What Is the Definition of a Dry Climate?
A dry climate is a region of the world where there is little precipitation and the air is very dry, according to Maps of the World. Dry climate is divided by climatologists into the subclassifications of dry arid and dry semiarid.
A dry arid climate has the lowest level of precipitation and moisture and covers about 12 percent of the planet’s land surface. Deserts receive this classification. It is difficult to grow lush green grass and plants in a dry arid climate. When it does rain, the moisture evaporates quickly. Dry semiarid climate is known as steppe or grassland and covers about 14 percent of the land surface. Dry climates in the United States often correlate with regions that also have relatively high temperatures throughout the year.
