|
B. Geerts |
2/'99 |
Fig 1. Seasonal variation of diurnal rainfall amounts averaged for 17 stations on the Malay Peninsula, Malaysia (3ºN). (source: (1))
Rainfall on the Malay Peninsula is most likely at 16 LST, when more than 200% of the mean amount for each hour falls, at all times of the year (Fig 1). There is also an annual cycle, with two wet seasons just after the sun is in the zenith (early April and early September), but its amplitude is smaller than that of the diurnal cycle.
The afternoon peak is clearly due to surface heating and convergence of sea breezes from the east and west coasts of the Peninsula. Therefore the diurnal cycle is most pronounced for inland stations. There is a much smaller morning peak of precipitation, during the south-west monsoon season on the west coast and during the north-east monsoon season on the east coast. This is due to low level convergence between the local land-sea breeze and the predominant monsoon wind.
Reference