CLIMATOLOGIA DO ESTADO DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE, BRASIL: SISTEMAS ATMOSFÉRICOS ATUANTES E MAPEAMENTO DE TIPOS DE CLIMA

Abstract

The state of Rio Grande do Norte does not have a mapping of climate types. The climate map of the state currently used by the state government lacks a methodological reference that guided the definition of the state’s climate types. Also, it uses similar nomenclatures for patterns of different climates. For instance, the semi- and sub-humid subtypes, for which it is not perceived any dissimilarity based on their names. In thiswork, we presented and analyzed the active atmospheric systems in the state as well as isohyetal and climate types mapping, using information from 136 SUDENE’s rain gauges. We employed the methodology used by IBGE. The state has two climatic types: the Tropical East Northeast climate, with four climate subtypes, and the Tropical Equatorial Zone, with three climate subtypes.Keywords: climate types, climate of the Rio Grande do Norte, geographic climatology.