Determination of Climate Type in Isparta Province by Köppen-Trewartha and Thornthwaite Methods

Climate is defined as the average of meteorological conditions observed in a location or region over a long period of time. Climate knowledge helps to estimate the character and vegetation of a region in relation to weather conditions. The number of climate types is quite large, and numerous climate classifications have been developed over the years. The main purpose of climate classifications is to distinguish different climate types and identify the areas which show similar climatic conditions. Climate types can be classified based on different climate parameters, such as temperature and precipitation. The Köppen and Thornthwaite methods are the most commonly used climate classification methods. In this study, we aimed to determine the climate types and water potential of Isparta province by long-term climate data based on Köppen and Thornthwaite climate indices. According to Köppen-Trewartha climate classification, Isparta and its districts have been classified as “Dack” (hot in summers, cold in winters, temperate continental). According to the Thornthwaite method, Atabey and Yalvac districts are in the "semi-arid- less humid" climate cluster while Isparta, Egirdir, Senirkent, and Uluborlu are in the "semi-humid" climate cluster. A moderate excess of moisture was observed in all the stations during the season.