DevelopmentsinEarthSurfaceProcesses ...

Climate and Geomorphologic-related Disasters in Latin America 5
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DJF Surface Air Temperature
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JJA Surface Air Temperature
Sea and Gulf of Mexico are reflected in the seasonal changes of surface air
temperature shown in Figure 1.2. During the boreal summer, the presence of
warm ocean SSTs in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico contribute to the
maintenance, intensification, and formation of hurricanes that affect Central America
and the Caribbean.
2.2. Air Temperature Patterns
The surface air temperature patterns in Latin America show well-established seasonal
characteristics, with the land quickly responding to the Sun’s apparent movement
with respect to the equatorial plane, so that the maximum temperature occurs
in South America on the summer of southern hemisphere. During the austral
summer (December, January, and February—DJF), the continent’s warmest area
is situated in southcentral Brazil, Bolivia, and northern Argentina (Fig. 1.2). In
addition, over the occidental coastal zones the effect of the cold Humboldt Current
is notable. To a lesser extent, the effect of the cold Malvinas Current is also felt in
the temperatures of the Argentine coast as far north as the mouth of the Rio de la
Plata.
During the austral winter (June, July and August—JJA), the highest temperatures
are present in Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. During the
austral winter, cooler temperatures occur in southern South America, lessening
the temperature differences between land and sea. The effect of the Humboldt
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Figure 1.2 Average(1979^2006)surfaceairtemperature(°C) from the National Centers for
Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Reanalysis dataset during (a) December^January^
February, and (b) June^July^August.
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