The Land ... monsoon country?
Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 2:49 am
What sorts of climates would congregate on a patch of land which is bounded on three sides by mountains, and on one by an ocean?
I recall hearing (about India) that monsoons are actually at their most virulent when weather scrapes over a mountain range, drops down to the land on the other side, and is then hit by a water mass. Does that mean the Land could have been monsoon-prone?
It seems in TCTC that extreme storm conditions, such as the 'preternatural winter' are pretty rare in the Land, or at least, not too common. Were we exposed to the Land in times of unnatural pleasant weather?
Also, if its mountain-locked, wouldn't the spots near passes be very windy? Mithil Valley, for instance, should be subject to annoying bloody winds pretty well most of the time; average temp winds from the north, and hot, dry winds from the south. Would the Mithil Valley have been highly subject to the threat of bushfires?
And what of the Upper & Lower Land heights above sea level. Due to the existence of the Great Swamp, Sarangrave Flat and the Spoiled Plains, it seems that the Lower Land would have very little gradient, and all be very close to sea level. Going back to the monsoon idea, wouldn't this mean that the whole Lower Land region could be subject to a Bangladeshi-style flood-susceptibility. A tsunami would waterlog the whole region. This being so, how much work would need to be put into maintaining the fiery moat of Hotash Slay. I don't remember it ever being mentioned as being lava popping up continually from beneath the earth, so I've always considered it to be artificially engineered, or at least directed from one source or another. With common flooding, the explosive meetings of water and lava surely would have caused a lot more bucking of the earth there than was ever alluded to in the chronicles.
What was the average difference in height-above-sea-level between the Upper and Lower Lands? It was obviously a pretty sudden change at Landsdrop, but how high above sea level was the Upper Land? It doesn't seem to be a plateau, because mentions of the pass through to the Southron Wastes, and the opening in the North Plains, make no reference to any considerable gradient there.
Also, we've talked before about the likelihood that Landsdrop is a faultline. If so, and maps show it heading south to a point where it gets around the Southron Range, doesn't it seem to be heading for the ocean. If it does, then does it head out into the ocean? If so, there should be archipelagoes and island groups of the coast downt here. Tectonic Plates don't just end, they're a patch, surrounded by such faultlines.
Interesting that, if Landsdrop is a faultline, that it isn't lines by mountains. The ranges head off perpendicular to the fault. Except up north, where the Northron Climbs spread out over a wide area, heading all directions. All directions? is there a meeting of fault lines up there?
The Westron Mountains seem to fit the bill of Landsdrop being a faultline. Placed away a reasonable distance, but running parallel. Is this range the direct result of faultline activity? The peaks are meant to be quite sudden and forced, so it rings true.
Just some thoughts.
I recall hearing (about India) that monsoons are actually at their most virulent when weather scrapes over a mountain range, drops down to the land on the other side, and is then hit by a water mass. Does that mean the Land could have been monsoon-prone?
It seems in TCTC that extreme storm conditions, such as the 'preternatural winter' are pretty rare in the Land, or at least, not too common. Were we exposed to the Land in times of unnatural pleasant weather?
Also, if its mountain-locked, wouldn't the spots near passes be very windy? Mithil Valley, for instance, should be subject to annoying bloody winds pretty well most of the time; average temp winds from the north, and hot, dry winds from the south. Would the Mithil Valley have been highly subject to the threat of bushfires?
And what of the Upper & Lower Land heights above sea level. Due to the existence of the Great Swamp, Sarangrave Flat and the Spoiled Plains, it seems that the Lower Land would have very little gradient, and all be very close to sea level. Going back to the monsoon idea, wouldn't this mean that the whole Lower Land region could be subject to a Bangladeshi-style flood-susceptibility. A tsunami would waterlog the whole region. This being so, how much work would need to be put into maintaining the fiery moat of Hotash Slay. I don't remember it ever being mentioned as being lava popping up continually from beneath the earth, so I've always considered it to be artificially engineered, or at least directed from one source or another. With common flooding, the explosive meetings of water and lava surely would have caused a lot more bucking of the earth there than was ever alluded to in the chronicles.
What was the average difference in height-above-sea-level between the Upper and Lower Lands? It was obviously a pretty sudden change at Landsdrop, but how high above sea level was the Upper Land? It doesn't seem to be a plateau, because mentions of the pass through to the Southron Wastes, and the opening in the North Plains, make no reference to any considerable gradient there.
Also, we've talked before about the likelihood that Landsdrop is a faultline. If so, and maps show it heading south to a point where it gets around the Southron Range, doesn't it seem to be heading for the ocean. If it does, then does it head out into the ocean? If so, there should be archipelagoes and island groups of the coast downt here. Tectonic Plates don't just end, they're a patch, surrounded by such faultlines.
Interesting that, if Landsdrop is a faultline, that it isn't lines by mountains. The ranges head off perpendicular to the fault. Except up north, where the Northron Climbs spread out over a wide area, heading all directions. All directions? is there a meeting of fault lines up there?
The Westron Mountains seem to fit the bill of Landsdrop being a faultline. Placed away a reasonable distance, but running parallel. Is this range the direct result of faultline activity? The peaks are meant to be quite sudden and forced, so it rings true.
Just some thoughts.
