Author(s)

Maida Zahid, Ghulam Rasul

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This research work is designed to carry out the annual and seasonal thermal classification of Pakistan to provide better understanding to all the stake holders like farmers and scientists etc for obtaining maximum crop yield. The data of Climatic Normal’s (1971-2000) has been used to calculate Thornthwaites’s Thermal efficiency index for thermal classification of Pakistan. The results of annual thermal classification reveals that Pakistan’s northern half experiences Tundra to Microthermal climate type and southern half experiences all types of Mesothermal to Megathermal climate type. Seasonal analysis showed large variations like in winters the whole country ranges from Microthermal to Frost Type of climate except the extremely southern parts of the country which have Mild Mesothermal climate. In spring the northern half of the country lies between Tundra to Microthermal climate and southern half from Mesothermal to Megathermal climate. During summer and monsoon majority of the regions in the country experience Megathermal except Northern areas which show Moderate Mesothermal to Mesothermal climate. The autumn season mostly have Mild Mesothermal to Tundra climate excluding southern half which showed Moderate Mesothermal to Mesothermal climate.

Evapotranspiration, Thermal Efficiency Index, Tundra and Megathermal

M. Zahid and G. Rasul, "Thermal Classification of Pakistan," Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, Vol. 1 No. 4, 2011, pp. 206-213. doi: 10.4236/acs.2011.14023.