Latin America, the Caribbean, and Adjacent Oceans

The Latin America and Caribbean region spans a wide range of latitudes and climatic types. From north to south are the arid (B) climates of northern Mexico, tropical (A) climates dominant in the hurricane-prone Caribbean and much of southern Mexico and Central America and low-latitude South America, B climates in isolated areas, and mesothermal (C) climates in higher elevations and in southern South America. The Caribbean low-level jet affects weather and climate variability in the Caribbean and Central America, where it interacts with the topography to produce the veranillo. The Amazon rain forest overlaps with the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), the western side of which is held in place by the cold Peru Current. The dry season lengthens poleward, with Tropical Rain Forest (Af) climates grading into Tropical Monsoon (Am) and then Tropical Wet-dry (Aw) climates. Subsidence from the South Pacific High, coastal upwelling, and rain shadow effects of the Andes Mountains create the Atacama Desert. In mid-latitude South America, Semi-arid (BS) and mesothermal climates prevail, most commonly the Mediterranean (Cs) and Humid Subtropical (Cfa) climates. Microthermal (D) types are rare because of the lack of continentality, but South America’s southern tip has a windy, Tundra (ET) climate.