Trends in rainy season

The rainy season, or monsoon season, is the time of year when most of a region's
average annual rainfall occurs. It usually lasts one or more months.[1] The term
"green season" is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist
authorities.[2] Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of
the tropics and subtropics.[3]
Under the Kppen climate classification, for tropical climates, a wet season month is
defined as a month where average precipitation is 60 millimetres (2.4 in) or
more.[4] In contrast to areas with savanna climates
and monsoon regimes,mediterranean climates have wet winters and dry
summers. Tropical rainforests technically do not have dry or wet seasons, since their
rainfall is equally distributed throughout the year.[5] Some areas with pronounced
rainy seasons will see a break in rainfall mid-season, when the intertropical
convergence zone or monsoon trough moves poleward of their location during the
middle of the warm season.[6]
When the wet season occurs during a warm season, or summer, precipitation falls
mainly during the late afternoon and early evening hours. The wet season is a time
when air quality improves, freshwater quality improves, and vegetation grows
substantially, leading to crop yields late in the season. Floods cause rivers to
overflow their banks, and some animals to retreat to higher ground. Soil nutrients
diminish and erosion increases. The incidence of malaria increases in areas where
the rainy season coincides with high temperatures. Animals have adaptation and
survival strategies for the wetter regime. Often, the previous dry season leads to
food shortages in the wet season, as the crops have yet to mature.
Effects
In tropical areas, when the monsoon arrives daytime high temperatures drop and
overnight low temperatures increase.[32] During the wet season, a combination of
heavy rainfall and in some areas, such as Hong Kong, a wind more off the ocean,
significantly improve air quality.[33] In Brazil, the wet season is correlated to
weaker trade winds off the ocean.[26] The pH level of water becomes more balanced
due to the charging of local aquifers during the wet season.[34]Water also softens, as
dissolved materials lower in concentration during the rainy season.[35] Erosion is also
increased during rainy periods.[6] Arroyos that are dry at other times of the year fill
with runoff, in some cases with water as deep as 10 feet (3.0 m).[36] Leaching of soils
during periods of heavy rainfall depletes nutrients.[36] The excessive runoff from land
masses significantly impacts nearby ocean areas, which are more stratified, or less
mixed, due to stronger surface currents forced by the heavy rainfall runoff. [37]

Floods[edit]
Widespread flooding can occur if rainfall becomes excessive,[38] which can lead to
landslides and mudflows in mountainous areas.[39] Such floods cause rivers to leave
their banks and homes to go underwater.[40] Floods can be exacerbated by fires
during the previous dry season, which cause soils which are sandy or composed
of loam to become hydrophobic, or repellent of water.[41] There are various ways
government organizations help their residents deal with wet season floods. Flood
plain mapping is conducted, which helps diagnose what areas are more prone to
flooding.[42] Instructions on how to control erosion through outreach is also done via
telephone or the internet.[43]
Life adaptations[edit]
umans[edit]
The wet season is the main period of vegetation growth within the Savanna climate
regime.[44] However, this also means that wet season is a time for food shortages
before crops reach their full maturity.[45] This causes seasonal weight changes for
people in developing countries, with a drop occurring during the wet season until the
time of the first harvest, when weights rebound.[46] Malaria incidence increases
during periods of high temperature and heavy rainfall.[47]
Animals[edit]
Cows calve, or give birth, at the beginning of the beor wet season [clarify].[48] The onset
of the rainy season signals the departure of the Monarch butterfly from
Mexico.[49] Tropical species of butterflies show larger dot markings on their wings to
fend off possible predators and are more active during the wet season than the dry
season.[50] Within the tropics and warmer areas of the subtropics, decreased salinity
of near shore wetlands due to the rains causes an increase in crocodile
nesting.[51] Other species, such as the arroyo toad, spawn within the couple of
months after the seasonal rains.[52] Armadillos and rattlesnakes seek higher
ground.[53]
Character of the rainfall[edit]
In areas where the heavy rainfall is associated with a wind shift, the wet season
becomes known as the monsoon.[7] Since rainfall during the wet season is
predominantly due to daytime heating which leads to diurnal thunderstorm activity
within a pre-existing moist airmass, rainfall is mainly focused during the late
afternoon and early evening hours within savannah and monsoon regimes. This also
leads to much of the total rainfall each day falling during the initial minutes of the
downpour,[6] before the storms mature into their stratiform stage.[8] While most
locations have only one wet season, areas of the tropics can experience two wet
seasons as the monsoon trough, or Intertropical Convergence Zone, can pass over

