A monsoon is a seasonal change in the direction of the prevailing, or strongest, winds of a region. The main effects of a monsoon are seasonal variations in precipitation, which in turn affect water supplies, amount of vegetation, and overall livability for some normally dry landscapes. [35] However, the roads take a battering every year. This moist air rises to a higher altitude over land and then it flows back toward the ocean (thus completing the cycle). Thus these five intervals could probably be those of considerable lowering of SST in the Indian Ocean and would have influenced Indian monsoon intensity. [26] The dry, northeasterly trade winds, and their more extreme form, the harmattan, are interrupted by the northern shift in the ITCZ and resultant southerly, rain-bearing winds during the summer. Meanwhile, the ocean remains at a lower temperature than the land, and the air above it retains a higher pressure. The term ‘monsoon’ is almost synonymous with tropical meteorology in part because countries which lay within the tropics/subtropics can be highly impacted by rainfall during a monsoon season. What are monsoons? Monsoon rains occur over tropical and subtropical regions, most commonly in areas near the Indian Ocean. These temperature imbalances happen because oceans and land absorb heat in different ways. The rainy season occurs from September to February and it is a major source of energy for the Hadley circulation during boreal winter. Monsoons greatly influence the lives of people living in regions with seasonal shifts in wind. These rains and the air masses that bring them are known as monsoons. The southwestern summer monsoons occur from July through September. ", The Global Monsoon System: Research and Forecast, National Weather Service: The North American Monsoon, Pacific–North American teleconnection pattern, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Monsoon&oldid=1017370974, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from April 2021, Pages using multiple image with manual scaled images, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, North American/Gulf of California-Southwest USA. A monsoon is a seasonal reversal in both the prevailing winds and associated precipitation over a region, caused by a difference in heating between a large land mass and the adjacent ocean. Monsoons refer to a changing wind pattern that happens in several areas of the world. Arizona’s Monsoon Status Arizona’s monsoon is the northern extent of the North American Monsoon, which begins in early June in central and southern Mexico.The monsoon is a season, during which the dry westerly winds that persist through fall, winter and spring shift to moist southerly winds, bringing thunderstorm activity into Arizona. The North American monsoon is known to many as the Summer, Southwest, Mexican or Arizona monsoon. Cloud Formation Processes. Monsoon, a major wind system that seasonally reverses its direction—such as one that blows for approximately six months from the northeast and six months from the southwest. Visser, S.W. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'monsoon.' The winds pick up again in June, which is why this phenomenon is also referred to as "the return of the westerlies". There is no such beast. It pushes as far west as the Peninsular Ranges and Transverse Ranges of Southern California, but rarely reaches the coastal strip (a wall of desert thunderstorms only a half-hour's drive away is a common summer sight from the sunny skies along the coast during the monsoon). See more. The rain occurs in a concentrated belt that stretches east–west except in East China where it is tilted east-northeast over Korea and Japan. This causes a low pressure area over the northern and central Indian subcontinent. Monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months. During the weak LC, there is the possibility of reduced intensity of the Indian winter monsoon and strong summer monsoon, because of change in the Indian Ocean dipole due to reduction in net heat input to the Indian Ocean through the Indonesian Throughflow. [4][5], The major monsoon systems of the world consist of the West African and Asia-Australian monsoons. [24] However the lifting occurs, the air cools due to expansion in lower pressure, and this produces condensation. Monsoon definition, the seasonal wind of the Indian Ocean and southern Asia, blowing from the southwest in summer and from the northeast in winter. It is believed that the resulting increase in sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean increased the intensity of monsoons. Global Monsoons. This is known as the Northeast Monsoon or Retreating Monsoon. This is why summer monsoons cause so much rain over land. Monsoons have a rainy and dry season Monsoons are usually call for a celebration at first because its a relief for after the long 6 month drought season Indian farmers rely on the Monsoons to grow their crops, so they have to plant their crops at the right time so its just in time for Monsoon … 2 : the season of the southwest monsoon in India and adjacent areas that is characterized by very heavy … A summer monsoon blows from the southwest between May and September and brings rain. The term was first used in English in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and neighboring countries to refer to the big seasonal winds blowing from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea in … Therefore, bodies of water stay at a more even temperature, while land temperature are more variable. It almost always refers to the Asian monsoon, a large region extending from India to Southeast Asia where monsoon conditions prevail. One of these monsoons was used in ancient times to accelerate shipping. Monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months. However, a monsoon is actually the wind pattern that causes such rains. The monsoon is widely welcomed and appreciated by city-dwellers as well, for it provides relief from the climax of summer heat in June. The word “monsoon” itself seems to originate from an Arabic word which means “season”. