Travel to the rainiest place on earth. The wettest place on earth

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Many cities in the world cannot boast sunny weather... In especially rainy areas, the number of fine days is easy to count on one hand. Scientists are trying to figure out what the wettest place on Earth is called, and why incessant downpours prevail there.

Cherrapunji city

There are many amazing places... One of them is the city of Cherrapunji, which is located in India. Researchers believe that this is the wettest place, as it falls a large number of precipitation - 11777 mm in year.

The town of Cherrapunji is located in the Indian state called "Abode of the Clouds" - Meghalaya. This unusual settlement is located in the Assam Mountains, on the Shillong plateau. The height above sea level is 1313 meters.

The indigenous people of Cherrapunji call their city Sokhra. At this point on the Earth, scientists have recorded record values ​​of precipitation.

In July 1861, 9300 mm of rain fell here, this figure still breaks all records.

In 2014, data came from The World Organization meteorologists. The report states that 2493 mm of precipitation fell on Cherrapunji on June 15 and 16, 1995.

Since there are constant downpours, the soil is washed out and loses its fertile juices. Farming in these places is not popular. Food is brought from neighboring villages and towns. The market is equipped with large waterproof roofs.

The population of the town is 10,000 inhabitants. Locals are active in mining coal and calcareous rocks. The main place of work of the indigenous population of Cherrapunji is a large cement plant located in the center of the city.

The townspeople are accustomed to constant thunderstorms and downpours. A reed umbrella is a must-have for every inhabitant of these rainy places. Reed umbrellas are called "knups". They cover not only the head, but the whole body from cold drops. This unique design allows you to forget about wet clothes and frequent colds.

Weather conditions dictate their own rules and make you adapt to them. Long time destruction of bridges over mountain rivers... The wood couldn't stand heavy rains and began to rot in the first year of construction. But local folk engineers came up with their own version of bridges.

To make a strong chain for crossing to the other side, the builders began to tie the flexible roots of rubber trees together. They decided to wrap them around bamboo planks.

Over time, the bamboo base begins to deteriorate. But the downpours are not terrible for the roots of rubber trees. Growing up, they are intertwined even more tightly, turning into a reliable bridge. It can easily support the weight of a person.

Living root bridges are very durable. The oldest such structure has been standing in Cherrapunzhi for over 500 years.

Loro city

This rainy place is located in Colombia, in the Choco area. In the middle of the 20th century, meteorologists recorded a record amount of precipitation here. For 12 months, their volume amounted to 13473 mm.

During this period, there were incessant downpours. The streams washed away everything in their path.

This city is also located in Colombia. The famous Andes mountains are located next to it.

Scientists believe that the proximity of the mountains affects the amount of precipitation in this picturesque place. The thing is that moisture with The Pacific by air moves towards Puerto Lopez. But since a mountain wall acts as one of the boundaries, moisture cannot move on. Therefore, it settles in Puerto Lopez, and it rains constantly there.

For a year in this area falls 12892 mm precipitation. Therefore, Puerto Lopez can safely claim the status of the wettest place in the world.

This small Indian village is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the wettest place on the planet.

The Bay of Bengal is located nearby. It is from there that moist air, along with showers and thunderstorms, moves to the village of Mosinram. This settlement took root on a plateau about 1.5 kilometers high.

More than 11870 mm precipitation, as the condensation is very strong.

But rainy weather- it's not only despondency and constant colds. As a result of strong soil moisture, the nature of these places fascinates with its brightness. Lush bushes and trees reach gigantic... And during the flowering period, the entire district is covered with a magnificent blanket of open buds of all stripes and shapes.

Storm flows turn into mountain waterfalls. Jets of water pierce unique caves in the stone, which amaze tourists and locals with their labyrinths.

It's not raining all year round... Almost 90 percent of the moisture is in the summer and early autumn... And since November, the amount of rain has dropped sharply. Sometimes in December and January there is such a severe drought that local residents lack drinking water.

Image copyright Alamy Image caption "The wettest place in the world." It's hard to disagree, isn't it?

When asked where the wettest place on Earth is, the smart ones can smugly answer that in the Mariana Trench.

