https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r By Alex Luke, 100223369 en-us 2017-04-08 16:29:46 UTC 2017-04-08 19:22:55 UTC hello@padlet.com albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165519206 Especially noteworthy for their unique featuring of the Indian subcontinent, monsoons are yet an unpredictable and misunderstood weather phenomenon that occurs throughout the tropics.
A result of rapid changes in wind direction and strength in the area, monsoons lead to unpredictable rain and wind storms. Prevalent winds in the area change course as air pressure alters due to a variety of factors: Differential land to water heating, low pressure air over the landmass pushing against high pressure air over the ocean. This can completely reverse wind directions, and bring with it a variety of unique weather conditions.]]> 2017-04-08 18:13:19 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165519206 albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520170 First, as outlined, differential heating factors between land and sea result in pressure fronts meeting, low pressure from the land and high pressure from the sea.
Secondly, doldrum shift must occur. As the area the sun makes most direct contact with shifts from one tropic to another, it passes over the Indian subcontinent in order to make an ideal "doldrum" or trough for wind pressure to build in. The area most directly in contact with the sun will create a relatively even pressure zone, what was known to ancient sailors as a "doldrum" or area where there is no air pressure or wind, outside of which would exist good trade winds similar to the center of a hurricane. This weakened air pressure zone allows for change and alteration in the Ganga plains area.
Third, a high pressure zone must begin to build in the Madagascar area. This high pressure zone, as discussed before, can be considered an element of the trade winds outside the doldrum. The more intense and focused this high pressure zone is, the more likely the strength of the monsoon to develop in south-east Asia.
Finally, as summer heat builds in the Tibetan and Himelayan mountainous regions, high and low pressure fronts interact as a result of differential cooling as previously mentioned. This creates an opportunity for previous pressure zones from Madagascar to radically shift the entire pressure front in the area.]]> 2017-04-08 18:39:43 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520170 albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520433 courtesy of: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/India_southwest_summer_monsoon_onset_map_en.svg]]> 2017-04-08 18:48:54 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520433 albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520489 2017-04-08 18:50:19 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520489 albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520635 Monsoons are some of the oldest observed weather phenomena on Earth, however their exact timing and strength consistantly surprises even seasoned meteorologists. For now, a few major theories dictate how we believe they develop:

TRADITIONAL THEORY:
In short: The differential heating ratio of land and water causes pressure interactions unique to the Indian subcontinent
How?: In this theory, almost all of the reasoning for the monsoon is laid at the intense heat of the Indian subcontinent: cool breezes from the sea quickly find their pressure differential allows them to expand over the land, bringing intense moisture and rain, before the wind heats up and is pushed back over the sea, as in the figure to the right

DYNAMIC THEORY:
In Short: A unique combination of the geophysical layout of India and the insolation effects of the sun on Earth means that the normal pressure currents that would create trade winds and doldrums are drastically altered in southeast Asia.
How?: Much like the traditional theory, India's hot land mass contributes pressure differential to the general pressure differential caused by the sun heating the water of Earth in different bands that creates our pressure fronts and oceanic winds. The unique location of India (near the equator, in a tropical focus band) allows its pressure differential to directly influence a doldrum zone like no other part of the world.

JET STREAM THEORY
In Short: Geostrophic winds, high above the surface of the earth, are uniquely affected by the cycle of wind near the equator, and coincidentally affect the Indian subcontinent as a result of its tropical location and unique pressure differential.
How?: Otherwise normal straospheric wind cycles are thrown off by the rising heat created off of the Indian landmass. As the pressure in the upper atmosphere decreases further, an opening is made for winds below to "vortex" up into the stratosphere and create a changing wind pattern below. This is as a result of wind bands like those seen to the right]]> 2017-04-08 18:54:38 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520635 albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520787 2017-04-08 19:00:23 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165520787 albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165521115 Courtesy of: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Jetcrosssection.jpg]]> 2017-04-08 19:10:14 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165521115 albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165521171 Ultimately, this wave of ocean-borne wind creates intense humid periods throughout the South-East Asian summer with immense random bursts of precipitation. As it "bursts" out in late October, it tends to leave behind a dry, still, humidity-free winter period.

Along with its intense weather changes, monsoons (and their associated moisture and humidity) are often considered prime candidates for breeding malarial insects. 
Travellers visiting during monsoon season are often subjected to extensive health warnings and preparatory treatments. 

However the monsoons more often than not result in fantastically fertile and rich soil, contributing to the unique flora of the area.]]> 2017-04-08 19:11:33 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165521171 albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165521450 courtesy of: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Monsoon_clouds_near_Nagercoil.jpg]]> 2017-04-08 19:19:25 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165521450 albowca001 https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165521491 courtesy of: http://vivohealthcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Monsoon-2.jpg]]> 2017-04-08 19:20:27 UTC https://padlet.com/albowca001/hnbumoags77r/wish/165521491