this year, we make an attempt to monitor the arrival of the NE monsoon..
come Feb/Mar '05, we will try to do the same for its departure
hopefully we can better understand the behaviors of the monsoon !
THE MONSOON CYCLE
it's a general misconception that monsoon means continuous rain
for the monsoon period (approximately 4 months)
The word "monsoon" is derived from the Arabic word "mausim" which means season.
Ancient traders sailing in the Indian Ocean and adjoining Arabian Sea
used it to describe a system of alternating winds
which blow persistently from the northeast during the northern winter
and
from the opposite direction, the southwest, during the northern summer.
Thus, the term monsoon actually refers solely to a seasonal wind shift,
and not to precipitation.
(source :http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/77d9810278d8243047762d9afac0ae3b,55a304092d09/191.html)
OUR OBSERVATIONS
on October 1, the sea began to rock and roll ...
Lake Kenyir began to discharge huge amount of fresh water.....
making the river even at high tide brown & bland...
occasional rains & choppy sea but no strong winds..
| October |
| 11 - 22th one day's burning hot, the next day's dull and wet |
| Fri
22th, the rollers were 2-3m high ; big waves at the river mouth
besides thunderstorm, for once - howling winds sang throughout the night |
|
Sat 23th, the weather was gloomy & the sea continued to roar.... |
|
Sun 24th, sky was sunny & the sea amazingly calm ... our lucky guests made a bash for P.Bidong.... the storm & wind returned at night.. |
| Mon 25th, strong winds & rain throughout the day |
| Tue 26th, intermittent heavy rain & strong wind ... |
| Wed 27th, heavy downpour & strong wind every half hour ... |
| Thu 28th, a little sunshine. Windy with "white cap" in the sea ; Waves and swells continue |
|
Fri 29th, morning rain and drizzle. Sea condition just as rough. We can hear it from our home that is 1 km away. |
| November |
|
we were back in
Singapore...thus could only hearsay from the local people...
1-11th occasional rain and sunshine. Sea conditions remain as rough |
| 9-11th sea beginning to calm down a little. More sunshine and less wind |
| Fri 12th gloomy weather and light rain |
| 13-26 Hearsay from the locals - rain for a few days, sunshine for a few days. |
|
27th Dull and gloomy. Strong wind and overcast sky. Intermittent downpour. The sea is calmer today. It seems that this is the usual breather during the monsoon... even the waves need to take a short break once in a while... and a time for the fishermen to have some catch for his family ! |
| December |
| 1-23th Hearsay from the locals - occasional heavy rain and sunshine. |
| 24th Sunshine and sea relatively calm. |
| 25th Drizzle ! |
| January |
| 6th - 7th Rain and windy |
| 8th - 9th Cloudy and windy |
| 25th Sunny and windy |
accordingly to the local fishermen :
is this a sign of monsoon or tailing effect of typhoon elsewhere ?
"this type of raining pattern and sea conditions, what else - the monsoon lah...sigh..."
but since the monsoon comes early...will it end early too ??
"fat chance !! "
.... ha ha ha.....we shall see...
SHOTS OF THE SEA
river mouth on summer days
|
|
 
looks like the waves has calmed down
|
deserted jetty
the river water looked clearer now too
|
|
|
|
24 December 2004 9.00am
|
|
|
|
27 November 2004 9.00am ....a breather ...
River mouth
serenity at the old jetty....
|
|
26 October 2004 8.00am ....the sea works harder today than yesterday...
can you imagine the swell out there ?
ghost town at merang ...but this morning we saw some guests being ferried into the island.... maybe they are planning to stay thru the monsoon...ha ha ....
|
|
Floods and "ponding" in homes... 10 km away from Merang .. where a python was found, caged & escaped !
with another 4 months of rains coming up ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
25 October 2004 8.00am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
merang river
Brown fresh water from Lake Kenyir
|
|
23 October 2004, 8.00am
...... merang river mouth.....
|
|
|
|
..... merang beach.....
|
|
|
|
|
.....have boat will travel.....deutzia nautical
your kinda redang / fishing holiday
