Rainfall patterns vary widely across the world and are dependent on several factors. The topography of the land, nearness to water bodies, latitude, prevailing temperatures, wind patterns, etc., all act together to influence the volume of precipitation in a place.
Mawsynram, located in the Meghalaya State in India, is the wettest place in the world. It receives an annual rainfall of 11,871 millimeters. The mountainous terrain of the surrounding land forces the northward-moving warm moist monsoon winds coming from the Bay of Bengal to converge over Mawsynram. The Khasi Hills where Maysynram is located is directly in the path of this airflow. Uplift over these hills by vigorous winds blowing in the region constantly cools down the vapor bearing clouds which then fall in the form of rain. The high rainfall makes the region have numerous rivers and waterfalls. The dwellers of Mawsynram have adapted to the wet conditions and never leave the house without an umbrella. The residents make basket-like covers with reeds to block out the rain as they work in the fields. December and January are the driest months in Mawsynram when the rainfall can trickle down to around 60 millimeters.
Cherrapunji is located only 15 kilometers from Mawsynram in Meghalaya. It is the second wettest place in the world. Cherrapunji receives an annual rainfall of 11,777 millimeters. The region stands at 4500 feet above sea level on the Khasi Hills and receives its rainfall from the monsoon winds blowing in from the Bay of Bengal. During the summer season, temperatures can rise as high as 23 degrees Celsius and dip down to as low as 7 degrees Celsius in the winter months.
Tutunendo is a municipality in Colombia in South America. It receives extremely heavy rainfall and is the world’s third wettest place. Persistent, apparently constant clouds and rain shape the climate of this place. Autumn is the wettest time of the year in Tutunendo. During the driest months of the year, February and March, precipitation still occurs about 20 days a month. Throughout the year, the skies remain cloudy with only three to four hours of sunshine each day.
Cropp River, New Zealand
Cropp River is a river flowing for 9 km in New Zealand before draining into the Whitcombe River. The Cropp River region recorded 1,049 millimeters of rainfall on December 12th to 13th, 1995, the highest ever registered in New Zealand in 48 hours. It is the fifth rainiest place on Earth.
Other Extremely Wet Destinations
Other wet places in the world in regard to the amount of rainfall they receive are San Antonio de Ureca, Bioko Island in Equatorial Guinea, which receives 10,450 millimeters of rainfall annually; Debundscha, Cameroon, Africa (10,299 millimeters); Big Bog, Maui, Hawaii (10,272 millimeters); Mt. Waialeale Kauai, Hawaii (9,763 millimeters); Kukui, Maui, Hawaii (9,293 millimeters); and Emei Shan, Sichuan Province, China (8,169 millimeters).
Mawsynram, located in the Meghalaya State in India, is the wettest place in the world with an annual rainfall of nearly 500 inches.
Originally published at https://gradaxis.com on November 29, 2019.
