Myanmar and Seasons

Burma or Myanmar is a country in Asia that is located in the western portion of mainland Southeast Asia. The country is famous for mountains, lakes, beaches, and adventure activities in the caves. The country is also known for its golden pagodas and ancient temples. 

Climate and Geographical Location

Myanmar’s climate is heavily influenced by its geographical location and topography, despite it being in Asia’s monsoon zone. For two months of the year, the Central Asian cold air masses bring snow to the northern highlands; however, this mountain wall stops the cold air from migrating farther south, leaving Myanmar predominantly under the influence of the monsoon winds. 

During both the northeast and southwest monsoons, the north-south orientation of peaks and valleys provide a pattern of alternate zones of heavy and scarce precipitation. Despite this, most of the precipitation in the nation is from the southwest monsoons.

Seasons

Myanmar has three seasons: the cold, dry northeast monsoon (late October to mid-February), the hot, dry inter monsoonal season (mid-February to mid-May), and the wet southwest monsoon (late May to mid-September). 

The coastal regions, as well as the western and southeastern mountains, receive more than 200 inches (5,000 mm) of rain per year, while the delta regions get approximately 100 inches (2,500 mm) of rain annually. The middle region is not just away from the sea but also on the Rakhine Mountains’ drier, lee side—in the rain shadow. 

Precipitation steadily declines northward until it reaches just 20 to 40 inches (500 to 1,000 mm) annually in the region’s dry zone. Because of its elevation, the Shan Plateau gets between 75 and 80 inches (1,900 and 2,000 mm) of rain every year.

The temperature is also affected by altitude and distance from the sea. Despite the fact that Myanmar is a tropical country, temperatures do not remain consistent throughout the year. Although the daily temperature range is wider than virtually everywhere else in Southeast Asia, no area possesses a continental climate (i.e., one characterised by large seasonal differences in mean temperature). Mandalay, at the dry zone’s heart, has some of the most extreme daily temperature swings, which range by 22o Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius) yearly. In a broader sense, average daily temperatures vary slightly between Sittwe (Akyab) in the Rakhine area, Yangon on the coast, and Mandalay in the northern part of the central basin, ranging from 79 °F (26 °C) to 82 °F (28 °C). The average daily temperature of Lashio, on the Shan Plateau, is slightly colder, around 71 °F (22 °C).

Monsoon Season

The monsoon season normally begins around May 15 in southern Burma and ends around May 20 in Yangon. The temperature falls as the scorching season fades away with the advent of the very first rains and the lovely monsoon wind.

Rainstorms and flooded streets in Yangon can be expected during the monsoon season, as well as landslides in mountainous locations.

The monsoon’s finish is less well-defined, with precipitation tapering off in the latter months. As a result, the monsoon begins abruptly (within a few days) and ends gradually.

Mountain Range and the Monsoon Flow

During the southwest monsoon, the north-south arrangement of the Burmese mountain ranges provides zones of heavy and minimal rainfall. The Arakan Yoma (Arakan mountain range) along the western shoreline casts a rain shadow over the heart of Myanmar, resulting in a considerably drier region. The Dry Zone is the name given to this location. 

The Arakan Yoma is a large mountain range on Myanmar’s western border that blocks monsoon winds. During the Southwest monsoon, the Arakan mountain range pushes humid air from the sea up; and the air cools at greater altitude because of the orographic effect, which results in the formation of monsoon clouds. These monsoon clouds dump massive amounts of rain on the coastal areas. The rain shadow phenomenon in central Burma causes the air to become significantly drier as you travel the interior. Since the Irrawaddy Delta is not protected by mountains, it bears the brunt of the Southwest monsoon.

Natural Disasters in Myanmar

Myanmar is a part of the list of the countries most vulnerable to climate change in the world. With the majority of the population living in flood-prone low-lying areas, the nation faces a lot of issues during climate change.

In the Bay of Bengal, which runs along Myanmar’s coastline, there are two cyclone seasons. As the southwesterly monsoon departs, the first cyclone season occurs between April and June, while the second peak comes between September and early December. 

In the year 2008, Cyclone Nargis killed about 140,000 people in Myanmar. The storm was highly detrimental because it hit land at one of the country’s lowest points, causing a storm surge that extended 25 miles inland. The cyclone destroyed about 95% of the buildings and houses in seven townships. The destruction caused was so severe that it affected an estimated 1.5 million people, according to UN authorities.

As most of the protecting vegetation had been destroyed, the cyclone’s path was particularly harmful. The delta has lost much of its mangrove forests along the shore to shrimp farms and rice paddies during the last decade, which had always functioned as natural storm defences.

Conclusion

Myanmar is a country that is located in the western portion of mainland Southeast Asia. Although the country is a tropical country, it has different three seasons: the cold, dry northeast monsoon (late October to mid-February), the hot, dry inter monsoonal season (mid-February to mid-May), and the wet southwest monsoon (late May to mid-September).