​Understand Climate Graphs

On this page you will find the resources that you need to research and build your own climate graphs.

A basic climate graph will show information about temperature (Celsius) and precipitation (millimetres). More advanced climate graphs will show other atmospheric conditions, such as maximum and minimum temperatures.

Traditionally, precipitation (rainfall) is drawn as a blue bar chart, whilst temperature is shown as a red line. Some geography teachers have been known to freak when they see these rules being broken! However, the golden rule is to construct a climate graph that can be understood by everyone. 

An example of a climate graph that is clear and easy to understand.

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Go get some data ...

Climatedata.eu is one of the best websites for climate data and climate graphs. Sadly. it only covers Europe and Africa.

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Weatheronline.co.uk is a useful website that covers thousands of places across the planet, and if you are Nerdy with stats try the climate robot.

Climate information can also be found scattered across Wikipedia. Here, for example, you can find climate data for London, UK.

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The World Meteorological Organisation provides climate data.

Here you will find a map to search that data - curtesy of the Hong Kong Observatory.

For data that is easy to understand, Numpty Nerd recommends that you use ISO units. Fahrenheit is used by old people and Americans. If you like the expression subzero temperatures, stick with Celsius. 

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Understanding and Writing about Climate Graphs

The BBC Bitesize website is a useful place to find out about climate graphs.
Here you will find a comprehensive checklist of things to cover when you are struggling to say something geographical about the climate of the places that you are interested in.

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Building your own climate graphs

If you have access to Microsoft Excel you can cut and paste climate data into a spreadsheet to make your own climate graph.

Click here to download written instructions, or watch the video below.