Biotech Studies 1992, Vol 1, Num, 1     (Pages: 066-088)

CLIMATE OF TURKEY ACCORDING TO `THORNTHWAITE RATIONAL CLIMATE CLASSIFICATION`

Muzaffer AVCI

1 Dr. Tarla Bitkileri Merkez Araştırma Enstitüsü, Ankara - Thornthwaite (1948) method which is based on a balance between monthly potential evapotranspiration and precipitation was employed in order to classify 232 meteorological stations of Turkey, using long period averages of monthly temperatures and precipitations. Results showed that 8 climate types were determined according to the `moisture index` criteria. They were arid (E), semiarid (D), dry subhumid (C1), subhunid (C2), humid (varying from B1 to B4) and perhumid (A). `Temperature` criteria classified the stations into 6 types of climates: microthermal (C`2), mesothermal (varying from B'1 to B'4) and megathermal (A`). When the first two criteria (Moisture index and temperature) were taken into account, 30 and 48 types of climates were determined, respectively. Results of the study was presented as tables and maps. Keywords : Thornthwaite rational climate classification; potential evapotranspiration; climate types; moisture index; temperature