ITCZs

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is a belt of low atmospheric pressure around the Earth's equator where the trade winds from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres converge. The collision of these easterly winds forces air to rise, producing deep convective clouds and frequent heavy rainfall.

The ITCZ is not a fixed line but a broad zone that encircles the globe at roughly the equator. Its latitudinal width can vary from a few degrees to several hundred kilometers and it shifts seasonally with the annual cycle of solar heating. It represents the ascending branch of the Hadley circulation.

The ITCZ migrates with the Sun, moving north of the equator during the boreal summer and south during the boreal winter. In many regions its position can range roughly from about 5°N to 15°N in boreal summer and about 5°S to 10°S in boreal winter, though exact locations vary. ENSO and other climate modes modulate its location and strength.

The ITCZ shapes tropical rainfall patterns, including monsoon systems in Africa and Asia, and governs the wet and dry seasons in equatorial regions. Its variability can influence droughts, floods, and, in some basins, tropical cyclone activity through moisture supply and convection.

Meteorologists track the ITCZ with satellite imagery, weather radar, radiosondes, and reanalysis products, combining data to monitor its position, width, and convection. Ongoing research investigates its role in global climate variability and change.