... is or are known to meteorologists as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ, ITCH, or ICZ). It encircles the Earth near the thermal equator though its specific position varies seasonally. When it lies near the geographic equator, it is called the near–equatorial trough. Where the ITCZ is drawn into and merges with a monsoonal circulation, it is sometimes referred to as a monsoon trough (a usage that is more common in Australia and parts of Asia).
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