Tropical climates (From Worcester News)

Tropical climates

12:03pm Monday 2nd February 2009 in

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The Tropics is the area that lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. These latitudes mark the boundaries of the area in which the Sun is directly overhead on at least one day each year. The difference in temperature between day and night near the Equator is greater than between one time of the year and another, so there is no winter in the usual sense of the word, although some areas have wet and dry seasons.

In the muggy lowlands near the Equator, cloud cover reflects up to 50 percent of the incoming sunlight back into the atmosphere. This is where tropical rainforests grow, the plant life is very lush, quickly growing and mainly evergreen, with flower and fruit produced all year. In the drier season and in higher up areas such as the mountains, the growth is less luxuriant.

Next Week: The Weather in February.

Glossary: Equinox: The two days in the year when the day and night are the same length. They correspond to times when the Earth is tilted on its axis so that the Sun is directly overhead at the Equator.

Weather for coming week Monday 2nd February-Friday 6th February.

A cold week lies ahead, with blizzards on Monday closing some schools as heavy snow with drifting sets in, especially late afternoon and into eventide, early night with strong biting east winds and accumulations 5-15 cm at lower levels and 15-30 cm in higher spots.

Rest of week cold with overnight frost, some drier brighter intervals, but the threat of sleet and snow never far away, falling at any time in any places especially Thursday.

Maximum temperature 2-4c 36-39f.
Minimum temperature 0c to Minus 2c 32-28f.

Last Week's Observations (Monday-Sunday)

Highest day temperature........9.6c on Monday 26th January.

Lowest night temperature.......Minus 2.4c on Sunday 1st February.

Wettest day..............................8.8 mm on Tuesday 27th January.