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. "[10], Strengthening of the Asian monsoon has been linked to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau after the collision of the Indian sub-continent and Asia around 50 million years ago. They are a recurring phenomenon caused by the Earth’s tilt in relation to the Sun. Derived from the Arabic mausam (season), the word monsoon refers to a major wind pattern which seasonally reverses its direction. Fortunately, however, our drier winter may promise a wetter, This autumn has failed to significantly cool down following the state's hottest summer and one of the driest, To reach indigenous clans in northern Australia, vaccinators must navigate, The first 20—larger and with more armament—were scheduled to roll off the line in October, and the, Atmospheric and oceanic conditions such as a potential La Niña in the Pacific, weak wind shear and warm sea-surface temperatures in the Atlantic, and a strong West African, Post the Definition of monsoon to Facebook, Share the Definition of monsoon on Twitter, An Analysis of 'Delve' vs. 'Dig' vs. 'Dive'. The main driver of monsoons is the change in the distribution of surface heating between winter and summer, primarily associated with the seasonal variations in the position of the sun. The term is sometimes incorrectly used for locally heavy but short-term rains. So that people who sail from the Asian continent to the Australian continent can take advantage of the western monsoon. The monsoon season, similar to the Midwest's tornado season or the Atlantic's hurricane season, can cause major damage and catch people off guard if they are not prepared. This decreases the air's ability to hold water, and this causes precipitation over the land. A daily challenge for crossword fanatics. Examples are the formation of a rare low-latitude tropical storm in 2001, Tropical Storm Vamei, and the devastating flood of Jakarta in 2007. Created for EESB03H3 Winter 2009. Coming from the Arabic word "mauism" meaning season and referring to a recurring rainy period in the year, monsoons occur when the air pressure over land is low and dry relative to the air pressure over the neighboring ocean. Winter monsoons, by contrast, have a dominant easterly component and a strong tendency to diverge, subside and cause drought.[20]. This article is about the seasonal winds. Accessed 28 Apr. Monsoons typically occur in India and Southeast Asia. Mawsynram, situated on the southern slopes of the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, India, is one of the wettest places on Earth. Learn a new word every day. See more. The onset of the monsoon over the Maritime Continent tends to follow the heating maxima down Vietnam and the Malay Peninsula (September), to Sumatra, Borneo and the Philippines (October), to Java, Sulawesi (November), Irian Jaya and Northern Australia (December, January). There is often a misconception of what monsoon rainfall is with thoughts of very intense and abrupt rainfall often associated. About 50% to 60% of the rain received by the state of Tamil Nadu is from the Northeast Monsoon. Then the land cools faster than the oceans and the air over the land has higher pressure than air over the ocean. What are monsoons? Global maps of Local Land–Atmosphere coupling. It can cause heavy rainfall during the summer and dry spells in the winter. However, it is debatable whether the North and South American weather patterns with incomplete wind reversal should be counted as true monsoons.[6]. The subtropical flow directs northeasterly winds to blow across southern Asia, creating dry air streams which produce clear skies over India. [7][8], The etymology of the word monsoon is not wholly certain. CHAPTER 8: Introduction to the Hydrosphere (e). [33][34] Indian agriculture (which accounts for 25% of the GDP and employs 70% of the population) is heavily dependent on the rains, for growing crops especially like cotton, rice, oilseeds and coarse grains. Monsoons cause wet and dry seasons throughout much of the tropics. A monsoon (/mɒnˈsuːn/) is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation,[1] but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea. The Indian Monsoon turns large parts of India from a kind of semi-desert into green lands. Monsoon rains occur over tropical and subtropical regions, most commonly in areas near the Indian Ocean. [11] Because of studies of records from the Arabian Sea and that of the wind-blown dust in the Loess Plateau of China, many geologists believe the monsoon first became strong around 8 million years ago. ), Most summer monsoons have a dominant westerly component and a strong tendency to ascend and produce copious amounts of rain (because of the condensation of water vapor in the rising air). A monsoon is a seasonal shift in wind direction. Bart van den Hurk and Eleanor Blyth (2008). In other places, quasi semi-deserts are turned into vivid green grasslands where all sorts of plants and crops can flourish. The inclusion of the North and South American monsoons with incomplete wind reversal has been debated. What is a monsoon? Lecture 17: 1. "Why India's Twin Monsoons Are Critical To Its Well-Being | The Weather Channel", "The Question: What is the European monsoon? Monsoons are a very significant part of India’s seasonal climate. The impact of monsoon on the local weather is different from place to place. From May through August, the summer