locations in the tropics twice per year. Since rain forests have equitable rainfall
throughout the year, they do not technically have a wet season. [5]
The situation is different for locations within the Mediterranean climate regime. In the
western United States, during the cold season from September through
May, extratropical cyclones from the Pacific ocean move inland into the region due to
a southward migration of the jet stream during the cold season. This shift in the jet
stream brings much of the annual precipitation to the region,[9] and also brings the
potential for heavy rain and strong low pressure
systems.[10] The peninsula of Italy experiences very similar weather to the western
United States in this regard.[11]
The rainy season occurs during the summer months in Mexico, June, July and
August. At the current time it is not winter.
Areas affected[edit]
Areas with a savanna climate in Subsahara, such as Ghana, Burkina
Faso,[12][13] Darfur,[14] Eritrea,[15] Ethiopia,[16] and Botswana have a distinct rainy
season.[17]Also within the savannah climate regime, Florida and East Texas have a
rainy season.[18][19] Monsoon regions include Southeast
Asia (including Indonesia andPhilippines),[20] northern sections of Australia's
North,[21] Polynesia,[22] Central America,[23] western and southern Mexico,[24] the
Desert Southwest of the United States,[9] southern Guyana,[25] portions of
northeast Brazil.[26]
Northern Guyana experiences two wet seasons: one in early spring and the other in
early winter.[25] In western Africa, there are two rainy seasons across southern
sections with only one across the north.[27] Within the Mediterranean climate regime,
the west coast of the United States and the Mediterranean coastline of Italy,
Greece,[28] and Turkey experience a wet season in the winter months.[29] Similarly,
the wet season in the Negev desert of Israel extends from October through
May.[30] At the boundary between the Mediterranean and monsoon climates lies
the Sonoran desert, which receives the two rainy seasons associated with each
climate regime.[31]
The wet season is known by many different local names throughout the world. For
example, the wet season period of the year in Mexico is known as storm season,
with other tropical locations across the globe giving the wet season period of the
year in the area they live a name in the local language of the area. Arguably, the
most notable example of this is found in the list of names given to the various short
"seasons" of the year by the Aboriginal tribes of Northern Australia: the name given
to the wet season typically experienced in Northern Australia from December to
March by the various Aboriginal tribes living in the region is Gudjewg. The precise
meaning of the word is fairly disputable, although it's widely accepted to relate to the

severe thunderstorms, flooding, and abundant vegetation growth commonly

experienced at this time.[citation needed]
Background
In general, the rainy season occurs from May to September. It starts with a period of
pre-monsoonal rain over South China in early April, and from May through August
the summer monsoon rain belt moves northward to the Yangtze river basin (June)
and finally to northern China (July). When the monsoon ends in August, the rain belt
moves back to southern China. Due to the migration of the monsoon across China,
the length of the rain season differs between southern and northern China, and
rainfall amounts vary greatly among different regions depending on topography and
distance to the ocean. In the subtropical and tropical monsoon climates of southeastern China, annual rainfall amounts range from 1000 to 2000 mm. Here rice can
grow in most regions. In the temperate monsoon climates of north-eastern China,
annual rainfall amounts are considerably smaller, ranging from 400 to 800 mm,
which is sufficient for growing corn, winter wheat and soya beans. Here, spring
droughts are frequent, and as a result irrigation is necessary for agriculture during
periods of drought. In the temperate continental climates, as well as the plateau and
mountain regions, of western China, annual rainfall amounts are as low as 50
400 mm. Here, the vegetation ranges from forests to grasslands, and to deserts,
depending on the humidity conditions (figure 1).
The amount of effective rainfall is greater when the water table is deep than when it
is shallow. Water moves upwards in the soil by capillarity, thus reducing the deficit of
moisture and hence the amount of effective rainfall.
The levels of water tables normally fluctuate. Before the onset of rain, the water table
may be quite deep; during the rainy season, it may rise to the surface. There are
horizontal flows in the sub-soil to or from adjoining regions. Because of these
variations, the contribution of groundwater to the needs of the crop is variable and
the proportion of effective rainfall varies inversely with this contribution.
If the groundwater is saline, it can be harmful to crop plants especially when it is near
the soil surface. The proportion of effective rainfall may then increase since salts are
diluted.
A tropical rainy climate governs regions experiencing persistent warm or high
temperatures, which normally do not fall below 18 C (64 F). India hosts two climatic
subtypes that fall under this group. The most humid is the tropical wet climatealso
known as a tropical monsoon climatethat covers a strip of southwestern lowlands
abutting the Malabar Coast, the Western Ghats, and southern Assam. India's two
island territories, Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, are also
subject to this climate. Characterised by moderate to high year-round temperatures,
even in the foothills, its rainfall is seasonal but heavytypically above 2,000 mm
(79 in) per year.[14] Most rainfall occurs between May and November; this moisture is