Yes, in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, in the deepest part of our planet, where over 10,000 meters of water column overhead, it is really wet. But if we are discussing the wettest place on land on the planet, the answer may be more difficult, the correspondent notes.

Currently, the Guinness Book of Records gives the palm to the village of Mosinram in India. Moisture from the Bay of Bengal, from the northeast Indian Ocean, gathers above the plateau at an altitude of more than 1491 m, in the Eastern Khasi Mountains, from where the plains of Bangladesh are visible.

The result of such condensation is an astounding average annual rainfall - more than 11,871 mm. The tallest monument in the world, the 30-meter statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro would be knee-deep in water in such rains.

Not surprisingly, this region has lush vegetation, many waterfalls and quaint caves carved into limestone by water.

Image copyright Daniel J. Rao Alamy

A little more than 10 km to the east, on the slopes of the Assam Mountains, is the town of Cherrapunji, traditionally called Sokhra by the locals, which is known as the second rainiest place on the planet.

It is only 100 mm behind Mosinram in terms of the average annual rainfall, but it has enough other titles and records. It was here that the most rainy month and the rainiest year on record.

In July 1861, precipitation here amounted to 9300 mm. Since August last year, Cherrapunji holds the record for the total annual rainfall - 26,470 mm.

Both of these extremely rainy settlements are in the state of Meghalaya, which translates to cloud abode.

Image copyright Getty Image caption Living in the rain that almost never stops ...

Locals always carry with them unusual huge umbrellas woven from reeds, called "knups".

They protect the entire body from the rain, allowing owners to go about their daily activities, mainly repairing roads and buildings destroyed by rain. Or go for a meal.

Farming in the region is not possible due to heavy rains, so products delivered from less rainy areas are sold in covered markets under waterproof sheds.

Image copyright Getty Image caption This is what Mosinram looks like. A sad sight ...

Another significant problem is maintaining the serviceability of bridges in wet tropical jungle where traditional building materials rot very quickly. Local residents have found an ingenious solution - to tie the thin roots of trees to each other. The bridge consists of a bamboo frame, which is tied with the roots of rubber trees.

After 6-8 years, bamboo decays, and a "living bridge" of roots remains, which are already able to support the weight of a person. Over time, such a structure only gets stronger and perfectly withstands bad weather.

Indian rubber trees ( Ficuselastica) characterized by strong flexible secondary roots growing from the trunk of the tree.

Locals throw the hollowed-out trunks of the betel tree across streams and rivers, using them as guiding supports for thin rubber roots.

Image copyright National Geographic Image Collection Alamy

As soon as the roots reach the soil on the other side, they begin to harden and harden.

It takes about ten years to create a living bridge, but then such structures can serve for centuries. The oldest bridge in the region is known to be over 500 years old.

Although the settlements in the Khasi Mountains hold a historical record for rainfall, it has recently been suggested that the wettest place in the world may not be there.

There are two main contenders, both in Colombia. However, Technically they cannot be compared to the Indian champions.

Lloro is a city in northwestern Colombia, in the province of Choco. On a farm near the town, the recorded average annual rainfall between 1952 and 1954 was 13,473 mm.

This is much higher than in Mosinram, but the measurements were made using outdated instruments and therefore cannot claim an officially recognized record.

Image copyright Christian Werthenbach Alamy

Meteorological historian Christopher S. Burt argues that another city on the other side of the Andes could also boast record rainfall.

"In fact, the wettest place on Earth is Puerto Lopez in Colombia, with an average of 12,892 mm of rainfall per year," he says.

But Burt notes that despite consistently recording rainfall for 50 years in the area, there is a lack of data series for several months in the middle of this period.

This means that the precipitation data for Puerto Lopez is considered to be interrupted and cannot be compared with other areas in the world that have 30 years of continuous recording.

“Despite this, since data logging has been going on for so long and there are so many years without missing information, I can confidently say that in Puerto Lopez there are usually more precipitation on average a year than in Mosinram, "says Bert.

This Colombian city is damp all year round due to its location in the foothills of the Northern Andes, which stretch along the western coast of the country.

