Moisture and Precipitation Processes

San Pedro Sula is dominated by mT and mE air masses throughout the majority of the year. The weather is hot and humid, staying relatively constant with precipitation throughout the year. A slight cold season occurs in December or January when a cold front from the north brings cooling northwest winds.

Air Mass Map -- http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather

 /elements/airmasses.htm

Global air masses -- (www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/ maps/air_masses_2.jpg)

Atlantic and Caribbean Tropical Satellite Imagery

Caribbean -- http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/trop-atl.html

West Atlantic -- http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/trop-atl.html

The rainiest months in San Pedro Sula are: June, July, August, September, October, November. In the tropics, temperatures vary due to elevations instead of the seasons; land in the tropics below 1,000 meters is known as tierra caliente (hot land). In San Pedro Sula April is generally the hottest and driest month.

Last updated: Mon, 02 Apr, 01:15 BST -- http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-app/weathercharts?CONT=mamk&LANG=en"]Max temperature [°C ]

          

Last updated: Mon, 02 Apr, 01:15 BST -- http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-app/weathercharts?CONT=mamk&LANG=en"]

Min temperature [ºC ]

 

The line of clouds near the equator shows where air is converging at ground level and rising to create clouds. It s called the ITCZ. (Image via NOAA)http://montessorimuddle.org/2011/04/21/global-atmospheric-circulation-and-biomes/

San Pedro Sula coincides with the passage of the ITCZ in the summer months. The ITCZ is a region of light winds, deriving it's name from the doldrums. Southeast and Northeast Trade Winds converge, within the doldrums, creating a zone of cumulus clouds that can build to great heights. Shower activity is associated along with the cumulus clouds; tropical depressions can form and turn into hurricanes along the ITCZ. This phenomena occurs even though the Coriolis Effect is at its weakest, due to the northern and southern movements of the ITCZ.

  

The seasonal meandering of the ITCZ -- http://www.newmediastudio.org/DataDiscovery/Hurr_ED_Center/Stages_of_Hurricane_Dev/ITCZ/ITCZ.html   A tropical depression on the ITCZ north of the geographical equator -- http://www.newmediastudio.org/DataDiscovery/Hurr_ED_Center/Stages_of_Hurricane_Dev/ITCZ/ITCZ.html

A tropical depression on the ITCZ north of the geographical equator -- http://www.newmediastudio.org/DataDiscovery/Hurr_ED_Center/Stages_of_Hurricane_Dev/ITCZ/ITCZ.html