Tanzania- most excitement

The Power of Wind and Rain

Wind is a powerful element as we can see from the impact it has on the weather in Tanzania. The Chart depicting the rainfall in Arusha is indicative of the power of the wind. Wind effects result in three major weather forms. Monsoons have become synonymous with continuous heavy rainfall which is the 
form that results from the process of winds interacting and the resulting changes in temperature in the atmosphere. A Monsoon is wind that blows regularly in a definite season. These winds create atmospheric changes which produce (1) heavy downpours which the earth cannot absorb immediately (floods), (2) continuous long periods of moderate rainfall (monsoons), (3) and the absence of rain (droughts or dry monsoons) for extended periods. These three weather forms are the result of one process: the pattern of winds.

        The Bordonis of the Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, through computer modeling, illustrated that mixing tropical air with large scale turbulence in the middle latitude causes rapid circulation changes, high surface winds and heavy rainfall occurs in the absence of land--monsoon condition without hot air from land masses. Conduction and radiation of air molecules are keys in this process. This weather pattern is characteristic of the savanna in Tanzania. We can see the rain coming to the plains.

While traveling through Serengeti, we took a picture of these beautiful clouds which are characterized as Nimbostratus. These types of clouds are a sign of steady, moderate, or heavy precipitation. Nimbostratus clouds are low-level clouds that are formed between earth's surface. While doing research we found that the clouds are formed when the sun heats the surface of the earth. The air that is near the earth's surface absorbs the heat as it rises from the ground and the rest of the air keeps rising. Looking at the shape of the clouds you can see that it doesn't really have a form, it is flat and layered. This shape identifies as a stratus cloud. In the photo above you can see that the clouds are a little bit of a dark grey color. When the presence of the dark grey color appears there is moisture in the cloud. As you can see above, there is a little moisture in the clouds because they are a light grey not a dark grey.  If the clouds appear very dark, it is likely to rain or even snow. 

Tornadoes are common in the United States.  In Tanzania, they have a miniature version of  these storms.  They are what we would call large dust devils.  They are formed when  hot and cold air collide, but  because the temperature variance is not as great as in the States they are usually harmless.  This rotating updraft, formed in sunny conditions, is an unusual weather phenomenon of swirling air vortices.