雨季

雨季，指在降水量有顯著季節差異的地區，年降水量主要發生的月份，通常持續一個或多個月Glossary of Meteorology (2013). Rainy season.  American Meteorological Society. Retrieved on 2008-12-27. 。擁有雨季的地區分佈在熱帶和亞熱帶Michael Pidwirny (2008). CHAPTER 9: Introduction to the Biosphere.  PhysicalGeography.net. Retrieved on 2008-12-27.。

根據柯本氣候分類法，對於熱帶氣候，雨季定義為平均降水量60毫米以上的月份。不同的氣候類型，雨季也不盡相同。以北半球為例：東亞季風區的雨季主要為夏季；南亞季風區的雨季大約在6月～11月；熱帶莽原氣候的雨季為夏季；地中海型氣候的雨季為冬季。擁有旱季和雨季也是季風雨林的特色，熱帶雨林的降雨量則是在全年平均分佈Elisabeth M. Benders-Hyde (2003). World Climates.  Blue Planet Biomes. Retrieved on 2008-12-27.。一些有顯著雨季的地區，當熱帶輻合帶或季風槽移動到較高緯度時，雨季的降雨會中斷J. S. 0guntoyinbo and F. 0. Akintola (1983). Rainstorm characteristics affecting water availability for agriculture.  IAHS Publication Number 140. Retrieved on 2008-12-27.。

若雨季在夏季發生，降水主要在下午和傍晚。雨季時，空氣污染改善，淡水水質提高，植被大幅度增長。但同時也會使土壤養分減少，侵蝕增加。特別在熱帶地區，夏季的雨季會使瘧疾發病率增加 。一些動物在雨季會有適應和生存策略。 另外，前一個旱季也通常導致雨季的糧食短缺，因為作物尚未成熟。

受影響的地區
撒哈拉以南非洲的熱帶莽原氣候區，包括加納、布基納法索Patrick Laux et al. (2008): Predicting the regional onset of the rainy season in West Africa. International Journal of Climatology, 28 (3), 329–342.Patrick Laux et al. (2009): Modelling daily precipitation features in the Volta Basin of West Africa. International Journal of Climatology, 29 (7), 937–954., 、南蘇丹David Vandervort (2009). Darfur: getting ready for the rainy season.  International Committee of the Red Cross. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.、厄立特里亞Mehari Tesfazgi Mebrhatu, M. Tsubo, and Sue Walker (2004). A Statistical Model for Seasonal Rainfall Forecasting over the Highlands of Eritrea.  New directions for a diverse planet: Proceedings of the 4th International Crop Science Congress. Retrieved on 2009-02-08.、埃塞俄比亞Alex Wynter (2009). Ethiopia: March rainy season "critical" for southern pastoralists.  Thomson Reuters Foundation. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.和博茨瓦納都有一個明顯的雨季The Voice (2009). Botswana: Rainy Season Fills Up Dams.  allAfrica.com. Retrieved on 2009-02-06. 。佛羅里達州和德克薩斯州南部的熱帶莽原氣候區也有一個雨季Randy Lascody (2008). The Florida Rain Machine.  National Weather Service. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.。季風氣候區包括印度次大陸、東南亞（包括印度尼西亞和菲律賓）OCHA Partnership for Humanity (2008). OCHA Field Situation Report: Indonesia – Rainy Season 1 December 2008.  United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.、澳大利亞北部Burarra Gathering (2006). Burarra Gathering.  Burarra Gathering. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.、波利尼西亞Tahiti Sun Travel Network (2007). About Bora Bora Island.  Retrieved on 2009-02-06.、中美洲Joint Typhoon Warning Center (2006). 2.4 Analysis & Forecasting "Thumb Rules" for the Rainy Season.  United States Navy. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.、墨西哥西部和南部Remote Sensing for Migratory Creatures (2002). Phenology and Creature Migration: Dry season and wet season in West Mexico.  Arizona Remote Sensing Center. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.、美國西南部的沙漠J. Horel (2006). Normal Monthly Precipitation, Inches.  University of Utah. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.、圭亞那南部Horace Burton (2006). The climate of Guyana.  Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology. The Outfield, August 2006, pp. 3. Retrieved on 2009-02-08.和巴西東北部James Brian Elsner (1988). Analysis of Wet Season Rainfall Over the Nordeste of Brazil, South America.  University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.等等。

圭亞那北部有兩個雨季：一個在早春，另一個在初冬。 在西非，南部有兩個雨季，但北部只有一個C. H. Mari, G. Cailley, L. Corre, M. Saunois, J. L. Attie, V. Thouret, and A. Stohl (2007). Biomass burning plumes during the AMMA wet season experiment.  Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions, pp. 17342. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.。 在地中海氣候區，包括美國西海岸，意大利、希臘的地中海海岸線Greek Embassy London (2008). Welcome to Greece.  Government of Greece. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.和土耳其的雨季都是在冬季D. Bozkurt, O.L. Sen and M. Karaca (2008). Wet season evaluation of RegCM3 performance for Eastern Mediterranean.  EGU General Assembly. Retrieved on 2009-02-06.。同樣，以色列內蓋夫沙漠的雨季是從十月延續至五月 。 在地中海氣候區和季風氣候區之間的邊界，索諾蘭沙漠共同擁有這兩個氣候類型的兩個雨季Michael J. Plagens (2009). What and Where is the Sonoran Desert?  Arizonensis. Retrieved on 2009-02-07.。

參見
梅雨
旱季
回南天

 參考資料 

Category:氣候
Category:季節
Category:降水