| VENEZUELAN CLIMATE
Venezuela can be divided into three different regions by its climate
and vegetation , although only two different rainfall regimes are found
in Venezuela.
The North and west of the country, with semiarid regions and tropical
rainfall in some slopes of the cordilleras present at the coast
in the south-eastern part of this region. The low inland with a steppe
climate called Llanos and the south eastern
part, called the Guyana's highlands,
which lie between 400 m and 1400 m with rain forest vegetation in the lower
parts and savannah in the higher parts. Although the country can be divided
into these three climatic regions, there are only two distinct rainfall
regimes. The rainfall regimes, in the Llanos inland and western part of
the Guyana highlands have a single summer maximum and dry winter. The other
regime with two annual maxima is found at the coast, the western part and
the higher southern inland region. For these three sub regions with a double
rainfall maxima large differences in intensities can be found.
Large Scale Circulation:
Venezuelan coast: lowlands and mountainous areas near the caribbean. Steppe like climate, with hot summers and winters and not much rainfall. The coast is under the control of easterlies almost throughout the year. These winds blow almost parallel to the coast and a divergence is produced which is reinforced by acceleration as the winds are attracted by the low pressure over the continent. The resulting subsidence stabilizes the air masses up to 2000m above sea level and usually prevents rainfall. Rainfall occurs in October-December, when easterlies are weak and in May-July when the ITZC is relatively close to the region. Rest of the country: This region is classified into the tropical summer
rain climate. Temprartures are hot al year round and sunny in winter. Rain
in the summer comes in squall lines and thunderstorms.
|