a band of thunderstorms that encircles the planet near the equator. the strong heat of the sun causes air to rise, helped by converging trade winds from northern and southern hemispheres, generating a zone of intense downpours. as the sun shifts northwards and southwards, relative to the earth, so does the itcz. as it moves northwards, it brings the so called long rains from march to may. this year, those long rains failed. as it moves back southwards, there s a briefer wet season, known as the short rains, from october to december, and long range forecasts suggest this could fail, too. 0ranges and browns on this map show predicted rainfall below normal. this would mean an unprecedented fifth consecutive failed rainy season. one reason is a long lasting la nina in the pacific, which can bring weather impacts across the globe, including dryness in east africa.
driven by the intertropical convergence zone, or the itcz, a band of thunderstorms that encircles the planet near the equator. the strong heat of the sun causes air to rise, helped by converging trade winds from northern and southern hemispheres, generating a zone of intense downpours. as the sun shifts northwards and southwards, relative to the earth, so does the itcz. as it moves northwards, it brings the so called long rains from march to may. this year, those long rains failed. as it moves back southwards, there s a briefer wet season, known as the short rains, from october to december, and long range forecasts suggest this could fail, too. 0ranges and browns on this map show predicted rainfall below normal. this would mean an unprecedented fifth consecutive failed rainy season. one reason is a long lasting la nina in the pacific, which can bring weather impacts across the globe, including dryness
from bbc weather s climate check studio, ben rich looks at why the wait for rain is likely to go on. this part of africa relies on two rainy seasons each year, driven by the intertropical convergence zone, or the itcz, a band of thunderstorms that encircles the planet near the equator. the strong heat of the sun causes air to rise, helped by converging trade winds from northern and southern hemispheres, generating a zone of intense downpours. as the sun shifts northwards and southwards, relative to the earth, so does the itcz. as it moves northwards, it brings the so called long rains from march to may. this year, those long rains failed. as it moves back southwards, there s a briefer wet season, known as the short rains, from october to december, and long range forecasts suggest this could fail, too. 0ranges and browns on this map show predicted rainfall below normal. this would mean an unprecedented fifth consecutive failed rainy season.