Monsoon winds and the climate of Thailand

Monsoon winds and the climate of Thailand

     The climate of Thailand is under the influence of two types of monsoons: the southwest and the northeast monsoon.

     The southwest monsoon covers Thailand between mid-May and mid-October, originating from the high-pressure zone in the southern region of the Indian Ocean, in the southern hemisphere, which blows out of the center into the southeast winds and transforms into the southwest wind when it crosses the equator.

     This monsoon brings a moist mass of air from the Indian Ocean to Thailand, making it cloudy and rainy in general, especially on the coasts and mountain ranges. The wind is rainier than in other areas.

     The northeast monsoon occurs after Thailand loses the influence of the southwest monsoon, around mid-October, and the northeast monsoon covers Thailand until mid-February.

     The monsoon originates from high-pressure areas in the northern hemisphere, in Mongolia and China, so it blows in cold and dry air from the source to cover Thailand, making the sky clear and dry. In general, especially in the north and northeast, the weather turns quite cool. In the southern region, however, especially in the southeast, the monsoon can bring in moisture from the Gulf of Thailand, causing rain even into December. The start and end of both types of monsoons can vary from year to year.

Source: Department of Meteorology, 4353 Sukhumvit Road, Bangna, Bangkok. Tel. 0 2399 4012.

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