Blog 3; Thailand’s Climate
Thailand is primarily a tropical,
humid climate for most of the year, but it is known for its three said seasons
in Thailand; the first starts with a cool season from November to February, a
hot season from April to May, and a rainy season from June to October. The
cooler season has the northwest monsoons (their winds) blowing cool, dry air
through the country cooling it down quite a bit and dropping below freezing in
some higher altitudes. During the hot season the temperatures soar and humidity
levels can reach 75 %. Lastly, during the rainy season, Thailand accumulates
most of its annual rainfall and the average humidity level stays right around
90%. The peak rainfall month in September can bring close to 14 inches in rain
in Bangkok. Other regions in Thailand can expect to receive much higher amounts
of rain.
The monsoons are basically regional
wind systems that change directions with the seasons. Precipitation usually
comes with the summer monsoons and winds blowing further inland from the ocean
are very humid. A slight cooling of them can cause condensation and rain. This
can become even more intensified with some orographic lifting, or when the air
is forced to rise from a land mass.
Thailand has also been known to
receive some tropical storms. The tsunami of 2004 is most notable to Thailand’s
history having killed hundreds of thousand, although the occurrences of these
are not too common. This one in particular was caused by a 9.0 magnitude
earthquake on the floor of the Indian Ocean, causing enormous momentum to carry
through ocean waves and devastate coastal areas all around Southeast Asia, and
especially Thailand.
Sources:
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7o.html
^^Thailand's Northeast Monsoon pattern on the left, and Southwest patter on right.
A wave from the 2004 tsunami crashing through trees.
