Introduction

The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884.

Before using the Köppen Climate Classification API, it’s important to understand the classification system and codes. The Köppen climate classification scheme divides climates into five main climate groups: A (tropical), B (arid), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). The second letter indicates the seasonal precipitation type, while the third letter indicates the level of heat (only for climate groups (B, C, and D). Summers are defined as the 6-month period that is warmer either from April–September and/or October–March while winter is the 6-month period that is cooler.

Climates are classified based on specific criteria unique to each climate type. Main climate groups are based on the types of vegetation that grow in a given climate classification region.

In addition to identifying climates, the system can be used to analyze ecosystem conditions and identify the main types of vegetation within climates. Due to its link with the plant life of a given region, the system can be useful in predicting future changes in plant life within that region.

Each classification is described in the table below:

About the API

You are required to submit latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal format with every request. Use a positive value for N latitudes and E longitudes. Use a negative value for S latitudes and W longitudes. The API will return classifications based on a grid box of coordinates. Each grid box size consists of 0.5° longitude x 0.5° latitude. Your latitude and longitude input parameters will be rounded to the nearest .25 or .75 degrees to fit into the center of one of these grid squares and return the appropriate classification (if defined).

For example, if you request the classification for the location latitude=37.5331 and longitude=-79.987, the API will return the classification for the coordinates latitude=37.75 and longitude=-79.75.

Note: Large bodies of water such as oceans and seas do not have classifications assigned. Submitting a request with a latitude and longitude in one of these locations will result in a response stating that a classification is not defined for the given location.

Plans and Usage

Basic - This plan is suited for developers who want to try out the API.
Pro - This plan is best for basic websites or apps that require limited usage.
Ultra - Unlimited requests for commercial or enterprise usage.

Endpoints (all endpoints are GET methods)

/classification -> get Köppen classification for the given latitude and longitude

Sample Usage and Response
/classification?lat=39.5831&lon=-104.176

{
	"resource": "koppen",
	"location": {
		"latitude": "39.75",
		"longitude": "-104.25"
	},
	"classification": "BSk"
}

/classification?lat=25.692&lon=32.641

{
	"resource": "koppen",
	"location": {
		"latitude": "25.75",
		"longitude": "32.75"
	},
	"classification": "BWh"
}

/classification?lat=-3.198&lon=-60.069

{
	"resource": "koppen",
	"location": {
		"latitude": "-2.75",
		"longitude": "-59.75"
	},
	"classification": "Am"
}

Errors

400 - Invalid Request (you have specified an invalid resource or invalid parameters)
401 - Unauthorized (you are not authorized to use the specified endpoint)
404 - Value Not Found (no classification found for the provided parameters)

Please Note

All response data is provided in string format for easy and consistent usage.
Field order in response is not guaranteed or preserved.
In order to make our API data ever-evolving, new fields could be added at any time.

Thank you

We strive to provide the most up-to-date data available. If for any reason you notice data discrepancies, please contact us immediately so we can resolve them.