The Perfect Climate - Part 5

by Conroy

Rio, unsurprisingly, has one of the best climates in the world

I spent the first four parts of this series exploring my climate ranking system and applying it to American cities in search of the "perfect climate". Now it’s time to expand the rankings to the whole world. Below I’ve ranked 150 cities [1] using both my original formula, which favors warm places, and the alternative formula presented in Part 4, which favors consistently temperate locations.

This is the fifth post in my “Perfect Climate” series. To check out the first four, use the following links: The Perfect Climate – Part 1 The Perfect Climate – Part 2 The Perfect Climate – Part 3 The Perfect Climate – Part 4 Also check out Conroy’s Perfect Climate Rankings page.

 As a reminder, warm cities are places with annual mean temperatures in the mid to upper 70s (or higher) and little seasonal variance. Examples include Miami, Rio de Janeiro, and Bangalore, India. Temperate cities are places with annual mean temperatures in the mid 60s (no higher) and little seasonal variance, and especially no really hot months. Examples include San Diego, Mexico City, and Cape Town, South Africa. I’m presenting dual rankings because these preferences seem to predominate when it comes to climate taste. For both approaches, cold cities fare poorly.

One thing to note regarding the “warm cities” ranking, in my original formula I assumed that the higher the annual mean temperature the better. I was examining American cities the warmest of which is Honolulu, Hawaii with an annual mean of 77.5 degrees. However, when I expanded my rankings to encompass all the world’s cities, I ran into a problem: much of the Earth is very hot. Many cities across Africa and Asia have annual mean temperatures that exceed 80 degrees. While I enjoy warm conditions, even I have to admit that there’s an upper limit above which the climate grows too hot. I decided to modify my original formula to penalize cities where the annual mean temperature exceeds 78 degrees [2]. This adjustment works the same as the temperature penalty applied in the alternative (temperate) climate formula for cities with annual mean temperatures above 65 degrees (see Part 4).

The World’s Climate
Before jumping to the actual rankings, I'll note a few general impressions from my review of climates for hundreds of places in all parts of the world.

Latitude and elevation combine to give Nairobi a pleasant climate

• Large portions of South America, Africa, and Asia are located at low latitudes but relatively high elevations. This combination of tropical locations perched well above sea level is a magic formula for a favorable climate. The tropical latitude results in consistent solar radiation throughout the year, which means little temperature variance, but the higher elevations moderate the temperature. Cities in these zones include Nairobi, Sao Paulo, and Bangalore, India. Each boasts a climate that would be far hotter (and far less bearable) if located near sea level.
• It’s surprising how few large cities are located in really cold places. Only six cities experience mean low temperatures in the single digits (F) during one or more winter months: Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ottawa, Montreal, and Edmonton, Canada, and Shenyang and Harbin, China. Indeed, Harbin (China's tenth largest city), in the far northeast of China right on the edge of Siberia, is the only major global city to experience mean low temperatures below zero (F) for any month of the year. It’s appropriately nicknamed the “Ice City”, and the winter cold there is worse than in Arctic places like Nome, Alaska. This relative paucity of large cities in places with harsh winters is another demonstration that the great majority of people the world over choose not to live in cold climates.
• Conversely, cities with average high temperatures above 100 degrees during one or more summer months are common across the American southwest, Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. The highest monthly mean temperature for any major city belongs to Baghdad, Iraq where the July high is a heat-stroke-inducing 111 degrees. That’s nearly as hot as Death Valley during high summer. Other "hot" cities include Phoenix, Riyadh, Delhi, and Khartoum. In fact, the capital of Sudan has the highest annual mean temperature of any major city at 85.8 degrees. (It's worth noting that I developed this climate system thinking of the U.S. where air conditioning is ubiquitous. That's certainly not the case through the "hot" world, so the warm rankings should be considered with that in mind; warm may not be so pleasant where it can't be escaped.)
• Perhaps the continent with the most consistently superb climate is South America. All of that continent’s major cities score well on both the warm and temperate rankings. And of all nations, Brazil’s big cities boast almost universally excellent climates. This is also true of the other large southern hemisphere country, Australia, where all of its large cities also have friendly climates. This is a major contrast to the large nations of the northern hemisphere that are either cold (Canada and Russia) or feature widely varying climates (U.S. and China).
• If you’re interested in finding unvarying temperatures, then follow the Equator. Quito, Ecuador, Manaus and Belem, Brazil, Male in the Maldives, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Brunei all lie on or near the Equator and are among the relatively short list of cities that have annual temperature variances of less than 3 degrees.
• Finally, it’s interesting to compare the most extreme climate on Earth to my climate rankings. Russia’s Vostok Station in Antarctica is renowned as the coldest place on the planet, the Pole of Cold [3]. The lowest ever measured surface temperature of -128.6 degrees was recorded there in 1983. The average August low temperature is -97 degrees, and it earns a climate score of -105. The temperatures at Vostok are comparable to the surface of Mars in winter. It puts things into perspective when evaluating the “perfect” and “terrible” climates across the globe. Harbin's climate is far closer to sunny Rio de Janeiro's than it is to interior Antarctica.

