Monsoon climate: features and geography

The climate on the planet Earth is very diverse. Somewhere almost every day it rains, and in another place does not hide from the heat. And yet weather conditions are subject to their own laws. And just looking at the map of the world, an expert with a high degree of confidence will be able to say which climate in one or another point of the globe. Do you know that, for example, in the Russian Far East and in India, the same type of climate? Surprising, but true.

Monsoon climate on the planet Earth

So, what are the main features of this type? Well, firstly, the monsoon climate is typical for those regions of our planet where in winter and summer there is a change in the direction of the winds. And on a more global scale - the movement of air masses. The monsoon is a wind that generally blows from the mainland in winter and from the sea in summer. But often it is the other way around.

Such winds can bring both heavy rainfall and suffocating heat. Therefore, the main characteristic of the monsoon climate is the abundance of moisture in the summer and its practical absence in the cold period. This distinguishes it from other types, where precipitation during the year is distributed more or less evenly. There are, of course, places on Earth where it is not so obvious. In some areas of Japan, for example, the climate is also monsoon. But due to the geographical position and features of the relief, rains there go almost all year round.

In general, the monsoon climate is prevalent only at certain latitudes. As a rule, these are the subtropics, the tropics and the subequatorial belt. For temperate latitudes, as for equatorial zones, it is not typical.

Varieties

Basically, because of the terrain and latitude, the monsoon climate is usually divided into several types. And, of course, each of them has its own characteristics. Moderately monsoon climate occurs in the Far East of Russia, in China, North Korea and partly in Japan. In winter there is little precipitation in this area, but it is quite cold due to air masses from Eastern Siberia. In summer there is more moisture. But in Japan - on the contrary. The average temperature of the coldest month in the region is minus twenty, and the warmest one is +22.

Subequatorial

It is distributed mainly in the Indian and in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the climate of the tropical monsoon (as it is also called) is found at the corresponding latitudes of Africa and in the southern regions of Asia and America. It is as warm here as in the tropics.

The subequatorial climate of the tropical monsoon is subdivided into several subtypes. All of them belong to the corresponding zones of the Earth. So, this is continental, oceanic, and also the monsoon of the western and eastern shores. The first subtype is distinguished by a sharp difference in precipitation over the seasons. In winter, they are almost nonexistent, and in summer almost a yearly rate falls. For example, the African states of Chad and Sudan.

For the oceanic subtype of tropical monsoons, the amplitude of both annual and diurnal temperatures is characterized by a slight amplitude. Typically, it is from 24 to 28 degrees Celsius. The dry period in these places does not last very long.

Monsoons of the western coasts are Indian and West African. In the dry period, there is also almost no rainfall, but in the rainy season there is simply an anomalous amount. This is the case, for example, in some parts of India. And the largest amount of precipitation in the world comes to Cherapunji - twenty-one thousand millimeters!

In this climate, the course of annual temperatures is also unusual: their maximum falls on the spring.

The monsoon of the eastern coasts also has a long rainy period. However, the maximum moisture is at the end of summer or September, as in Vietnam, where in the dry season only seven percent of precipitation falls.

Monsoon climate of the Far East

Basically, such conditions exist in the Khabarovsk and Primorye Territories, as well as in Sakhalin. Winter in these places is dry: it accounts for 15 to 25 percent of the annual rainfall. Spring also does not bring much rain.

In summer the monsoon from the Pacific Ocean prevails. But it affects only the climate of coastal areas.

In the lower reaches of the Amur, winter, on the contrary, is snowy, the average temperature is minus 22. In summer it is also not very hot: within the limits of plus 14.

On Sakhalin, winter is severe, but in the south-west of the island it is much warmer because of the Sea of Japan. Summer is cool.

In Kamchatka, January temperatures range from -18 to -10 degrees Celsius. The same can be said about July: from +12 to +14, respectively.

Monsoon has a significant impact on the climate of many regions of the planet. It can not be said unambiguously whether it is positive or negative. However, to the surprises of the weather inherent in this type of climate, people need to be prepared always. Perhaps in the future we will have to face more often with such manifestations of it as, for example, the flood of the Amur.