Query: Weather restrictions on timing of Japanese strike south into SEA?

[Rob]

Perusing through the book - Pearl Harbor, the Missing Motive, by Kevin O'Connell, he asserts a few times that any Japanese assault on Southeast Asia would have to begin in December instead of January, Feb or Mar, because the rainy season starts with the turn of a New Year, so flying weather would not be good enough for carrier operations and other air offensives.

Do you buy that weather in early December is permissive of carrier operations while it becomes prohibitive in Jan, Feb or Mar? Why?

The concept does not seem to compute for me. It's not like Japanese carrier, air and invasion ops all started and finished in early December 1941. Rather they started in early December 1941 and continued through March and May 1942. It took some time to do all the landings, suppress all the enemy airfields, capture the enemy ground troops and occupy the territory. This involved air operations all along, so it does not seem like weather grounded air forces for weeks or months on end in Jan-Mar 1942.

Am I wrong here?

[SolomonW]

Post by Rob
Perusing through the book - Pearl Harbor, the Missing Motive, by Kevin O'Connell, he asserts a few times that any Japanese assault on Southeast Asia would have to begin in December instead of January, Feb or Mar, because the rainy season starts with the turn of a New Year, so flying weather would not be good enough for carrier operations and other air offensives.
Do you buy that weather in early December is permissive of carrier operations while it becomes prohibitive in Jan, Feb or Mar? Why?
The concept does not seem to compute for me. It's not like Japanese carrier, air and invasion ops all started and finished in early December 1941. Rather they started in early December 1941 and continued through March and May 1942. It took some time to do all the landings, suppress all the enemy airfields, capture the enemy ground troops and occupy the territory. This involved air operations all along, so it does not seem like weather grounded air forces for weeks or months on end in Jan-Mar 1942.
Am I wrong here?

Please explain, the Japanese did many carrier operations and other air
offensives in Jan, Feb and March.

[Rob]

Post by SolomonW

Post by Rob
Perusing through the book - Pearl Harbor, the Missing Motive, by Kevin O'Connell, he asserts a few times that any Japanese assault on Southeast Asia would have to begin in December instead of January, Feb or Mar, because the rainy season starts with the turn of a New Year, so flying weather would not be good enough for carrier operations and other air offensives.
Do you buy that weather in early December is permissive of carrier operations while it becomes prohibitive in Jan, Feb or Mar? Why?
The concept does not seem to compute for me. It's not like Japanese carrier, air and invasion ops all started and finished in early December 1941. Rather they started in early December 1941 and continued through March and May 1942. It took some time to do all the landings, suppress all the enemy airfields, capture the enemy ground troops and occupy the territory. This involved air operations all along, so it does not seem like weather grounded air forces for weeks or months on end in Jan-Mar 1942.
Am I wrong here?

Please explain, the Japanese did many carrier operations and other air
offensives in Jan, Feb and March.

That's what I am having trouble with. When in the year do flying conditions deteriorate significantly? Does not sound like its December, Jan, Feb or March.