Ice sculptures in Harbin, the world's coldest big city

Now on to the rankings.




The Perfect Climate Global Rankings
If you prefer warm places then Bandung, Indonesia is the place for you. Located on the island of Java southeast of Jakarta at an elevation of 2,500 feet, it has year-long highs in the low 80s and lows in the upper 60s. If you prefer a temperate climate then it gets no better than Nairobi, Kenya. Located in the south of the country at an elevation of 5,900 feet, it has year round mild temperature with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s and lows in the lower to mid 50s. Unsurprisingly, the “worst” climates belong to the cold cities of Canada, Russia, and China.

[Note that these rankings, along with many other rankings by continent/region/country are available at Conroy’s Climate Rankings page of this blog.]

Climate Rankings for 150 Global Cities
Warm Cities			Temperate Cities
Rk	Urban Area	Climate Score	Rk	Urban Area	Climate Score
1	Bandung, ID	56.9	1	Nairobi, KE	44.2
2	Caracas, VE	55.3	2	Lima, PE	43.8
3	Brasilia, BR	53.8	3	Medellin, CO	42.0
4	Salvador, BR	52.8	4	Bandung, ID	41.0
5	Rio de Janeiro, BR	51.4	5	Sao Paulo, BR	40.5
6	Luanda, AO	50.0	6	Curitiba, BR	40.0
7	Bangalore, IN	49.6	7	San Diego, US	39.7
8	Dar es Salaam, TZ	49.3	8	Caracas, VE	39.5
9	Belo Horizonte, BR	49.0	9	Brasilia, BR	39.3
10	Accra, GH	48.8	10	Mexico City, MX	39.0
11	Recife, BR	48.8	11	Belo Horizonte, BR	37.8
12	Fortaleza, BR	48.8	12	Durban, ZA	37.3
13	Dakar, SN	48.3	13	Los Angeles, US	36.8
14	Kinshasa, CD	48.3	14	Casablanca, MA	35.8
15	San Juan, PR	48.3	15	San Francisco, US	35.4
16	Abidjan, CI	48.0	16	Cape Town, ZA	35.3
17	Lagos, NG	47.8	17	Sydney, AU	35.1
18	Surabaya, ID	47.3	18	Luanda, AO	34.8
19	Kuala Lumpur, MY	46.8	19	Guadalajara, MX	34.8
20	Singapore	46.5	20	Rio de Janeiro, BR	34.3
21	Manila, PH	46.3	21	Brisbane, AU	34.3
22	Jakarta, ID	45.3	22	Bogota, CO	34.1
23	Miami, US	44.9	23	Salvador, BR	32.8
24	Ho Chi Minh City, VN	44.5	24	Bangalore, IN	32.5
25	Sao Paulo, BR	44.2	25	Porto Alegre, BR	32.3
26	Lima, PE	43.8	26	Johannesburg, ZA	31.9
27	Guadalajara, MX	43.3	27	Hong Kong, CN	31.8
28	Mumbai, IN	43.3	28	Dakar, SN	31.8
29	Medellin, CO	43.1	29	Dar es Salaam, TZ	30.8
30	Yangon, MM	42.8	30	Lisbon, PT	30.6
31	Durban, ZA	42.5	31	Recife, BR	30.3
32	Bangkok, TH	42.3	32	Fortaleza, BR	30.3
33	Pune, IN	41.7	33	Accra, GH	30.3
34	Hong Kong, CN	41.4	34	San Juan, PR	30.0
35	Karachi, PK	41.3	35	Tampa, US	29.9
36	Kano, NG	39.8	36	Kinshasa, CD	29.8
37	Kolkata, IN	39.0	37	Perth, AU	29.7
38	Jeddah, SA	39.0	38	Melbourne, AU	29.7