monsoon shifts through a series of dry and rainy phases as the rain belt moves northward, beginning over Indochina and the South China Sea (May), to the Yangtze River Basin and Japan (June) and finally to North China and Korea (July). As the clouds rise, their temperature drops, and precipitation occurs. The Bay of Bengal Branch of Southwest Monsoon flows over the Bay of Bengal heading towards North-East India and Bengal, picking up more moisture from the Bay of Bengal. This page was last edited on 12 April 2021, at 11:47. When this happened, cold waters in the Pacific were impeded from flowing into the Indian Ocean. They cause drought in the winter and bring moisture in the summer. Shop our women's, children's and wedding collections - all at Monsoon ROI. Some remarks on the European monsoon. (The cool air then flows towards the land to complete the cycle. Every summer, southern Asia and especially India, is drenched by rain that comes from moist air masses that move in from the Indian Ocean to the south. Monsoon thunderstorms are … [38] The jet stream in this region splits into the southern subtropical jet and the polar jet. A monsoon is actually a seasonal shift in wind direction and pressure distribution that causes a change in precipitation. Often houses and streets are waterlogged and slums are flooded despite drainage systems. Monsoons always blow from cold to warm regions. A brief explanation of what are monsoons. why do monsoons occur changing air pressure are the main reason. [6], The term was first used in English in British India and neighbouring countries to refer to the big seasonal winds blowing from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea in the southwest bringing heavy rainfall to the area. Chang, C.P., Wang, Z., Hendon, H., 2006, The Asian Winter Monsoon. There is often a misconception of what monsoon rainfall is with thoughts … The monsoon of western Sub-Saharan Africa is the result of the seasonal shifts of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the great seasonal temperature and humidity differences between the Sahara and the equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Recently, areas in India that used to receive scanty rainfall throughout the year, like the Thar Desert, have surprisingly ended up receiving floods due to the prolonged monsoon season. The monsoon accounts for nearly 80% of the rainfall in India. The seasonal rains make it possible for agriculture, forests and inhabitants of the region to store water for the next dry cycle of the climate. Monsoons cause wet and dry seasons throughout much of the tropics.Monsoons are most often associated with the Indian Ocean. They bring wet summers and dry winters to the regions where they blow. Welcome to the Monsoon ROI website. Monsoon wind is an air mass movement that occurs because of the difference in air pressure that strikes between land and ocean. A monsoon is a seasonal shift in the prevailing wind direction, that usually brings with it a different kind of weather. For other uses, see, Seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea, Africa (West African and Southeast African). Send us feedback. Monsoons form when there is a difference in the temperature of the ocean and the adjacent land mass. There is no such beast. "The Global Monsoon as Seen through the Divergent Atmospheric Circulation", 10.1175/1520-0442(2000)013<3969:TGMAST>2.0.CO;2, "On Air–Sea Interaction at the Mouth of the Gulf of California", "Welcome to Monsoon Season – Why You Probably Are Using This Term Wrong". Moreover, there are two key types of monsoon in India. [13] The monsoon has varied significantly in strength since this time, largely linked to global climate change, especially the cycle of the Pleistocene ice ages. By the way, the term "monsoons" as in "when the monsoons arrive ..." is a meteorological no-no. International Committee of the Third Workshop on Monsoons. [39] These westerly winds are a common phenomenon during the European winter, but they ease as spring approaches in late March and through April and May. The monsoon season also brings lower temperatures to the Southwest. What Are Monsoons? This branch of the monsoon moves northwards along the Western Ghats (Konkan and Goa) with precipitation on coastal areas, west of the Western Ghats. Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). The most prominent monsoons occur in South Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific coast of Central America. It turns out that this monsoon has many benefits. Arizona’s Monsoon Status Arizona’s monsoon is the northern extent of the North American Monsoon, which begins in early June in central and southern Mexico.The monsoon is a season, during which the dry westerly winds that persist through fall, winter and spring shift to moist southerly winds, bringing thunderstorm activity into Arizona. A Change in the Wind All winds blow as a result of pressure imbalances between two locations. See the full definition for monsoon in the English Language Learners Dictionary, Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for monsoon, Nglish: Translation of monsoon for Spanish Speakers, Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monsoon. The European Monsoon (more commonly known as the return of the westerlies) is the result of a resurgence of westerly winds from the Atlantic, where they become loaded with wind and rain. A monsoon is a seasonal change in the direction of the prevailing, or strongest, winds of a region. Monsoons are measured by calculating the average rainfall or wind speed. Monsoons are most often associated with the Indian Ocean. 1 : a periodic wind especially in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia. 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