Madagascar Climate
Grace Toles
My continent is Africa and the country that I am focusing on is Madagascar.
Its climates are steppe, tropical savanna, and tropical rainforest.
The climate factors that create this climate are landforms, latitude,
elevation, and wind patterns/ocean currents.
My country is located mostly in the low latitudes and partially in the middle
latitudes. This affects it because it is warm there year-round, since Madagascar
receives direct rays from the sun year-round. This contributes to the constantly
warm temperatures. Being partially in the middle latitudes does not affect the
climate of Madagascar. Antananarivo is in the low latitudes, so it has a warmer
climate than if it was in the middle or high latitudes.
In parts of Madagascar, the climate is affected by elevation. Madagascar’s
highest point is at 2876m above sea level. That means that it is 33º F cooler
than the surrounding lowlands. This is due to the fact that for every 1000 ft.
of altitude gained, the temperature drops 3.5° F. Antananarivo is 4196 feet
above sea level, so it is around 14º F cooler.
Ocean currents and wind patterns influence Madagascar’s climate. The ocean
current called the South Equatorial Current influences it by warming the coast
as it flows past. Madagascar’s climate is also influenced by the southeasterly
trade winds because when they blow over Madagascar, they warm it.
Madagascar’s climate is also affected by its landforms. Parts of Madagascar
are mountainous. The mountain range is fairly close to the coast, so a rain
shadow is most likely created. A rain shadow forms when the wind from the ocean
blows
on the windward side of a coastal mountain range. It forms clouds and then
precipitates on the windward side. Meanwhile, on the leeward side, the now-dry
air travels
over the mountain and causes the land to be dry and hot. On the windward side
of the mountain range, the climate is tropical rainforest. While on the leeward
side, the climate is tropical savanna. Where there are no mountains in Madagascar,
the climate is steppe.
The country I have told you about is Madagascar and the specific city is Antananarivo.
Latitude, elevation, ocean currents, wind patterns, and landforms cause Madagascar’s
climates of tropical rainforest (very wet and receives a lot of rain), tropical
savanna (wet season and a dry season), and steppe (semiarid and grassland).