39	Hyderabad, IN	38.8	39	Abidjan, CI	29.5
40	Brisbane, AU	38.6	40	Lagos, NG	29.3
41	Chennai, IN	38.0	41	Miami. US	29.0
42	Surat, IN	37.8	42	Alexandria, EG	29.0
43	Tampa, US	37.8	43	Kuala Lumpur, MY	28.3
44	Nairobi, KE	37.7	44	Surabaya, ID	28.3
45	Taipei, TW	37.4	45	Tripoli, LY	28.3
46	Dhaka, BD	36.5	46	Singapore	28.0
47	San Diego, US	36.0	47	Tel Aviv, IL	28.0
48	Porto Alegre, BR	35.8	48	Buenos Aires, AR	28.0
49	Los Angeles, US	35.5	49	Manila, PH	27.8
50	Sydney, AU	35.1	50	Taipei, TW	26.8
51	Curitiba, BR	34.5	51	Jakarta, ID	25.8
52	Alexandria, EG	34.4	52	Pune, IN	25.5
53	Guangzhou, CN	34.1	53	Guangzhou, CN	25.3
54	Casablanca, MA	33.8	54	Ho Chi Minh City, VN	25.0
55	Monterrey, MX	33.6	55	Tunis, TN	25.0
56	Ahmedabad, IN	33.5	56	Mumbai, IN	24.3
57	Cape Town, ZA	32.3	57	Cairo, EG	24.1
58	Mexico City, MX	32.0	58	Barcelona, ES	24.1
59	Tel Aviv, IL	31.6	59	Monterrey, MX	24.0
60	Cairo, EG	31.4	60	Yangon, MM	23.8
61	Khartoum, SD	30.8	61	Algiers, DZ	23.1
62	Perth, AU	30.2	62	Karachi, PK	22.8
63	Houston, US	29.5	63	Houston, US	22.8
64	Buenos Aires, AR	29.0	64	Santiago, CL	22.8
65	Dubai, AE	28.8	65	Bangkok, TH	21.8
66	Bogota, CO	28.1	66	Kano, NG	21.3
67	Lisbon, PT	28.1	67	Naples, IT	21.3
68	Johannesburg, ZA	27.9	68	Kolkata, IN	20.0
69	Jaipur, IN	27.9	69	Hyderabad, IN	19.8
70	San Francisco, US	27.9	70	Fuzhou, CN	19.8
71	Fuzhou, CN	27.3	71	Athens, GR	19.6
72	Tunis, TN	26.6	72	Jeddah, SA	18.0
73	Delhi, IN	26.4	73	Surat, IN	17.8
74	Melbourne, AU	26.2	74	Dublin, IE	17.7
75	Algiers, DZ	24.6	75	Portland, US	17.4
76	Tripoli, LY	24.1	76	Chengdu, CN	17.3
77	Barcelona, ES	24.1	77	Rome, IT	17.3
78	Lahore, PK	23.4	78	Istanbul, TR	17.0
79	Athens, GR	22.1	79	Chonquing, CN	16.8
80	Chonqing, CN	21.8	80	Seattle, US	16.7
81	Santiago, CL	21.3	81	Paris, FR	16.4
82	Phoenix, US	21.0	82	Dhaka, BD	16.0
83	Naples, IT	20.7	83	Chennai, IN	15.5
84	Chengdu, CN	19.8	84	London, UK	14.9
85	Istanbul, TR	18.0	85	Atlanta, US	14.6
86	Dallas, US	18.0	86	Madrid, ES	13.9
87	Rome, IT	17.8	87	Manchester, UK	13.8
88	Riyadh, SA	17.5	88	Tokyo, JP	13.5
89	Atlanta, US	16.6	89	Ahmedabad, IN	13.0
90	Tokyo, JP	16.5	90	Brussels, BE	13.0
91	Damascus, SY	16.4	91	Damascus, SY	12.9
92	Nanchang, CN	16.1	92	Jaipur, IN	12.8
93	Hangzhou, CN	15.1	93	Essen, DE	12.3
94	Osaka, JP	14.9	94	Nanchang, CN	12.1
95	Dublin, IE	14.7	95	Dallas, US	12.0
96	Madrid, ES	14.4	96	Osaka, JP	11.9
97	Seattle, US	14.2	97	Busan, KR	11.9
98	Portland, US	13.9	98	Delhi, IN	11.8
99	Paris, FR	13.9	99	Hangzhou, CN	11.6
100	Shanghai, CN	13.6	100	Shanghai, CN	10.6
101	Busan,  KR	13.4	101	Vancouver, CN	10.6