“Here, tropical moisture from the Pacific Ocean constantly flows into the surf zone ... the mountains block the flow of this flow, and as a result it rains almost constantly over Puerto Lopez. I think it rains on average 320 days a year. Precipitation is more or less evenly distributed in throughout the year, "explains Bert.

Opinions differ on the average rainfall and the likelihood of getting wet in the rain. For example, you will successfully get wet in Mosinram, but the likelihood is even higher that you will leave Puerto Lopez in squishy boots.

Until recently, the record for the wettest two-day period belonged to Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, where it swept tropical cyclone... The question arose: is Reunion the sole champion in such a single meteorological phenomenon?

Image copyright Hemis Alamy Image caption Reunion Island. A day without rain

In the spring of 2014, a group of experts from the World Meteorological Organization concluded that the two-day record for rainy weather belongs to Cherrapunji, where a staggering 2493 mm rainfall was recorded on June 15-16, 1995.

This brings us back to the state of Meghalaya, which has earned its reputation as a rainy region thanks to the legendary monsoons. It is the predominant seasonal wind rose, bringing extreme rainfall annually to South and Southeast Asia.

Due to monsoons, almost 90% of Mosinram's record annual precipitation can fall within six months, from May to October. The rainiest month is July with its record 3,500 mm.

But in the arid winter months there is very little rainfall from December to February.

And when locals experiencing a shortage of drinking water, the title of the wettest place on Earth sounds like a mocking paradox.

[: RU] One of the most amazing features our planet is the presence of completely dissimilar climatic conditions in different locations as if we live on different planets... The planet's distance from the Sun, as well as 23.5 degrees of tilt of the Earth's axis, contributes to differences in climatic conditions in many places on Earth, especially those located further from the equator. However, some places on Earth do not experience much climate change at all. Year after year, residents of these areas see the same weather day after day.

In terms of the areas that receive the most annual rainfall, many are located near large bodies of water or mountains. Most of the rainiest places on Earth are in close proximity to mountains and other highlands that channel clouds, trap permanent clouds that eventually release moisture in the form of precipitation. Due to this phenomenon, half of the wettest places on Earth are in Hawaii or located in the northeastern part of India.

10. Emei Shan - China - 8169 mm

The rainiest place in all of China, Emei Shan is located in Sichuan province in the south-central part of the country. In 1996, the place was listed World heritage UNESCO, as Mount Emeishan is located here, which is the highest of the four sacred mountains of Buddhism.

9. Cookies - Hawaii (USA) - 9293 mm

Cook is a mountain peak on the island of Maui, Hawaii, which rises 1,765 meters above sea level and was formed by the explosive force of the volcano many years ago. The eruption also created the Mex Valley, which is the rainiest area in Hawaii today. Due to its natural value, diversity of flora and fauna and beauty, the area is considered a nature reserve.

1. Waialeale - Hawaii (USA) - 9763 mm

Waialeal receives so much rainfall every year that the land is a constant mixture of mud, which in turn makes mountain tourism here extremely dangerous even for the most experienced hikers.

Waialeale in Hawaiian translates as "water overflow", which is quite logical, given the abundance of rainfall.

1. Big God - Hawaii (USA) - 10,272 mm

Recently, after ten years of studying the distribution of precipitation in Hawaii based on data collected at a weather station located in 1992, a large swamp located in the territory of national park Haleakala has been named the rainiest spot in Hawaii. This claim is controversial due to the difficulty in collecting data in the area and its remoteness.

However, the great swamp is a major tourist attraction for those seeking to immerse themselves in some of the most beautiful, green places that adorn our planet.

1. Debunja - Cameroon - 10,299 mm

Debunja is a village located in the southwestern outskirts of Cameroon, in the South Atlantic Ocean on the coast of this African country. This area is the second wettest on African continent, was part of a German colony at the beginning of the 20th century. The Germans left behind a lighthouse that stood for over 100 years.

Debunja gets most their precipitation due to the coastal location and the proximity of Mount Cameroon. This mountain accumulates dense cloud formations, which allows huge amounts of moisture to fall out.

