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Module guide: climate classification

Köppen climate maps and climate zone lookup tools

Finding a site's Köppen-Geiger class takes seconds, but the answer depends on the map's period, resolution and data. These tools range from a city lookup to 1 km global maps with projections to 2099.

Last checked18 September 2026

At a glance

ToolTypePriceBest for
Köppen-Geiger maps (Beck et al. 2023)Global maps and GIS datasetFree (CC BY 4.0)The most detailed free global Köppen-Geiger maps, for past periods and future scenarios.
World Maps of Köppen-Geiger climate classificationMaps, Google Earth files and data downloadsFreeThe widely cited Kottek et al. (2006) world map and its updates, including Google Earth layers and US county data.
CHELSA-bioclimGlobal kilometre-scale climate datasetFreeGIS users and researchers who want Köppen-Geiger next to other climate classifications and bioclimatic variables at about 1 km.
Climate-Data.orgConsumer climate websiteFreeA quick Köppen-Geiger class and monthly averages for a named city or town.
CBE Clima ToolWeb app, open sourceFreeChecking the Köppen-Geiger class of a weather station alongside a full climate analysis, for free.
ClimateStudioRhino plugin (Windows)Price on request; free trial for firmsRhino users who want the Köppen and ASHRAE 169 zones of the weather file they simulate with.
C4BWeb app, in the browserFree plan; paid plans from €59/month (cancellation takes effect after 12 billing cycles) or €599/year, with a 7-day free trialLooking up the Köppen-Geiger and ASHRAE 169 zones of any address and seeing how the Köppen class may shift to 2100.

How to choose

Check the period the map describes. A Köppen-Geiger class is derived from long-term monthly temperature and precipitation, so each map describes a specific window: 1951–2000 for the widely cited Kottek et al. (2006) map, 1986–2010 for its 2017 update, and 1991–2020 for the latest historical map in Beck et al. (2023). Climate zones shift over time, so a site can change class between versions.

Check the resolution. A 0.5° grid cell is roughly 50 km across and can merge a coast with its hinterland or a valley with the mountains around it; 1 km maps such as Beck et al. (2023) and CHELSA separate them much better. For a single building site, the finer the map, the more the class reflects the site itself.

Decide whether you need the future. Beck et al. (2023) projects classes for 2041–2070 and 2071–2099 under seven SSP scenarios, and the older Vienna maps cover 2001–2100 under earlier IPCC emission scenarios. For a building expected to last decades, the class later in its life can matter as much as today's.

Remember what Köppen is for. It is a general climate classification, useful for understanding a site's climate type at a glance. Building energy codes use other systems, such as the ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 169 climate zones, which are based on heating and cooling degree days.

Köppen-Geiger maps (Beck et al. 2023)

Beck et al. (2023), distributed by GloH2O · Global maps and GIS dataset · Free (CC BY 4.0)

The most detailed free global Köppen-Geiger maps, for past periods and future scenarios.

  • 1 km global maps for 1901–1930, 1931–1960, 1961–1990 and 1991–2020, based on observation-based climatologies.
  • Projections for 2041–2070 and 2071–2099 under seven SSPs, from 42 CMIP6 models kept after screening all 67 for climate sensitivity and historical warming.
  • GeoTIFFs at several resolutions, with a legend, confidence maps and the underlying temperature and precipitation climatologies in netCDF.
  • Free to use, including commercially, with attribution to Beck et al. (2023).

Good to know

  • The data are GeoTIFF and netCDF files, so reading the class for a point needs GIS software or code.

Visit Köppen-Geiger maps (Beck et al. 2023)

World Maps of Köppen-Geiger climate classification

Climate Change & Infectious Diseases Group, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna · Maps, Google Earth files and data downloads · Free

The widely cited Kottek et al. (2006) world map and its updates, including Google Earth layers and US county data.

  • The Kottek et al. (2006) map at 0.5° for 1951–2000, from CRU temperature and GPCC precipitation data, as images, PDF and ASCII data.
  • A 2017 re-analysis at 5 arc minutes for 1986–2010, with KMZ files for Google Earth and a raster file with R code.
  • Rubel and Kottek (2010) maps of observed and projected shifts for 1901–2100 in 25-year periods.
  • US maps, including the main climate class of each county as a data file.

Good to know

  • Future maps use earlier IPCC emission scenarios (A1FI, A2, B1 and B2) rather than the current SSPs.
  • The site lists a very high resolution version (August 2023) as in preparation.

