What is a Monsoon?

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What's a monsoon?

When you typically hear monsoon used in TV and movies, you think a whole lot of rain!

It turns out, that's only half the answer.

The meteorological definition of a monsoon is the seasonal reversal of the overall wind pattern in an area.

This usually results in a rainy season and a dry season.

Monsoons happen all around the world, usually in coastal regions where temperature differences in land and water are enough to cause a shift in the winds.

In the Southwest United States, the monsoon season begins in July.

Intense heat builds in Arizona and New Mexico and since heat rises, a thermal low pressure system forms at the surface.

This low pressure draws air and moisture from the Gulf of California and the Pacific.

Then, in multiple waves, thunderstorms form across the desert Southwest and the four corners region, which can lead to flash flooding in an area that rarely sees rain the rest of the year.

By September or October, that thermal low begins to break down and winds revert to their usual flow, cutting off any significant chance for rain.

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Комментарии

No monsoon is a character from metal gear rising

pneumonianakey

One simple answer

The DNA of the soul

SmuggoTheLegit

This guy doesn't have a clue. I'm a retired meteorologist and have studied global weather patterns for over 30 years including monsoons. The original definition of a monsoon is : A specific seasonal wind pattern exclusive to tropic latitudes. Over time this has been shortened to just "A seasonal wind" or "wind shift". This is WRONG and has resulted in several incorrect and erroneous theories concerning monsoons. The only true monsoons - or more specifically - Monsoon Troughs - occur in the tropics. In the SW U.S. a thermal low develops over the SW deserts beginning in late May / early June. At the same time a strong area of high pressure forms over the southern plains states, normally centered over the OK /TX panhandle region. This induces a NW flow of moisture from Mexico over the SW U.S. made possible by the seasonal dissipation of the Subtropical jet stream that prohibits this flow for most of the year. Around late Sep. / early Oct. the subtropical jet re-forms cutting off this moisture source. At the same time the Temperate Latitude Jet stream drops further south disrupting the thermal low / midwest high scenario. This phenomena differs greatly from the Tropical Monsoon Trough -- these two have nothing in common. Of course ignorance prevails as usual and the masses of gullible & ignorant souls have been effectively sold the 'monsoon lie'.

peyotepete