View source for Tropical monsoon climate

{{Short description|Climate subtype in the Köppen climate classification system}}
[[File:Koppen-Geiger_Map_v2_Am_1991–2020.svg|thumb|upright=2|Worldwide zones of tropical monsoon climate (Am).]]An '''area of tropical monsoon climate''' (occasionally known as a '''sub-equatorial''', '''tropical wet climate''' or a '''tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate''') is a [[tropical climate]] subtype that corresponds to the [[Köppen climate classification]] category '''''Am'''''. Tropical monsoon climates have monthly mean temperatures above {{convert|18|°C|0}} in every month of the year and a dry season.<ref name=McKnight>{{cite book | last1=McKnight | first1=Tom L | last2=Hess | first2=Darrel | year=2000 | chapter=Climate Zones and Types | title=Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation | location=Upper Saddle River, New Jersey | publisher=Prentice Hall | isbn=978-0-13-020263-5 | chapter-url-access=registration | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/physicalgeographmckn | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/physicalgeographmckn }}</ref>{{rp|200–1}} The tropical monsoon climate is the intermediate climate between the wet Af (or [[tropical rainforest climate]]) and the drier Aw (or [[tropical savanna climate]]).

A tropical monsoon climate's driest month has on average less than 60&nbsp;mm, but more than <math display="inline">100-\left(\frac{Total\ Annual\ Precipitation\ (mm)}{25}\right)</math>.<ref name=McKnight /> This is in direct contrast to a [[tropical savanna climate]], whose driest month has less than 60&nbsp;mm of precipitation and also less than <math display="inline">100-\left(\frac{Total\ Annual\ Precipitation\ (mm)}{25}\right)</math> of average monthly precipitation. In essence, a tropical monsoon climate tends to either have more rainfall than a tropical savanna climate or have less pronounced dry seasons. A tropical monsoon climate tends to vary less in temperature during a year than does a tropical savanna climate. This climate has the driest month, which nearly always occurs at or soon after the winter solstice.<ref name=McKnight/>

==Versions==
There are generally two versions of a tropical monsoon climate:
* Less pronounced dry seasons. Regions with this variation of the tropical monsoon climate typically see copious amounts of rain during the wet season(s), usually in the form of frequent thunderstorms. Unlike most tropical savanna climates, a sizeable amount of precipitation also falls during the dry season(s), but not quite enough for a [[tropical rainforest climate|tropical rainforest]] classification. In essence, this version of the tropical monsoon climate generally has less pronounced dry seasons than tropical savanna climates.
* Extraordinarily rainy wet seasons and pronounced dry seasons. This variation features pronounced dry seasons similar in length and character to dry seasons observed in tropical savanna climates. This is followed by a sustained period (or sustained periods) of extraordinary rainfall. In some instances, up to (and sometimes in excess of) 1,000&nbsp;mm of precipitation is observed per month for two or more consecutive months. Tropical savanna climates generally do not see this level of sustained rainfall.

==Area==
[[File:AtardecerRioMAgdalena.jpg|thumb|[[Magdalena River]] at Honda, [[Colombia]].]]
Tropical monsoon are most commonly found in [[Africa]] ([[West Africa|West]] and [[Central Africa]]), [[Asia]] ([[South Asia|South]] and [[Southeast Asia]]), [[South America]] and [[Central America]]. This climate also occurs in sections of the [[Caribbean]], [[North America]], and northern [[Australia]].

==Factors==
The major controlling factor over a tropical monsoon climate is its relationship to the [[monsoon]] circulation. The monsoon is a seasonal change in wind direction. In Asia, during the summer (or high-sun season) there is an onshore flow of air (air moving from ocean toward land). In the “winter” (or low-sun season) an offshore air flow (air moving from land toward water) is prevalent. The change in direction is due to the difference in the way water and land heat.

Changing pressure patterns that affect the seasonality of precipitation also occur in Africa, though it generally differs from the way it operates in Asia. During the high-sun season, the [[Intertropical convergence zone]] (ITCZ) induces rain. During the low-sun season, the subtropical high creates dry conditions. The monsoon climates of Africa, and the Americas for that matter, are typically located along trade wind coasts.