102	Wuhan, CN	13.4	102	Nagoya, JP	10.5
103	Baghdad, IQ	13.2	103	Phoenix, US	10.0
104	Nagoya, JP	13.0	104	Lahore, PK	10.0
105	London, UK	12.4	105	Vienna, AT	9.6
106	Nanjing, CN	11.4	106	Wuhan, CN	9.4
107	Manchester, UK	10.8	107	Nanjing, CN	9.4
108	Baltimore, US	9.9	108	Geneva, CH	8.9
109	Brussels, BE	9.0	109	Frankfurt, DE	8.8
110	Milan, IT	9.0	110	Milan, IT	8.5
111	Washington, US	9.0	111	Hamburg, DE	8.4
112	Tehran, IR	8.8	112	Berlin, DE	8.2
113	Essen, DE	8.3	113	Baltimore, US	7.4
114	Vancouver, CA	7.8	114	Dubai, AE	7.3
115	Vienna, AT	7.6	115	Copenhagen, DK	7.0
116	Frankfurt, DE	6.8	116	Khartoum, SD	6.3
117	Geneva, CH	6.4	117	Washington, US	6.0
118	Berlin, DE	6.2	118	Munich, DE	5.5
119	Philadelphia, US	5.7	119	Zurich, CH	4.4
120	Hamburg, DE	5.4	120	Philadelphia, US	4.2
121	Xi'an, CN	5.4	121	Tehran, IR	3.8
122	New York, US	4.3	122	Xi'an, CN	3.4
123	Copenhagen, DK	4.0	123	New York, US	2.8
124	Seoul,  KR	3.8	124	Seoul, KR	1.8
125	St. Louis, US	3.6	125	Stockholm, SE	1.4
126	Boston, US	2.5	126	Ankara, TR	1.1
127	Munich, DE	2.0	127	Denver, US	1.1
128	Kabul, AF	1.8	128	Boston, US	1.0
129	Tianjin, CN	1.6	129	Baghdad, IQ	0.8
130	Chicago, US	1.3	130	Kabul, AF	0.8
131	Zurich, CH	0.9	131	Warsaw, PL	0.7
132	Beijing, CN	0.3	132	St. Louis, US	0.6
133	Detroit, US	0.1	133	Chicago, US	-0.2
134	Pittsburgh, US	0.1	134	Pittsburgh, US	-0.4
135	Cleveland, US	-0.2	135	Cleveland, US	-0.7
136	Denver, US	-0.4	136	Riyadh, SA	-1.0
137	Warsaw, PL	-1.3	137	Tianjin, CN	-1.4
138	Ankara, TR	-1.4	138	Beijing, CN	-1.7
139	Stockholm, SE	-1.6	139	Detroit, US	-1.9
140	Sapporo, JP	-1.8	140	Sapporo, JP	-2.3
141	Kiev, UA	-4.6	141	Kiev, UA	-3.6
142	St. Petersburg, RU	-7.6	142	Saint Petersburg, RU	-5.6
143	Toronto, CA	-10.0	143	Toronto, CA	-8.5
144	Moscow, RU	-11.6	144	Moscow, RU	-9.1
145	Shenyang, CN	-12.2	145	Ottawa, CA	-12.9
146	Minneapolis, US	-12.6	146	Minneapolis, US	-13.1
147	Ottawa, CA	-14.9	147	Shenyang, CN	-13.2
148	Montreal, CA	-15.7	148	Montreal, CA	-14.2
149	Edmonton, CA	-19.5	149	Edmonton, CA	-17.0
150	Harbin, CN	-27.6	150	Harbin, CN	-28.6

Bandung, perhaps blessed with the world's best climate

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NOTES:

[1] The world’s 100 largest urban areas plus an additional 50 noteworthy cities. I chose which are noteworthy (e.g., Rome and my hometown of Baltimore).

[2] 78 degrees is an arbitrary value, but it seemed like a reasonable limit for warm comfort (it also saves me from having to modify my American city rankings.

[3] Thanks to a good friend and faithful reader for pointing this out to me.