Table of Contents
Tropical Climate
The Tropical Region is located between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. The northern limit of the region is formed by the Tropic of Cancer at 23.5°N latitude, and the southern limit is formed by the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5°S latitude.
The Equatorial Region is frequently grouped with the Tropical Region. The Equatorial Region is the area between 3° North and 3° South of the equator. The Equatorial Climate is the type of climate found a bit further out, between 10-12° North and 10-12° South of the equator. As a result, Equatorial Climate is a type of Tropical Climate. This article will focus on Tropical Climates or Tropical Monsoon Climates that would be useful for UPSC IAS preparation.
Read More: Humidity
Tropical Monsoon Climate
A Tropical Monsoon Climate type of climate is experienced along the east coast of the tropics with continuous rainfall from trade winds at all times. Rainfall is orographic, as in eastern Brazil, and convective due to intense heat during the day and summer. It tends towards summer as much as monsoon land but without the usual dry seasons.
Read More: Tornado
Tropical Climate Distribution Map
Tropical monsoon lands are found between 5° and 30° latitude on both sides of the equator. They experience wet monsoons in summer and dry conditions in winter. These areas include the Indian subcontinent, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, parts of Vietnam, southern China, and northern Australia. Coastal trade winds affect the climate throughout the year, leading to more evenly distributed rainfall. Central America has a tropical sea climate, and similar climates are found in the West Indies, northeast Australia, the Philippines, parts of East Africa, Madagascar, the Guinea coast, and eastern Brazil.
Read More: Anticyclones
Tropical Climate Pressure and Wind
The equator experiences Intertropical Convergence, whereas the Subtropical Regions experience Subtropical Anticyclones. This is the meeting point of the Northeast trade winds and the Southeast trade winds.
Read More: Thunderstorms
Tropical Climate Temperature
Even though the average temperature is quite high, summer and winter seasons are very different because the sun moves north and south. In the Köppen system, a tropical climate is one where the average temperature is above 18°C every month. There is no winter, and the amount of rainfall each year is much higher than the amount of water that evaporates.
Read More: Evaporation and Condensation
Tropical Climate Precipitation
The majority of their annual rainfall is caused by cyclonic and orographic rain. The average annual rainfall is around 150 cm, but the temporal and spatial distribution varies greatly. The majority of the annual monsoonal rainfall is delivered by moisture-laden South-West monsoon winds.
Tropical Climate Natural Vegetation
The natural vegetation of tropical monsoon lands is dependent on summer rainfall. Trees in these areas often have deciduous leaves because of the dry season. In places with high rainfall, like southern Burma, peninsular India, northern Australia, and coastal areas with tropical climates, the vegetation forms jungles. These forests are less dense and have fewer species than equatorial forests. They are important for timber, especially teak, which is the most well-known. Other valuable woods include sal, acacia, and eucalyptus.
Read More: List of Major Local Winds
Tropical Regions Climatic Conditions
Tropical regions experience two types of the climatic condition:
1. Tropical Monsoon Climate
The difference in how quickly land and sea warm up and cool down causes the monsoon climate.
In summer, the Northern Hemisphere gets very hot while the oceans stay cooler. This creates low pressure over land. Winds then blow from the high-pressure area in Australia towards the low pressure in Asia, becoming southeast monsoons and then southwest monsoons as they cross the equator.
In winter, the opposite happens. The land in Asia cools down quickly, creating high pressure. This leads to northeast monsoons as winds blow from the high-pressure area towards the lower pressure.
2. Tropical Marine Climate
This type of climate is experienced along the east coast of the tropics, with continuous rainfall from trade winds at all times. Rainfall is orographic, as in eastern Brazil, and convective due to intense heat during the day and summer. It tends towards summer as much as monsoon land but without the usual dry seasons.
Read More: Types of Winds
Tropical Climate Life and Economy
People are primarily engaged in agriculture. Rice, wheat, pulses, cotton, jute, sugarcane, oilseeds, coffee, tea, and various fruits and vegetables are grown here.
This region raises all types of domestic animals. Agriculture and other agro-based activities are well-developed in this region. The region is also very rich in mineral deposits of various types, which are necessary ingredients for modern industrial activities. The main economic activity of the people is agriculture. The major agricultural crops are paddy, sugarcane, hemp, etc.
Read More: Seasons of India
Tropical Monsoon Variations
1. Less Pronounced Dry Periods
In the wet season, areas with this Tropical Monsoon Climate get heavy rain and often have thunderstorms. Even in the dry season, they still get more rain than usual for tropical climates. The difference between the wet and dry seasons is not very clear.
2. Pronounced Dry Seasons
In this type of Tropical Monsoon Climate, the dry season is about the same length as in other areas but has much less rain. It feels similar to the Tropical Savanna Climate. After the dry season, there’s a heavy rain period with over 1000 mm of rainfall.
Temperature: Throughout the year, tropical climates have temperatures around 18 °C. There is little temperature variation between seasons. The Torrid Zone was named by the Ancient Greeks to describe the hot, dry weather that this region experiences.
Read More: Monsoon in India
Tropical Climate UPSC
Tropical Climatic Regions include both Equatorial and Tropical Monsoon Climatic Regions. The Köppen-Geiger system is the foundation for categorising the world’s climate into Climatic Regions. These regions are distinguished by consistent temperatures, no seasonal temperature differences, and persistently high rainfall. Tropical Climatic Regions include Tropical Monsoon Regions.
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