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How are steppe climates different from desert climates?
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Köppen climate classification
The major climatic types are based on patterns of average precipitation, average temperature, and natural vegetation. This map depicts the world distribution of climate types based on the classification originally invented by Wladimir Köppen in 1900.
In the Köppen climate classification, both steppe and desert climates are categorized as Type B (dry) climates, where the primary factor limiting vegetation is aridity rather than coldness. The distinction between these two subtypes is based on the amount of annual precipitation relative to evaporative losses.1
- Desert (BW): These regions are the most arid, defined by the Köppen system as having precipitation totals that are less than one-half of the upper limit for a Type B climate.1
- Steppe (BS): These are semiarid regions that are slightly wetter than true deserts. They are defined as having precipitation that is less than the upper limit for a Type B climate but more than one-half of that amount.21
Geographically, the steppe subtype often serves as a transition zone, located peripheral to true deserts or adjacent to moister climate types. In higher latitudes, the steppe subtype can also be found where cooler conditions reduce evaporation, allowing more of the limited precipitation to remain available as soil moisture for plant growth.2