Africa’s Climate with 7 main climate zones, more than any other continent, is more or less consistent. Due to its position in the Tropical Zone, the absence of large mountain chains to effect climate barriers and the cool ocean currents, Africa’s climate remains uniformed.
Africa’s Climate in the north and south tends to have a tropical savanna climate. Covering almost 1/5 of Africa’s land mass the savanna climate has a distinctive dry season during the winter months and a wet season during the summer. The area sees about 20 inches of rain a year.
Along the Equator, extending north and south the continent leaves the savanna region to a drier climate zone with annual rainfall between 10 to 20 inches.
The eastern coast of Madagascar along with the center of the continent has a tropical climate, with annual temperatures ranging in the mid 80’s and about 70 inches of rain a year.
The Guinea coast is tends to have an equatorial climate, with rainfall occurring year round.
In the extreme south west and northwest portions of Africa the region has a Mediterranean climate, with annual rainfall of 10 to 20 inches; the area sees hot humid summers and cool wet winters.
Eastern Africa’s highlands such as in Kenya and Uganda, rainfall tends to occur uniformly throughout the year, with the temperature being temperate.
Africa’s Sahara desert located in the northern portion of the continent is an arid or desert climate zone. The Sahara desert, the Horn in the east and the Namib and Kalahari deserts in the southwest receive less than 10 inches of rain a year. In the deserts the temperature ranges are extreme ranging from highs in the 90’s during the summer to lows dropping below 32 degrees during the winter months.
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