Chapter 3 - Sunshine and Rain

 98% of Qui's water is contained in the vast oceans that cover greater than 86% of Qui's surface. 1.5% of Qui's water is trapped in solid form, making up the polar ice caps. The remaining water is fresh, and is divided between ground water, lakes and rivers, water vapor, and soil moisture. Though only a small percentage of Qui's water is fresh, Qui's oceans are significantly less salty than those of Earth.

Though Qui and the Earth are very similar in terms of atmospheric makeup, Qui's increased gravity makes for greater air pressure at sea level. The average air pressure on Qui is approximately 22.05 lbs per square inch, roughly 1.5 times the air pressure on Earth.

Climate Zones

Qui is a very temperate planet. Temperatures on Qui range from 120 degrees Fahrenheit at the high end, down to -26 degrees Fahrenheit at the poles. The average air temperature on Qui is 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Qui's oceans are also quite warm, averaging 73 degrees fahrenheit.

Being a very warm planet, Qui is also very humid, averaging 87% humidity across the majority of the land masses. As life emerged and matured on Qui, the various animals and plants of the oceans and land developed remarkable adaptations to deal with (and turn to their reproductive advantage) Qui's remarkable winds and humidity.

Qui's landmasses fall into four distinct climate zones. The Tropical zones occupy lower elevations and receive the most moisture. The Evergreen zones are higher in elevation and receive on average somewhat less moisture than the Tropical zones. The Desert zones are not nearly as dry as deserts on Earth, though they receive less moisture than either the Tropical or Evergreen zones. Deserts occur in the rain shadow of mountains, as they do on Earth. Transitional zones are areas between the lush Tropical zones and Desert zones. They are generally lower in elevation than the Evergreen zones, and alternate between high and low precipitation as the seasons change. They are populated by unique life forms able to take advantage of these seasonal rainfall patterns.

Western Hemisphere Air Currents   Eastern Hemisphere Air Currents
Western Hemisphere   Eastern Hemisphere

Major Air Currents

Qui's mountains do little to stand in the way of Qui's constant winds, as even the tallest mountains do not exceed 2500 feet. In the Western hemisphere, the almost continuous winds sweep down from the North and across the two major land masses. They then curl upward in the oceans of the South Eastern part of the planet, then continue down and across the Eastern continent.

Western Hemisphere Air Currents   Eastern Hemisphere Air Currents
Western Hemisphere   Eastern Hemisphere

Major Ocean Currents

The major current of the Quisian oceans follow the path of the wind. These strong currents and continuous winds help to normalize the temperature of the vast oceans, as the colder waters brought down from the North mix with the warmer seas near the equator.

Western Hemisphere Ocean Currents   Eastern Hemisphere Ocean Currents
Western Hemisphere   Eastern Hemisphere