Explore historical and projected climate data, climate data by sector, impacts, key vulnerabilities and what adaptation measures are being taken. Explore the overview for a general context of how climate change is affecting United States.
This page presents high-level information for United States's climate zones and its seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation for the latest climatology, 1991-2020. Climate zone classifications in the map below use observed, historical data (sourced from the Climate Research Unit [CRU]) and are derived by applying the Köppen-Geiger climate classification methodology. This classification divides climate into five primary climate groups, which are divided based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The five primary groups are A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). All climates, except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter). It is important to understand the different climate contexts that exist within a country as well as the surrounding region when analyzing current climates and projected change. Climate classifications are identified by hovering your mouse over the legend. A narrative overview of United States's country context and climate is provided following the visualizations.
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The United States is located in North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico. It is one of the largest countries in the world, with a total area of 9,192,000 km2 stretching over seven time zones. The topography is diverse, featuring deserts, lakes, mountains, plains and forests.
The US has a population of approximately 329.5 million (2020) people, of which 82% live in urban areas. The country’s economy is supported by its services, industry, and agriculture sectors.
In the United States, climate change has already resulted in more frequent heat waves, extreme precipitation, larger wildfires, and water scarcity. These pose significant threat to the economy and well-being of its people.
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