Interpreting Climate
The following are good indicators of the climate of a given area.
1. Natural vegetation.
- Forests indicate high rainfall totals received throughout the year.
- Grasslands indicate moderate rainfall which is seasonal.
- Scrub and thickets is an indicator of very low and unreliable Rainfall.
2. Types of crops grown
- Perennial crops e.g. coffee, tea and bananas indicate high rainfall which is reliable.
- Annual crops e.g. maize, cotton, millet indicate alternative wet and dry seasons.
- Crops such as wheat are grown in areas with low temperatures. While irrigation schemes are indicators of low rainfall.
3. Population density
- High population densities in the rural areas reflect high amounts and reliable rainfall.
- Sparse population /sparse settlement indicates low and unreliable rainfall.
4. Water surfaces
Seasonal swamps always indicate alternative wet and dry seasons.
- Very many permanent rivers and swamps are indicators of heavy rainfall.
- Very many boreholes and valley dams indicate unreliable or low rainfall.
5. Latitudes:
- Area lying a round between O0 -10 North and South of the equator tend to have equatorial type of climate.
- Areas lying between 1 0 -4 0 N and South of the equator tend to have savannah type of climate.
6. Altitude
- When the height of the land is very high beyond 2700 metres, this is an indicator of low temperature at the same time this height may indicate the formation of relief type of rainfall.
7. Relief
- Hills of great height always create aridity conditions on its leeward side and very heavy rainfall on the windward sides.