enough to sustain lush forests and other vegetation for the rest of the mainly dry
year. December to March are the driest months, when days with precipitation are
rare. The heavy monsoon rains are responsible for the exceptionally biodiverse
tropical wet forests in parts of these regions. In India a tropical wet and dry climate is
more common. Noticeably drier than areas with a tropical monsoon climate, it
prevails over most of inland peninsular India except for a semi arid rain shadow east
of the Western Ghats. Winter and early summer are long and dry periods with
temperatures averaging above 18 C (64 F). Summer is exceedingly hot;
temperatures in low-lying areas may exceed 50 C (122 F) during May, leading to
heat waves that can each kill hundreds of Indians.[15]
The rainy season lasts from June to September; annual rainfall averages between
7501,500 mm (3059 in) across the region. Once the dry northeast monsoon
begins in September, most precipitation in India falls on Tamil Nadu, leaving other
states comparatively dry. The state's normal annual rainfall is about 945 mm
(37.2 in), of which 48% is delivered by the northeast monsoon and 32% by the
southwest monsoon. Since the state is entirely dependent on rains for recharging its
water resources, monsoon failures lead to acute water scarcity and severe drought.
Tamil Nadu is classified into seven agro-climatic zones: northeast, northwest, west,
southern, high rainfall, high altitude hilly, and the Kaveri delta, the last being the most
fertile agricultural zone. The table below shows the maximum and minimum
temperatures that the state experiences in the plains and hills. The Ganges Delta
lies mostly in the tropical wet climate zone: it receives between 1,500 to 2,000 mm
(59 to 79 in) of rainfall each year in the western part, and 2,000 to 3,000 mm (79 to
118 in) in the eastern part. The coolest month of the year, on average, is January;
April and May are the warmest months. Average temperatures in January range from
14 to 25 C (57 to 77 F), and average temperatures in April range from 25 to 35 C
(77 to 95 F). July is on average the wettest month: over 330 mm (13 in) of rain falls
on the delta.[16]
During the Triassic period of some 251199.6 Ma, the Indian subcontinent was part
of a vast supercontinent known asPangaea. Despite its position within a high-latitude
belt at 5575 Sas opposed to its current position between 5 and 35 N, latitudes
now occupied by Greenland and parts of the Antarctic PeninsulaIndia likely
experienced a humid temperate climate with warm and frost-free weather, though
with well-defined seasons.[3] India later merged into the southern
supercontinent Gondwana, a process beginning some 550500 Ma. During the
Late Paleozoic, Gondwana extended from a point at or near the South Pole to near
the equator, where the Indian craton (stable continental crust) was positioned,
resulting in a mild climate favourable to hosting high-biomass ecosystems. This is
underscored by India's vast coal reservesmuch of it from the late Paleozoic
sedimentary sequencethe fourth-largest reserves in the world.[4] During

