Contributo para a classificação climática de Portugal utilizando a metodologia de Novais

Abstract

Research Purpose: The objective of this work is the application to the Portuguese of the climate classification methodology used by Novais (2019). Methodology: This methodology uses ERA-Interim reanalysis data of the CHELSA algorithm, enabling a greater detail in the climatological information of the study area and create a multiscale cascade depending on the spatial scale of the desired analysis allowing us to observe the specific characteristics of these places as we increase the spatial scale of the analysis. To obtain potential evapotranspiration values, the Thornthwaite and Matter (1955) method was used. The hierarchical levels considered in this study were: (1st) Climatic Zone, (2nd) Zonal Climate, (3rd) Climate Domain, 4th) Climatic Subdomain, 5th) Climatic Type and 6th) Climatic Subtype. Two cartographic models were generated in the Dynamic EGO software. The results obtained were converted into vectors and overlapped creating the analytical basis for the definition of climate types in Portugal. Findings: In the Portuguese climate domains were identified: Tropical Ameno, Subtropical and Temperate. These domains were divided into 4 climatic subdomains, considering the amount of dry months: wet, semi-humid, semi-dry and dry; located in 3 Climatic Types: the oceanic, the continental and the Mediterranean. Finally, 125 climatic subtypes were delimited from the geomorphological units. Originality/Value: The spatial delimitation of each of the climate areas and subdomains in Portugal, resulting from this methodology, can be a useful complement to support the decision-making of spatial planning at various spatial scales in addition to making another contribution to extendthe scope of the application of this methodology to the European continent. Keywords: Climate Classification of Novais; climate reanalysis; average temperature of the coldest month; amount of dry months; climate modeling.