Table 1: Description of studied climatic regions in Iran.

Category Number Category Name Description Selected Stationsb
1 Arid Aridity index <10 Ahwaz, Bam, Bandarabbas, Birjand, Bushehr, Chabahar, Darab, Fasa, Karaj, Kashan, Mashhad, Qom, Sabzevar, Semnan, Shahroud, Tehran, Torbat Heydariyeh, Zabol, Yazd, Zahedan
2 Semi-arid 10< Aridity index <20 Ahar, Arak, Ardebil, Gorgan, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Mahabad, Makoo, Maragheh, Qazvin, Shahrekord, Shiraz, Urmia, Zanjan, Sanandaj
3 Mediterranean 20< Aridity index <24 Saghez
4 Semi -humida 24< Aridity index <28 c
5 Humid 28< Aridity index <35 Babolsar, Yasooj
6 Very humid Aridity index ≥35 Anzali, Rasht

a The semi- humid climate was excluded from the study duo to lake of available long term metrological data in selected weather stations
bCity name or weather station
c Stations without appropriate and useable long- term metrological data