1. San Antonio de Ureca - Equatorial Guinea - 10,450 mm

The wettest place on the African continent is San Antonio de Ureca, a city located in Equatorial Guinea, an island nation near the slightly less rainy village of Debunja. San Antonio de Ureca is located in the southwest of the island, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, just north of the equator. It rains here most days of the year.

1. Cropp River - New Zealand- 11516 mm

Located along western New Zealand, close to the Tasman Sea, the Cropp River flows among mountainous terrain which contributes sharply increased level precipitation. Between October 1997 and October 1998, the Cropp River received an incredible 18,413 mm of rainfall.

1. Tutunendo - Colombia - 11,770 mm

The small village of Tutendo, with a population of less than 1,000, has the reputation of being the rainiest place in South America... All homes in this region are waterproof to keep indoor dryness. Even in the driest season from February to March, it rains 20 days a month.

1. Cherrapunji - India - 11777 mm

Less than 16 kilometers from the official wettest spot on Earth, is the Cherrapunji region, where it's raining almost daily. The Guinness Book of World Records states that this region holds the record for the greatest number precipitation in one month - 9300 mm precipitation in July 1861.

1. Mavsunram - India - 11871 mm

The argument that the region is the wettest place on earth is that Mavsunram, on average, receives 94 mm more precipitation than Cherrapunji, which is about 0.7 percent more.

In order to dampen the noise of the incessant rain, many residential buildings are clad with thatched roofs that absorb the effects of the ever-falling water droplets.

However, one does not want to go on vacation to such places at all. In our climate with a constant lack of heat and sunny days for rest, I want to get closer to sunny beach sea ​​to ride a luxury yacht. Yacht charter in Montenegro will the best way understand what the present is sea ​​travel, get a sea of ​​positive emotions, make your vacation exciting and romantic. [:]

Most megacities, be it exotic eastern or urban western reinforced concrete jungle, are familiar with the phenomenon atmospheric precipitation... In inclement weather, most people tend to close windows and doors more tightly, to settle in a comfortable chair under a blanket and with their favorite book. But often, residents of especially wet big cities have to put on a raincoat, arm themselves with an umbrella and go out, since the usual things cannot be canceled. In the words of the poet “nature has no bad weather»As if the rainiest city in the world is guided when, after the first raindrops, it instantly blooms with a colorful carpet of various umbrellas.

1. Cherrapunji, India (12,000 mm of precipitation per year)

The lighter the amount of precipitation in this Indian city is perceived in meters - 12 meters of water is poured on the heads of the townspeople every year! For 5 months a year there are endless downpours here, during which time they carry away almost all the soil, preventing the development of agriculture. And in 1980, nature was raging here and literally flooded the city, pouring a layer of water almost 26.5 meters thick on it! The wettest month happened in July 1986, when the level of precipitation stopped at a beautiful number of 10,000 mm.
The mountains of Khasi contributed to the city of Cherrapunji as a bed for the heavenly waterfall, into which the clouds saturated with moisture and pour it on the heads of the unfortunate townspeople. However, they still do not give up and try to resist the elements, using also nature itself - building bridges from trees. With the help of a wire frame, they guide the roots of the rubber trees into specific place and wait for them to sprout in the right direction. Such an almost miraculous bridge, by the way, turns out to be strong enough, and can withstand the weight of 50 people. The climate here is typically monsoon: after five months of endless rains, an even longer 7-month drought sets in. The dry and rather cool season falls here in November-February.

Every year the population major cities, and, therefore, their territory continues to grow steadily. Therefore, it is possible to compare cities not only by ...

2. Tutunendo, Colombia (11,500 mm)

For each of the 4,000 inhabitants of this Colombian city, 11.5 meters of water is poured from the sky every year. Throughout the year, an average of 280 days pass there with rains, and most often they occur at night. Perhaps this feature does not allow the elements to interfere too much in the life of local inhabitants, who are engaged not only in agriculture, but even in tourism.

