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Kiteboard Thailand - Kitesurf Schools - Dangerous Weather Patterns in Asia As you should all know, kiteboarding can be fatal in unstable weather conditions. Thailand / Malaysia / Singapore generally produce very steady and light wind in the the 8-18 knot range. In the lower countries during the SW monsoons and sometimes during the NE monsoon, a type of storm front known as a squall line can occur on a regular basis. These can be seen as large dark clouds on the horizon. The chances of these clouds containing strong wind is high and all kiteboarding should be stopped ASAP. Below is warning on these Squall Lines from the Malaysian meteorology Web Squall-Lines Squall-lines is a term used for describing moving lines of thunderstorms. They are hundreds of kilometers in length and have a life span of several hours, which is considerably longer than its component thunderstorms. Squall-lines generate gusty winds and heavy rains which are more intense and extensive than individual thunderstorms. Squall-lines are often observed during the southwest monsoon along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and coastal areas of East Malaysia facing the South China Sea (Thailand - koh Samui) In Peninsular Malaysia, squall-lines referred to as "Sumatras" are formed along the Straits of Malacca during the night and pre-dawn. Sumatras tend to move eastwards in the morning affecting mainly the west coast states of Peninsular Malaysia. Squall-lines in East Malaysia appear to exhibit the same characteristics, developing off-shore in the night before sweeping landwards in the morning. What happens when a squall-line approaches You observe a characteristic cloud formation, a thick band of cumulonimbus clouds which rises to great heights, approaching from the sea. Wind speed rapidly accelerates and becomes gusty as the squall-line approaches. There is a sudden drop in temperature.The passage of the squall-line is often accompanied by thunder, lightning and heavy rain. On reaching land, deprived of its latent heat of condensation, the squall-line rapidly dissipates. Rainfall decrease in intensity, and conditions return to normal within about an hourWhen are squall-lines most likely ? Squall-lines usually occur during pre-dawn and early morning, and are most frequent between the months of April and November. However, squall-lines can occasionally form in the afternoons and move landwards along with the prevailing winds. Origin of "Sumatras" The Sumatras is a phenomenon unique to the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia . Its formation is due to the location of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on the west, and Peninsular Malaysia on the east, separated by the narrow Straits of Malacca. During the Southwest Monsoon, southwesterly winds blowing over the mountain range of Sumatra creates mountain waves on the leeward side, resulting in an unstable atmosphere. Relatively warmer waters of the Malacca Straits provide a source of moisture for convective development. In a highly unstable atmosphere, thunderclouds grow in-situ and merge into line squalls. Squall-lines move northeastwards steered by the southwesterly wind towards the west coast areas of Peninsular Malaysia. Squall-lines are dangerous Squall-lines indicate areas of extreme instability and severe turbulence. Embedded in squall-lines are thunderstorm cells, which can produce lightning, heavy rain leading to flash floods, and strong winds. In severe cases, they can cause injuries and loss of lives as well as damage to property. In most areas of Asia that experience thunderstorm activity, if you see this type of activity and are unfamiliar with your kiting location then it is best to land your kite ASAP. See diagram below.
For a great little video on what not to do in Thailand Some additional photos before the storm front come through
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