microclimate

American  

[mahy-kruh-klahy-mit] / ˈmaɪ krəˌklaɪ mɪt /

noun

1. the climate of a small area, as of confined spaces such as caves or houses cryptoclimate, of plant communities, wooded areas, etc. phytoclimate, or of urban communities, which may be different from that in the general region.

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microclimate British  

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌklaɪmɪt, ˌmaɪkrəʊklaɪˈmætɪk /

noun

1. the atmospheric conditions affecting an individual or a small group of organisms, esp when they differ from the climate of the rest of the community

2. the entire environment of an individual or small group of organisms

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microclimate Scientific  

/ mī′krō-klī′mĭt /

1. The climate of a small, specific place within a larger area. An area as small as a yard or park can have several different microclimates depending on how much sunlight, shade, or exposure to the wind there is at a particular spot.

2. Compare macroclimate

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microclimate Cultural  

1. The long-term weather conditions in a small area on the Earth. Usually, this term refers to such things as the differences in weather between the tops of hills and neighboring valleys, or between different parts of the same piece of land.

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Other Word Forms

• microclimatic
  adjective
• microclimatically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of microclimate

First recorded in 1920–25; micro- + climate

Explanation

A microclimate is the prevailing pattern of weather or atmospheric conditions in a specific, small area. It could be as large as a valley or as small as the space between two rocks. A microclimate is like a mini-climate zone created when local landscape features alter how heat, wind, and moisture interact in a particular place. The base of a mountain might be hot and dry, while a nearby shaded canyon remains cool and damp. Cities create their own microclimates: You might have noticed that a green park often has a different temperature than nearby streets. That's because asphalt and concrete trap more heat than grass, and trees provide cooling shade.

Example Sentences

"The more the climate warms, the more it will trigger the glaciers to cool their own microclimate and local environments down-valley," says Shaw.

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2025

Fei Ge - or Brother Fei as he is known - was taught that these sinkholes have their own microclimate.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2024

That helped restore local fisheries and affected the microclimate, causing an increase in clouds and rainstorms, according to the World Bank.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 7, 2024

It takes special conditions, including the right microclimate.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 29, 2023

Annabeth couldn’t tell if it was actually darker, but the air did seem colder and thicker, as if they’d stepped into a different microclimate.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan