Climate zones in Sweden, 1991 to 2020
Share of Sweden's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 1,127,484 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 441,915 km²).
By major group: D (cold (continental)) 94%, C (temperate) 3.7%, E (polar) 1.9%.
Dfc, subarctic (boreal), is the main climate of Sweden, covering 58% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with Dfb (warm-summer humid continental) next at 37%. In plain terms, subarctic (boreal) means long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 50% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to Cfb (temperate oceanic). The most common zone would then be Dfb (warm-summer humid continental).
How Sweden'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) | 14% | 4.9% | Dfb +5.6 percentage points | Dfc -8.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 19% | 8.5% | Cfb +7.3 percentage points | Dfc -9.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 50% | 23% | Cfb +21.3 percentage points | Dfc -25.5 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 85% | 35% | Cfb +32.5 percentage points | Dfc -48.6 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dfc Subarctic (boreal) | 66% | 58% | 48% | 33% | 9.3% |
| Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | 31% | 37% | 40% | 42% | 54% |
| Cfb Temperate oceanic | - | 3.7% | 11% | 25% | 36% |
| ET Tundra | 3.1% | 1.9% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Cfa Humid subtropical | - | - | - | - | 0.2% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Sweden and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | Dfb Warm-summer humid continental | Cfb Temperate oceanic |
| Gothenburg | Cfb Temperate oceanic | Cfb Temperate oceanic |
Zones found in Sweden
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was Dfc. See data sources and licences.