Introduction
The rainy season refers to the time of the year when a region experiences an average amount of rainfall.
The rainy season is a very important season that is experienced once in year in many countries. The rainy season occurs for a month or more depending on the climatic conditions of a place.
The areas that experience more amount of rainfall are called tropical areas. The rainy season is the most favorable season that supports agriculture as it is when crops grow in abundance.
Characteristics of the rainy season
- During the rainy season, there tends to be mud in all the places. This is especially the case in places that have earthen grounds.
- The air is also more humid during the rainy season. This is due to the high amount of water that evaporates into the atmosphere.
- During the rainy season, temperatures become lower than they normally are when it is summer. This causes people to wear heavy clothing to protect them from the cold weather.
- Another feature of the rainy season is that it results into the growth of plants. This is due to plants having enough water that can support their growth.
- The rainy season is also characterized by cloudy skies. This is because the rain comes from clouds and hence the sky has to be full of clouds for the rains to occur.
Importance of rain to agriculture
- During the rainy season, the soil tends to retain a lot of water. Crops hence get a good steady supply of water and hence crops grow to become healthier.
- There is also a lot of food for cattle during the rainy season. This is very beneficial to those farmers who take part in rearing animals like dairy cows since their production increases.
- Rain also tends to improve the structure of soil to make it more suitable for farming activities. This is through the proliferation of water into soil which makes the soil more capable of retaining water and supporting roots.
- Rain also is beneficial to agriculture as it helps in increasing the rates of manure available. This is especially the case for those farmers who use organic manure where there is plenty of plant and crop waste to use as manure.
- During the rainy season, there are low chances of infection of crops by pests and diseases. This leads not only to high yields but also to healthier crops.
- Due to the high crop yields that are experienced during the rainy season, those who partake in agriculture get funds from their yields that helps them to advance their agricultural activities.
- Crops also tend to weigh more when they have enough water to retain. This is beneficial to farmers especially if they produce crops that they sell through weights. They get more money for the crops that they would normally have gotten during the dry weather.
- Rain also helps to get rid of dust that clogs the poles of leaves which may make crops to become unhealthy. It also washes away any dirt that accumulates on the crops.
Problems faced during the rainy season
- Flooding is the major problem that is experienced during the rainy season. This occurs when the amounts of rainfall are above average.
- The rainy season may also lead to the spread of certain illnesses. This may include pneumonia, cholera, polio, malaria and typhoid. This is due to the amounts of stagnant water.
- The rainy season also leads to muddy roads. This is the case mostly in rural areas where the roads that do not have tarmacs and this poses a huge transportation problem for people living there.
- Rain also contributes to soil erosion. This is where running rain water carries away the top soil that is fertile. This may have devastating effects on agriculture.
- Too much rain can also cause a reduction in crop production. Plants like vegetables and fruits may spoil while in the farms if they have too much water.
- During the rainy season, people usually experience heavy traffic. This is due to the puddles on the roads and cars moving slowly due to poor vision. This may cause delays as people go to work.
- Another major problem of the rainy season is that too much rain causes power blackouts. This is caused by lightning.
Conclusion
Rainy season mostly favors agriculture due to the increased water content in the soil. However, too much rain can cause more harm than good. It is therefore important to have good drainage systems that can protect us from flooding that may occur due to too much rain.