ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Monsoon trough

Okay kiddo, let's talk about the monsoon trough! You know how sometimes it rains a lot in some places and not much in others? Well, the monsoon trough is kind of like a special rainy area in certain parts of the world.

So, imagine a big circle on a map around the Earth. This circle is called the "monsoon belt." During certain times of the year, the Earth tilts a certain way and causes air to move around in this belt. Some areas in the belt get very hot and humid, like in parts of India or Southeast Asia. This hot air rises and creates clouds. These clouds bring rain and thunderstorms, which can sometimes be very strong.

Now, in some parts of the monsoon belt, there is a special line called the monsoon trough. This is where two different air masses come together and create a special weather pattern. One air mass is cool and dry, and the other is hot and humid. When they meet at the trough, they create a kind of "storm highway" that brings lots of rain and thunderstorms.

The monsoon trough moves around a lot, depending on the time of year and other factors. But when it's in certain places, it can bring very heavy rainfall and even flooding. People who live in these areas need to be careful and prepared for these conditions.

So, that's how the monsoon trough works, in a nutshell. Next time you hear about heavy rain or storms in parts of the world, you can think about the monsoon trough and how it affects the weather.