Preparing Iran's Bioclimatic Map by Using the Predicted Mean Vote Index

Awareness of bioclimatic conditions of a place, is an appropriate guide for a lot of human activities. This study aims to determine the bioclimatic conditions in Iran, using the Predicted Mean Vote index. In order to analyze Iran’s bioclimatic conditions, daily data on variables such as air temperature, relative humidity, water vapor pressure, wind speed and cloudiness in 193 synoptic stations were used. Firs, the bioclimatic condition of each station was analyzed separately. Then a database of bioclimatic conditions of all studied stations (with dimensions of 193 * 366) was created. Using this database, the bioclimatic conditions of Iran were interpolated by Kriging method on a daily basis. The results showed that Iran’s bioclimatic conditions in spatial and temporal scales are highly variable. Such that regions of Iran can experience very cold to hot bioclimatic conditions during the year. Such diversity can be seen in Iran, at a specific time. On average, warm climate (fairly warm, warm, very warm and hot), climatic comfort conditions, and cold climate (a little cool, cool, cold and very cold) account for 51, 13 and 36% of Iran’s regions respectively. However, in each month, one of these bioclimatic conditions have normally been dominant in Iran. For example, in November and April, many parts of Iran have experienced bioclimatic comfort. Among the various bioclimatic conditions, cool, comfortable and fairly warm climate have simultaneously affected a region or different regions in Iran during the year