Monsoons Part 2 (From Worcester News)

Monsoons Part 2

11:14am Monday 26th January 2009 in

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In Asia during summer the land warms faster than the sea. Air pressure falls over central Asia and rises over the Indian Ocean.

Moist air blows in, rising as it reaches the high ground bringing torrential rains and storms to India. This is the summer monsoon. In winter the land cools quickly and the sinking air forms a huge area of high pressure over the continent. Air pressure is now higher over the land than over the sea, and northerly winds bring dry air to India.

Northerly winds blowing from the high pressure area in central Asia bring dry air to the Indian subcontinent in winter. In January the average rainfall in Cherranpunji is 18 mm. In July the continental high pressure disappears, pressure rises over the sea, at the height of the monsoon moist winds from the sea increase rainfall to 2,446 mm or 96 inches.

Next Week: Tropical Climates

Glossary: Cyclone: A body of air in which the pressure is lower than that of the surrounding air, another name for a depression or low. Cyclonic winds blow anticlockwise around cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere, and they blow clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. The name cyclone is also given to hurricanes in the Indian Ocean.

Weather for coming week Monday 26th January-Friday 30th January

Monday dry with sunshine 8c.
Tuesday dry with bright intervals, some rain and wind overnight 8c.
Wednesday early rain then fair 8c.
Thursday and Friday windy and unsettled 6-9c.

Last Week's Observations (Monday-Sunday)

Highest day temperature.......9.9c on Wednesday 21st January.

Lowest night temperature......Minus 1.6c on Tuesday 20th January.

Wettest day...........................6.4 mm.