Visit World Maps of Köppen-Geiger climate classification

CHELSA-bioclim

WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research) · Global kilometre-scale climate dataset · Free

GIS users and researchers who want Köppen-Geiger next to other climate classifications and bioclimatic variables at about 1 km.

  • Köppen-Geiger classification layers in several variants, including one after Peel et al. (2007).
  • Other classifications in the same dataset: Wissmann, Thornthwaite and Troll-Pfaffen.
  • Part of CHELSA-bioclim version 2.1, with a 1981–2010 baseline.

Good to know

  • A research dataset: files are downloaded and read in GIS software or code.

Visit CHELSA-bioclim

Climate-Data.org

Climate-Data.org · Consumer climate website · Free

A quick Köppen-Geiger class and monthly averages for a named city or town.

  • Place pages state the Köppen-Geiger class next to a climate chart and a monthly climate table.
  • Climate data calculated from ECMWF and Copernicus data for 1991–2021 (sunshine hours 1999–2019), at 0.1 to 0.25 degree resolution.
  • Graphs and datasets are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Good to know

  • Its data sources page does not explain how the Köppen class is derived; the data were last refreshed in May 2022.
  • The non-commercial licence does not cover commercial reuse of its graphs and data.

Visit Climate-Data.org

CBE Clima Tool

Center for the Built Environment (CBE), UC Berkeley · Web app, open source · Free

Checking the Köppen-Geiger class of a weather station alongside a full climate analysis, for free.

  • The climate summary shows the selected location's coordinates and Köppen-Geiger climate zone.
  • Works with EPW files for more than 27,500 locations, or your own EPW.
  • Degree days, sun path, wind rose, psychrometric chart and UTCI in the same web app.

Good to know

  • The class is given for the weather file's location, which may not be the project site; its documentation does not mention future climate zones.

Visit CBE Clima Tool

ClimateStudio

Solemma LLC · Rhino plugin (Windows) · Price on request; free trial for firms

Rhino users who want the Köppen and ASHRAE 169 zones of the weather file they simulate with.

  • The Location panel summarises the weather file's Köppen climate zone, ASHRAE 169 climate zone and heating and cooling design conditions.
  • A weather browser with more than 30,000 TMY files.

Good to know

  • Solemma notes that the summary depends entirely on the weather file's contents.
  • Requires a licensed Windows version of Rhino 6, 7 or 8.

Visit ClimateStudio

C4B

We make C4B

Embrace Ideas · Web app, in the browser · Free plan; paid plans from €59/month (cancellation takes effect after 12 billing cycles) or €599/year, with a 7-day free trial

Looking up the Köppen-Geiger and ASHRAE 169 zones of any address and seeing how the Köppen class may shift to 2100.

  • Köppen-Geiger class computed from the Beck et al. (2023) data, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 169 climate zone, and heating and cooling degree days at 18.3 °C.
  • A map with a year slider from 1901 to 2100 under SSP1-1.9, SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5.
  • A timeline shows the zone at the building's completion, mid-life and end of life; projects save the building's own years.
  • Included on the Free plan: type an address or click the map.

Good to know

  • Shows five of the seven SSP scenarios in the Beck et al. (2023) data.
  • No GIS files or data downloads of the maps.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I find the Köppen climate zone of a location?

For a quick answer, look the place up on a city climate site or in a climate analysis tool that reports it, such as CBE Clima Tool for a weather station or C4B for any address. For the most detailed reference, read the location from the Beck et al. (2023) 1 km maps in GIS software.

What do Köppen codes like Cfb or BWh mean?

The first letter is the main climate: A tropical, B arid, C temperate, D cold and E polar. The next letters describe precipitation and temperature: Cfb is temperate with no dry season and a warm summer, and BWh is a hot desert.

Is the Köppen climate zone the same as the ASHRAE climate zone?

No. Köppen-Geiger is a general climate classification based on temperature and precipitation. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 169 defines climate zones for building energy codes, numbered from 0 (extremely hot) to 8 (subarctic and arctic) by annual heating and cooling degree days, with a letter for moist, dry or marine climates.

Will my site's Köppen climate zone change in the future?

It may. Beck et al. (2023) projects Köppen-Geiger maps for 2041–2070 and 2071–2099 under seven SSP scenarios. Rubel and Kottek (2010) estimated that each of the largest shifts between main climate classes by 2100 affects roughly 1 to 5 percent of global land area, depending on the scenario.

Sources

We make C4B. Information about the other tools comes from their official websites and documentation, checked on 18 September 2026. Products and prices change, so check each vendor's site for the latest details. All product names belong to their respective owners.

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