What is the average precipitation in the Amazon rainforest?

What is the average precipitation in the Amazon rainforest?

120 inches
Different sections of the rainforest experience different levels and periods of rainfall. While the average annual rainfall is almost 120 inches, some areas can get nearly 400 inches of rain a year. Much of the rain falls between October and May.

What is the highest precipitation in the Amazon rainforest?

140 inches
The highest amounts of precipitation, up to 140 inches (3,500 mm), are recorded in the upper Putumayo along the Colombian border. Along the southern margin of the Amazon basin, the climate grades into that of west-central Brazil, with a distinct dry season during the Southern Hemispheric winter.

Why is precipitation important in the Amazon rainforest?

In addition, precipitation recycling (i.e., the cascade of moisture through precipitation, evapotranspiration, and subsequent precipitation cycles)—especially during the dry season—is a critical source of moisture for the interior rainforest and is estimated to contribute 20–30% of rainfall over the Amazon basin ( …

Why is the Amazon wet?

This moisture from the trees primes a natural atmospheric pump, creating enough instability and providing enough water to develop the persistent rain patterns of the region. The results have implications for land use in the area because deforestation can alter this natural rainfall pump.

What is the wet season in the Amazon rainforest?

The rainy season tends to occur from March through to July, with August through December being extremely changeable. January to March are the driest months of the year. Average temperatures in the Ecuadorian Amazon are similar to Brazil.

Why is rain important in the rainforest?

Rainforests also help to maintain the world’s water cycle by adding water to the atmosphere through the process of transpiration which creates clouds. Water generated in rainforests travel around the world; scientists think that moisture generated in the forests of Africa ends up falling as rain in the Americas!

What is the average depth of the Amazon River?

around 20 to 50 meters
The majority of the Amazon River has a depth of around 20 to 50 meters (66 to 164 ft) but this plunges to around 100 meters (330 ft) at its deepest points.

Why is the Amazon so wet?

Rainforests are wet because the air pressure at the equator is low. Air is sucked in from the oceans which contains moisture.

How does precipitation help plant growth?

Growth from Seed Besides disease, rainfall can also determine how fast a crop will grow from seed, including when it will be ready for harvesting. A good balance of rain and proper irrigation can lead to faster-growing plants, which can cut down on germination time and the length between seeding and harvest.

How much rain does the Amazon rainforest get yearly?

The Amazon rainforest’s tropical climate is humid and provides an average of 80 inches of annual rainfall, with half of the precipitation resulting from the forest’s own evaporation.

What is the yearly precipitation for the tropical rainforest?

Tropical rainforests cannot thrive in temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit since the plant life is not well-suited to frosty conditions. On average, tropical rainforests receive annual precipitation of more than 150cm. In a single month, the rainforest can receive 4 inches of rain.

What is the average precipitation in the tropical dry forest?

Tropical dry forest can be defined as forest in frost-free regions with annual precipitation between 500-2000 mm and a pronounced dry season of four to seven months with less than 50 mm of precipitation. This website provides comparative data on tropical dry forests of the Pacific.

Is the Amazon rainforest a tropical or temperate rainforest?

While tropical rainforest biomes are of various sizes, the world’s largest tropical rainforest is the Amazon, which stretches over two million square miles (or 550 million hectares). Tropical rainforests are located worldwide-including Hawaii, Brazil, Central America, South America, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia.