ATMOSPHERIC THERMAL CHANGES OVER THE INDIAN REGION PRIOR TO THE MONSOON ONSET AS OBSERVED BY SATELLITE SOUNDING DATA

Abstract

Abstract The differential heating of the continents and the adjoining oceans is the primary cause for the summer monsoon circulation over South Asia. Two important synoptic climatological features associated with this are: the thermal heat low centred over Pakistan and adjoining areas; and the upper tropospheric high over the Tibetan Plateau. These two aspects relating to the onset phase of the monsoon are examined utilizing: (i) the data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration polar‐orbiting satellite for the year 1982 and (ii) the FGGE level III‐b data for the year 1979.