the Mesozoic, the world, including India, was considerably warmer than today. With
the coming of the Carboniferous, global cooling stoked extensive glaciation, which
spread northwards from South Africa towards India; this cool period lasted well into
the Permian.[5]
Tectonic movement by the Indian Plate caused it to pass over a geologic hotspot
the Runion hotspotnow occupied by the volcanic island of Runion. This resulted
in a massive flood basalt event that laid down the Deccan Traps some 60
68 Ma,[6][7] at the end of the Cretaceous period. This may have contributed to the
global CretaceousPaleogene extinction event, which caused India to experience
significantly reduced insolation. Elevated atmospheric levels of sulphur gases
formed aerosols such as sulphur dioxide and sulphuric acid, similar to those found in
the atmosphere of Venus; these precipitated as acid rain. Elevated carbon
dioxide emissions also contributed to the greenhouse effect, causing warmer
weather that lasted long after the atmospheric shroud of dust and aerosols had
cleared. Further climatic changes 20 million years ago, long after India had crashed
into the Laurasian landmass, were severe enough to cause the extinction of many
endemic Indian forms.[8] The formation of the Himalayas resulted in blockage of frigid
Central Asian air, preventing it from reaching India; this made its climate significantly
warmer and more tropical in character than it would otherwise have been. [9]
Winters in the Tampa Bay Area are generally dry and mild; highs during the season
average near 70 F (21 C) with mostly sunny skies. The occasional passage of
a cold front will bring rain followed by a few days of cooler temperatures. [2] Lows
rarely drop below freezing 32 F (0 C), an occurrence which happens, on average,
once every other year.[2] While deep freezes are very infrequent, serious cold snaps
are a significant concern due to the diverse range of freezesensitive agricultureand aquaculture industries in the area.
Frozen precipitation is very rare in the area. In the Great Blizzard of 1899, Tampa
suffered its one and only known blizzard, with "bay effect" snow coming off Tampa
Bay.[9]
The last officially measurable snow in Tampa fell on January 19, 1977. While the
accumulation amounted to less than 0.5 inches (13 mm), the area is quite
unaccustomed to and unprepared for frozen precipitation, so various schools,

businesses, and roads closed, at least until the snow melted away that
afternoon.[10]Many residents of southern Pinellas County reported a light snowfall on
December 23, 1989. However, no snow fell at official weather stations, and the
weather record indicates that light sleet fell on St. Petersburg that day.[11]
The winter of 2009-2010 was one of the coldest in local history. Both Tampa and St.
Petersburg set records for consecutive days in which the high temperature did not
reach 60 F (16 C), and Tampa experienced ten consecutive days with a low
temperature below freezing.[12][13] Much of the area received a "wintry mix" of rain,
sleet, and possibly a few snowflakes on January 910.[14]
Tampa's all-time record low temperature is 18 F (8 C) and St. Petersburg's is
20 F (7 C), both occurring during the same cold snap on December 13, 1962.[15]
Rainy season[edit]
Rainfall varies over a range of 500 to 1,400 mm (19.7 to 55.1 in) per year (most
areas fall into the range 700 to 1,200 mm or 27.6 to 47.2 in). The distinction between
rainy and dry seasons is marked, with no rain at all falling in June, July and August.
Much of the economic, cultural and social life of the country is dominated by the
onset and end of the rainy season, and the amount of rain it brings. Failure of the
rains causes hunger from time to time. The average temperature in Zambia in the
summer is 30C and in the winter (colder season) it can get as low as 5C. The rains
are brought by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and are characterised
by thunderstorms, occasionally severe, with much lightning and sometimes hail. The
ITCZ is located north of Zambia in the dry season. It moves southwards in the
second half of the year, and northwards in the first half of the year. In some years, it
moves south of Zambia, leading to a "little dry season" in the north of the country for
three or four weeks in December.
The highest rainfall is in the north, especially the north-west and the north-east,
decreasing towards the south; the driest areas are in the far south west and

theLuangwa River and middle Zambezi River valleys, parts of which are considered
semi-arid. None of the country is considered arid or to be desert.
Flooding is an annual event on floodplains, to which people and wildlife are adapted.
Flash floods after unusually heavy rain cause damage when they occur in places
that do not experience annual floods. Erosion and the washing out of roads and
bridges are common. Crops are frequently damaged by flooding and hail. Too much
rain when the maize crop is flowering, or late in the season when it should be drying
off prior to harvest, can be very damaging and promotes rotting of stored grain.
Vancouver is Canada's third most rainy city, with over 161 rainy days per year. As
measured at Vancouver airport in Richmond, Vancouver receives 1153.1 mm of rain per
year. By comparison, the amount of rainfall in London, England is nearly half that of
Vancouver. In North Vancouver, about 20 km away from the Vancouver airport, the
amount of rain received doubles to 2477 mm per year as measured at the base of
Grouse Mountain.[5]
Thunderstorms are rare, with an average of 6.1 thunderstorm days per year. [6] The
weather in spring and autumn is usually showery and cool.
Grass-cutting season often begins in March and continues through October. Summers
can be quite dry, and, as such,grass that has not been watered, may not need to be cut
for a month or even longer. Some summers may have no rain for five weeks or more,
while others might have several very wet days in a row. In addition, Vancouver is one of
the driest cities in Canada during the summer season, but the rest of the year the high
pressure that locks in during the summer moves out and is replaced by the usual low
pressure systems (rainy weather) by fall through to mid spring.