 45% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 31% | 16% | 15% | 11% | 6% |
| Cwb Subtropical highland (dry winter) | 0.5% | 0.3% | - | - | - |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | 0.2% | 0.1% | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Nicaragua and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Managua | Aw Tropical savannah | Aw Tropical savannah |
Zones found in Nicaragua
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.