Earth Science 7-Thimphu, Bhutan
Thimphu, Bhutan
Latitude/Longitude 27.5° N 89.6° E [1]
Elevation 2320 meters [2]
Major Body of Water Thimphu River east of Dechen Lam [2]
Contents
Climate
Climate Zone
Aw (monsoon) on the Koppen Climate Chart
-Cold, dry winters and warm, moist summers
Cities with similar climates Earth Science 7-Dhaka, Bangladesh
Earth Science 7-Medan, Indonesia
Average Temperature
| Thimphu Temperature | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Average |
| Avg. Temperature(c) | 4 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 14 |
| Avg. Max Temperature(c) | 10 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 18 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 19 |
| Avg. Min Temperature(c) | -2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 5 | -1 | 8 |
Average Precipitation
| Bhutan Pecipitaion | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Average |
| Precipitation (inches) | 0.3 | .4 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 7.1 | 16 | 20.1 | 14.8 | 9.3 | 3.1 | .4 | .2 | 6.3 |
| Days with Precipitation | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
Factors that Regulate the Climate
Thimphu, Bhutan is mountainous, where its highest point of elevation is 8,000 meters. The mountains block out winds. Thimphu is land locked and is not near any major lakes or seas. As a result, the city does not have warm nights and cool mornings. Thimphu's climate changes drastically, where it would have a dry winter and lots of precipitation in the summer. This is because of rain shadow, which is when wind hits mountains and on the lee side of the mountains it becomes dry because it is colder at the top of the mountain and the cold air cannot hold as much moisture and the other side has a lot of moisture. Also, it is because of the monsoon. In the winter, the equator is below Thimphu so all the high pressure cold air from China moves towards the equator and over Thimphu. In the summer, the equator is above Thimphu so all the warm, moist air comes from the high pressure near the sea and India over Thimphu.
Geology
Tectonic Plates
Plate Boundary: The west side of the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate
Type: Convergent
Process: Continent-continent collision
Earthquakes: Thimphu, Bhutan has numerous earthquakes where India is pushing in†o China at a rate of 5cm a year. (4-5 on Richter Scale).
Volcanoes: Very little to none because there is no subduction occurring [6] [2]
Rocks
Thimphu, Bhutan sits along a the Thimphu River or also known as the Raidak River. Through the compaction and cementation of the high-energy moving rivers flowing down the Himilayas, clastic sedimentary rocks are formed. As a result, the river going past Thimphu, there are mainly pebbles and gravels, rather than silt and sand.
Numerous mountains, the Himalayas, surround Thimphu. The tectonic plates are crashing into each other creating new rocks, through a process called regional metamorphism. Gneiss is found mainly in the North, while schists and phyllites, low grade metamorphic rocks, are in the South. Thimphu has a variety of minerals including coal, copper, graphite, gypsum, iron, lead, mica, pyrite, sand and gravel, silver, slate, and talc. Dolomite and limestone are two carbonate rocks especially numerous in the Himalayas. These two rocks, which are found in are found oceans, have been thrust up into the mountains as a result of India colliding into China.[7] [8]
- ↑ http://www.wunderground.com
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://maps.google.com/maps?ftr=earth.promo&hl=en&utm_campaign=en&utm_medium=ha&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-bk-3dmfe&utm_term=google%20earth
- ↑ http://www.uwmc.uwc.edu/geography/100/koppen_web/koppen_map.htm
- ↑ Spaulding, Nancy E. and Samuel N. Namowitz. Earth Science. Evanston IL: McDougal Littell Inc., 2005.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/bhutan/thimphu.php#
- ↑ http://www.moea.gov.bt/DGM%20website/pub/CountryReport1.pdf
- ↑ http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/1997/9304097.pdf
- ↑ http://www.apipnm.org/
