Why does the ITCZ cause rain?

Near the equator, from about 5° north and 5° south, the northeast trade winds and southeast trade winds converge in a low pressure zone known as the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Solar heating in the region forces air to rise through convection which results in a plethora of precipitation.

Why are thunderstorms so common in the intertropical convergence zone?

The intense sun and warm water of the equator heats the air in the ITCZ, raising its humidity and making it buoyant. Aided by the convergence of the trade winds, the buoyant air rises. As the air rises it expands and cools, releasing the accumulated moisture in an almost perpetual series of thunderstorms.

Is the intertropical convergence zone wet or dry?

The ITCZ is formed by vertical motion largely appearing as convective activity of thunderstorms driven by solar heating, which effectively draw air in; these are the trade winds. The ITCZ is effectively a tracer of the ascending branch of the Hadley cell and is wet.

How does an intertropical convergence zone affect the weather?

Seasonal shifts in the location of the ITCZ drastically affects rainfall in many equatorial nations, resulting in the wet and dry seasons of the tropics rather than the cold and warm seasons of higher latitudes. Longer term changes in the ITCZ can result in severe droughts or flooding in nearby areas.

Why is ITCZ called doldrums?

The rising air mass finally subsides in what is known as the horse latitudes, where the air moves downward toward Earth’s surface. Because the air circulates in an upward direction, there is often little surface wind in the ITCZ. And that’s why they call it the doldrums.

Why does wet season occur in the Philippines?

Rainfall. Monsoons are large-scale sea breezes which occur when the temperature on land is significantly warmer or cooler than the temperature of the ocean. The summer monsoon brings heavy rains to most of the archipelago from May to October.

Why is there no wind at the equator?

There’s science behind it. The effects of the Doldrums are caused by solar radiation from the sun, as sunlight beams down directly on area around the equator. This heating causes the air to warm and rise straight up rather than blow horizontally. The result is little or no wind, sometimes for weeks on end.

How long can the doldrums last?

This is designated as the ‘ITCZ/Doldrums Corridor’. Within this corridor a Skipper and crew can elect to motor-sail for exactly 6° of latitude and for a maximum of 60 hours.

Why is the rainfall more only in the eastern coast of Australia?

The coast is influenced by the warm waters of the Tasman Sea, which moderate the temperature and provide moisture for abundant rain. The Great Dividing Range enhances rainfall near the coast, but contributes to a progressive decline in rainfall from east to west across the state.

Why do Amihan and Habagat bring a lot of rain to the Philippines?

Amihan is the Northeast Monsoon High peak season in the Philippines is during the amihan season since it brings the best weather conditions. The air is cool, there is less rain, and humidity is low, plus the sunshine is less threatening.

Why do weather patterns in the Philippines vary from time to time?

The Philippines weather patterns are created by the prevailing winds of the southwest monsoon (known as the habagat) from May to October and the northeast monsoon (known as the amihan) from November to early May. The Philippines are also affected by typhoons, also known as bagyo, which occur between June and November.