3. Buenaventura, Colombia (6,000-7,000 mm)

The population of this Colombian city is about the same as in our Sochi, but it is less fortunate than the residents of Sochi, since 6-7 meters of precipitation falls here annually. Such dampness is facilitated by the peculiarity of the location of the city and the surrounding landscape: it is sandwiched on a tight strip of land between the steep Andes and the mighty Pacific Ocean. As a result, cyclones saturated with water rush in a row towards Buenaventura, braked over it by the mountains and dump their liquid cargo onto the streets of the city.

4. Monrovia, Liberia (5,140 mm)

The Liberian capital is pretty Big City with a population exceeding one million. And all these people have to endure showers almost all year round. Why did so many people come here and do not want to move somewhere to a more pleasant place for life? The fact is that the Americans at one time arranged here the only one in West Africa duty-free seaport, which is a source of funds for the whole country in general, and for the people of Monrovia in particular. Monsoon prevails here. tropical climate and only from the point of view of the climate, living here is hard, but where else can you make so much money? And although the monsoon climate is also inherent in the dry season, it often rains throughout it.

Regular sociological surveys, which are conducted among the local population, are designed to identify in each country the most comfortable people to live in ...

5. Molamyain, Myanmar (4,750 mm)

In its own country, this city is quite famous, but not at all because it "does not dry out". In fact, there is an abundance of Buddhist pagodas and temples, beautiful National cuisine and an abundance of tropical fruits. And only then do I remember the endless streams of water from heaven, falling on local attractions. The climate here is tropical, however, if in South-East Asia relative humidity usually high, but here it is much lower. In the coldest January, the temperature here "drops" to +26 degrees, and in the hottest month - April, it is quite a bit more - +30 degrees. The rainy season here falls in June-October, and July and August are the most generous in precipitation.

6. Lae, Papua New Guinea (4,650 mm)

Another wet place on the body of our planet fell on north coast islands New Guinea, which is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, namely in Huon Bay. Surprisingly, in this case, the abundance of precipitation benefited the area, because here they learned how to grow tea and coffee plantations quite well. Exactly Agriculture is the main source of income for the city budget of Lae. Although every time the rainy season comes, it seems that the showers are about to wash the town straight into the ocean. But he somehow keeps up and even quite successfully.

7. Hilo, Hawaii (3,300 mm)

If you look at the image of the Hawaiian Islands on advertising brochures and websites of travel companies, then there are palm trees, beaches and the sea. sunlight... However, nowhere is it shown what kind of torrential rains occur there, and very often. In the mountains of Maui, where is located national park, 3 meters of heavenly moisture falls per year, on the other islands it is even more - 4 meters. As for the city of Hilo, 3.3 meters of water drops every year from the sky onto its streets, houses and the heads of passers-by. And this is not surprising, because on average 272 days are rainy here.

Any settlement from a gigantic metropolis to a tiny village has a name and a history associated with it. Many of them were named after ...

8. Kochi, India (3,230 mm)

This is another Indian tropical city located in the south of the country, with the same monsoon climate... Over the whole year, there are 132 rainy days on average, and the wettest months are from May to October. Kochi is located on the western coast of India, washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea of ​​the Indian Ocean. It is partially located on the peninsula, as well as on a group of coastal islets, but at the other end it climbs into mainland, a total area it is 95 sq. km. Kochi is located very close to the equator (9 ° 58 ' north latitude). The coldest time here passes at a temperature of +23 degrees, and the greatest heat expressed in +31 degrees.

9. Taipei, Taiwan (2,405 mm)

Most of the year, it is sunny and warm in island China, however, 3-4 typhoons sweep through it in July-September. Taipei has a typical wet monsoon subtropical climate with humid and hot summers. It is then here that typhoons bring powerful precipitation. In general, the typhoon season is longer as it runs from May to November. Winter here is short and very mild, with frequent fogs. If the average summer temperature is + 26-28 degrees, then in winter it drops to + 14-16 degrees. In terms of tourism, the best time for visiting Taipei falls in the spring (February-April), when it is not so hot here, but typhoons with heavy rains have not yet begun.

