H Geography - Physical Unit - Atmosphere - ITCZ

Tropical Maritime (mT)

• The tropical maritime air mass (mT) originates from the Atlantic Ocean

• The air is unstable and the weather is warm with high humidity and high precipitation

Tropical Continental (cT)

• The tropical continental air mass (cT) originates in the Sahara Desert

• The air is stable and the weather is very hot with low humidity and low precipitation.

• There is poor visibility caused by dust carried from the desert

ITCZ description

The north is very dry with a much wetter south. TC has an annual rainfall of (describe) whereas MC has an annual rainfall of (describe).

MC has a clear wet and dry season regime whereas BC has year round rainfall. TC has (describe) months without rainfall, whereas MC has only (describe) months.

BC has a twin-peak regime whereas the other areas have only one peak

BC has a peak of (describe), whereas TC’s is approximately (describe)

BC’s peak rainfall is in (describe) whereas it is (describe) in TC

What do TC, MC, and BC mean?

TC - Top Country

MC - Middle Country

BC - Bottom Country

ITCZ Explanation

• The ITCZ is an area of low pressure where air masses meet, pushing the maritime air up and cooling and condensing to form clouds.

• The twin precipitation peaks can be attributed to the ITCZ moving northwards in the early part of the year and then southwards later in the year in line with the thermal equator.

• BC on the coast is influenced by the wet mT air for most of the year. TC on the other hand, is under the influence of the dry cT air for most of the the year.