==Countries and cities==
{{col-begin|width=75%}}
{{col-1-of-2}}
'''Asia'''
* [[Chittagong]], Bangladesh
* [[Sylhet]], Bangladesh
* [[Sihanoukville (city)|Sihanoukville]], Cambodia
* [[Qionghai]], China
* [[Wanning]], China
* [[Kochi]], [[Kerala]], India
* [[Mangalore]], [[Karnataka]], India
* [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]], India
* [[Bandung]], Indonesia
* [[Jakarta]], Indonesia
* [[Makassar]], Indonesia
* [[Chichijima]], Japan
* [[Alor Setar]], [[Kedah]], Malaysia
* [[Langkawi]], Malaysia
* [[Malé]], Maldives
* [[Yangon]], Myanmar
* [[Calamba, Philippines|Calamba]], Philippines
* [[Manila, Philippines|Manila]], Philippines
* [[Quezon City]], Philippines
* [[Batticaloa]], Sri Lanka
* [[Kaohsiung]], Taiwan
* [[Pingtung County|Pingtung]], Taiwan
* [[Taitung County|Taitung]], Taiwan
* [[Hat Yai]], Thailand
* [[Narathiwat]], Thailand
* [[Pattani, Thailand|Pattani]], Thailand
* [[Cà Mau]], Vietnam
* [[Da Nang]], Vietnam
'''Oceania'''
* [[Cairns]], [[Queensland]], Australia
* [[Christmas Island]], Australia
* [[Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands|Saipan]], Northern Mariana Islands
{{col-2-of-2}}
'''Africa'''
* [[Douala]], Cameroon
* [[Bata, Equatorial Guinea|Bata]], Equatorial Guinea
* [[Conakry]], Guinea
* [[Monrovia]], Liberia
* [[Port Harcourt]], Nigeria
* [[Freetown]], Sierra Leone
'''The Americas'''
* [[Recife]], [[Pernambuco]], Brazil
* [[Macapá]], [[Amapá]], Brazil
* [[Barrancabermeja, Colombia|Barrancabermeja]], Colombia
* [[Villavicencio]], Colombia
* [[Roseau]], Dominica
* [[Santo Domingo]], Dominican Republic
* [[Cayenne]], French Guiana (bordering on ''Af'')
* [[La Ceiba]], Honduras
* [[Coatzacoalcos]], Mexico
* [[Villahermosa]], Mexico
* [[Managua]], Nicaragua
* [[Panama City]], Panama
* [[Pucallpa]], Peru
* [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]]
* [[Miami]], [[Florida]], United States
* [[Basseterre]], Saint Kitts and Nevis
* [[Nassau, The Bahamas|Nassau]], The Bahamas (bordering on ''Aw'')
* [[Port of Spain]], Trinidad and Tobago
* [[Guanare]], Venezuela
* [[Mérida (state)|Mérida]], Venezuela
* [[Puerto Ayacucho]], Venezuela
{{col-end}}

===Select charts===
{{climate chart
|[[Manila]], Philippines
|23.9|29.9|19.4
|24.3|30.7|21.9
|25.3|32.1|21.8
|26.7|33.8|23.4
|27.0|33.6|159.1
|26.5|32.8|253.3
|25.9|31.5|432.3
|25.9|31.0|476.1
|25.7|31.2|396.4
|25.7|31.4|220.6
|25.3|31.3|119.9
|24.6|30.3|98.5
|source=[[PAGASA]]
|float=left
|clear=none
}}
{{climate chart
|[[Chittagong]], Bangladesh
|15|27|5
|19|30|28
|24|35|64
|26|39.0|150
|24|35.0|264
|25|34|533
|26.0|38|597
|24|33|518
|24|33|320
|23|32|180
|17|32|56
|14|24|15
|source=BBC<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT002030 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060311002800/http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT002030 | archive-date=11 March 2006 | title=Average Conditions - Chittagong, Bangladesh | publisher=BBC Weather | access-date=25 June 2018 }}</ref>
|float=left
|clear=none
}}

{{climate chart
| [[Conakry]], Guinea
|19 |32.2 |1
|20.2 |33.1 |1
|21.2 |33.4 |3
|22 |33.6 |22
|20.7 |33.2 |137
|20.2 |31.8 |396
|20.4 |30.2 |1130
|20.8 |29.9 |1104
|20.7 |30.6 |617
|20.4 |30.9 |295
|21 |32 |70
|20.1 |32.2 |8
|maxprecip=1200
|float=left
|clear=none
|source =HK<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.weather.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/africa/w_afr/conakry_e.htm |title=Climatological Normals of Conakry |publisher=Hong Kong Observatory |access-date=2014-02-12 }}</ref>
}}

{{climate chart
|[[Jakarta]], Indonesia
| 24.3 |30.5 |363
| 24.2 |30.6 |323
| 24.7 |31.8 |191
| 25.0 |32.4 |153
| 25.1 |32.7 |110
| 24.8 |32.5 |75
| 24.4 |32.4 |66
| 24.5 |32.5 |53
| 24.7 |32.8 |61
| 24.9 |32.8 |111
| 24.8 |32.3 |124
| 24.6 |31.4 |196
|source= BMKG<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.staklimtangsel.id/images/rataunsurcuaca/rataunsurcuaca10.jpg |title=Climatological Average of Kemayoran Meteorological Station for 1981–2010 |publisher=Pondok Betung Climatological Station – Indonesian Bureau of Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics |accessdate=19 April 2021 |language=id |archive-date=21 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421062556/https://www.staklimtangsel.id/images/rataunsurcuaca/rataunsurcuaca10.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref>
|float = left
|clear = both
}}

{{climate chart
|[[Miami]], Florida, US
| 15.1 | 24.0 | 51.1
| 15.8 | 24.7 | 52.8
| 17.9 | 26.2 | 60.7
| 19.9 | 28.0 | 72.4
| 22.3 | 29.6 | 157.7
| 23.9 | 30.9 | 237.0
| 24.6 | 31.7 | 144.8
| 24.8 | 31.7 | 192.5
| 24.4 | 31.0 | 193.8
| 22.3 | 29.2 | 143.3
| 19.3 | 26.9 | 67.6
| 16.4 | 24.8 | 46.5
|source=WMO<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.worldweather.org/093/c00267.htm#climate | title=Weather Information for Miami, Florida | publisher=World Meteorological Organization | access-date=25 June 2018 }}</ref>
|float=left
|clear=none
}}

{{clear}}

==See also==
* [[Tropical climate]]
* [[Tropical rainforest climate]]
* [[Tropical savanna climate]]
* [[Köppen climate classification]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Koppen}}
{{Seasons}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Tropics|Climate, Monsoon]]
[[Category:Köppen climate types]]