Climate zones in United States Minor Outlying Islands, 1991 to 2020
Share of United States Minor Outlying Islands's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 20 map cells used cover 59% of the country's outline (about 16 km²).
By major group: A (tropical) 100%.
Aw, tropical savannah, is the main climate of United States Minor Outlying Islands, covering 64% 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), 25% 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 United States Minor Outlying Islands'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% | 0% | Aw +9.2 percentage points | Af -14.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 20% | 0% | Aw +14.9 percentage points | Am -10 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 25% | 0% | Aw +9.7 percentage points | Am -10 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 25% | 0% | Aw +14.7 percentage points | Am -14.9 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 | 55% | 64% | 79% | 74% | 79% |
| Af Tropical rainforest | 35% | 21% | 16% | 21% | 21% |
| Am Tropical monsoon | 10% | 15% | 5% | 5% | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in United States Minor Outlying Islands
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.