Monsoons BY FRANCISCO SOLÁ, FELIX CUEVAS, GASPAR NEUMAN, JOAQUIN ROCINO Y JUSTO SOLSONA

WHAT ARE THEY?  Monsoons, or rainy seasons, are a shift in wind direction which causes excessive rainfall in many parts of the world including Asia, North America, South America, and Africa. The primary mechanism behind a monsoon is a shift in global wind patterns.

HOW ARE THEY FORMED?  Monsoon winds are caused when the Sun heats the atmosphere. It is a shift in wind that occurs due to a change in local weather. Simply speaking, when, there are differences in temperatures between the oceans and the continents, monsoon winds occur.

WHERE IN THE WORLD?  Monsoons are mainly found around the coastal regions of Sri Lanka, south-western India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, French Guiana, Brazil and Southwestern Africa. The climatic conditions in these areas are mainly influenced by classical circulation of Monsoon winds. Monsoons are usually characterised by a lot of rainfall.

WHEN DO THEY OCCUR?  Moonsons occur in Asia. In the summertime, the monsoons occur in Southeast Asia. In the winter months, the monsoons occur in Indonesia and surrounding countries.

CONSEQUENCES . In India after the monsoon season It follows the hottest period of summer weather, which creates a low-pressure zone over the Indian subcontinent. . The low pressure brings winds from the southwest, carrying moisture from the Indian Ocean. . The monsoon often arrives with torrential downpours, then moderates into periods of rain interspersed with heat and sun. . The monsoon also brings the majority of annual rain to the subcontinent, thereby determining water supply in many regions.

ARTICLES  rainfall-northeast-monsoon-few-places rainfall-northeast-monsoon-few-places Ten days after the onset of the northeast monsoon, Tamil Nadu is yet to get enough rainfall. From October 1 till date, the entire state has faced a rainfall deficit of 31%, while it is 29% in Chennai. The monsoon that set in on October 21 was expected to bring heavy rainfall for a week after its onset, but failed. 25/visakhapatnam/ _1_excess-rainfall-northeast-monsoon-vizag-airport The northeast monsoon has created a record of sorts this year by showering Vizag city (Waltair) with mm of rainfall in 24 days, which is more than its entire 92-day quota of northeast monsoon rainfall (269.7 mm). Not only is this rainfall the highest the city has been blessed with during the northeast monsoons in the past three years, a chunk of this rainfall at mm was received in just the past three to four days from 8.30 am on October 21 to 8.30 am on October agency-sewer-line-water-pollutionGearing up for the monsoon deluge, Chennai Metrowater is undertaking a series of measures, including desilting of 65km of sewer lines. The water agency has already completed desilting of 68km of sewer line and will carry out similar work for an additional 65km from October 25 to 30.

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