10. Bergen, Norway (2,250 mm)

In this Norwegian city, it rains for 300 days a year, which could not but leave an imprint on his lifestyle. In order to somehow brighten up their hopeless, wet existence, the residents came up with the idea of ​​wearing multi-colored rubber boots, raincoats with funny drawings, vending machines selling umbrellas everywhere, which their employees have to replenish with new goods every day. Even the inhabitants of Bergen come up with jokes about themselves related to the rain. The city is surrounded by a pretty high mountains in a basin that is open only from the sea. Therefore, the clouds that have flown into the valley run up against the mountains and, having no other way out, are unloaded over the city by endless rains.
But here an unpleasant weather surprise cannot be taken by surprise - after all, it will certainly rain in summer, and snow in winter, which will, however, instantly melt, because, even in January average temperature over 0 degrees here. It is not surprising that in our age of globalization, when in any city there is a very colorful National composition, 97% of Norwegians live in Bergen. Foreigners just can't stand it for long. weather conditions constantly yearn for sunny days and are looking for any opportunity to get out of this town far away, but closer to the sun and warmth. There is even a local anecdote on the theme of the weather: “A wet and disgruntled tourist asks a local boy - tell me, boy, how long has this rain started? To which he replies - I do not know, because I am only 7 years old.

Many people think that London is the rainiest place in the world. This is not true. In fact, England is not the rainiest country even in Europe. For comparison, the annual rainfall in Moscow is 691 mm, in London - 599 mm. Below is a list of the ten wettest places on Earth, but several regions claim the title itself, due to the differing data from different meteorological services.

10. Kikori, Papua New Guinea

Kikori is a settlement located in the delta of the river of the same name on the island of New Guinea. The region is remarkable for its diverse ecosystem, dense forests and a complex network of rivers. The average annual precipitation here is about 5,840 mm.
9. Andagoya, Colombia

Andagoya - locality in the west of Colombia. Known for its equatorial and humid climate, with the same temperatures for almost the entire year. The average annual rainfall here is 6 817 mm. It usually rains at night.

8. Lake Henderson, British Columbia

Henderson Lake is a 14.94 sq. km. It is located in southwestern Canada, 3,700 km west of the capital Ottawa, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. On average, 6 903 mm of precipitation falls annually in the vicinity of the lake.

7. Bellenden Ker range, Australia

Bellenden Ker Range, also known as Wooroonooran Range, is a coastal mountain range located in the far north of Queensland, 2,000 km from the Australian capital of Canberra. It stretches for 65 km and is the wettest region on the mainland. The annual rainfall here exceeds 8,312 mm.

6. Quibdo, Colombia

Quibdo is a city located on the Atrato River in western Colombia. Known as the Rainiest Place in Latin America and one of the wettest regions on our planet. On average, 8 989 mm of precipitation falls here per year.

5. Debunja, Cameroon

Debunja is a village in the department of Fako, Cameroon. It is located on the southwestern slope of the active volcano Cameroon, in southwest region republics. This village with an average annual rainfall of 10 299 mm is located on the fifth line of our rating.

4. Waialeale, USA

Waialeale is a volcano located in the heart of the island of Kauai, Hawaiian Islands... On its slopes, an average of 11 684 mm of precipitation falls, and special climatic conditions promote the development of lush vegetation. Because of frequent rains, the summit of the volcano, almost always, is hidden either in dense fog or in haze.

3. Cherrapunji, India

Cherrapunji is a small town in the Indian state of Meghalaya. It is located on the Shillong plateau, north of the border from Bangladesh at an altitude of 1313 m above sea level. Along with the village of Mavsynram and the city of Lloro, it is the wettest and wettest place on Earth. 11,777 mm of precipitation falls here annually.

2. Mavsynram, India

Mawsynram is a settlement located at an altitude of 1400 m above sea level in the north-east of India, 16 km west of Cherrapunji. This village, together with the cities of Loro and Cherrapunji, is considered the rainiest place in the world. Here 11,872 mm of precipitation falls annually.

1. Lloro, Colombia

Lloro is a municipality and city in Colombia. Estimated based on records meteorological station set in the city, this area holds an absolute record for the amount of precipitation in the world - an average of 13 300 mm per year.