Thunderstorms, Water Accumulation, and Winds of 70 km/h Expected: What is a Monsoon Depression?
The term may be unfamiliar to you, but the approaching monsoon depression should not be taken lightly. It is currently developing to the northeast of Madagascar. Weather forecasting models agree that this system will approach Mauritius from the northwest while intensifying into a depression, as reported by the weather station this Tuesday.As of 4 PM, it was located 600 km west-northwest of Mauritius. It is moving southeast at approximately ten kilometers per hour and could intensify into a tropical disturbance.It is highly likely that the weather will become overcast starting Wednesday evening, with showers expected.Moderate to heavy showers, accompanied by thunderstorms, are anticipated starting Thursday, the 29th.These showers could lead to water accumulation, and fog banks may form.The wind may strengthen, with gusts reaching around 70 km/h.The sea will be locally rough under the thunderstorms.What is a Monsoon Depression?A monsoon depression is a low-pressure area that forms in monsoon-affected regions, significantly enhancing the associated rains and winds. It results from substantial warming of the air above land or along the monsoon trough, intensifying the flow of humid air from the ocean to the land.• A monsoon depression is defined as a depression located in a monsoon region, over land in summer and over the ocean in winter.• It often manifests as a cyclonic vortex (spiral circulation) developing along the monsoon trough and organizing winds and rains over a vast area.Main Characteristics• Large size, with strong winds far from the center and weaker winds near the core, often without a well-defined cloud center initially.• It is associated with a continental thermal depression: the heating of the land creates low pressures that attract hot, very humid air from the ocean, triggering intense monsoon rains.Role in the MonsoonThe monsoon depression strengthens the "active" phases of the monsoon, which are periods of heavy rainfall and sometimes flooding in tropical regions (notably in South Asia and around the Indian Ocean).In some basins (like the southwest Indian Ocean), this type of depression can evolve, when conditions are favorable, into a more classical depression system or even a tropical cyclone.Difference Between Monsoon Depression and Tropical CycloneA monsoon depression and a tropical cyclone are two types of tropical depression systems, but they differ in their structure, intensity, and mode of formation.General Idea• A monsoon depression is a vast low-pressure system related to the monsoon regime, characterized by broad circulation and often relatively modest winds but very heavy rains.• A tropical cyclone is a more compact, well-organized system with a well-defined center and much stronger winds, responsible for hurricanes, typhoons, etc.
