INDIA
MONSOONS
INDIA MONSOONS
India’s climate is dominated by monsoons.Monsoons are strong, often violent winds thatchange direction with the season. Monsoonwinds blow from cold to warm regions becausecold air takes up more space than warm air.
This means thatmonsoon windsblow from theland toward thesea in winter andfrom the seatoward land inthe summer.
INDIA MONSOONS
India’s winters are hot and dry. The monsoonwinds blow from the northeast and carry littlemoisture. India’s winters are hot because theHimalayas form a barrier that prevents cold air frompassing onto the subcontinent.
Additionally, most ofIndia lies between theTropic of Cancer andthe equator, so thesun’s rays shine directlyon the land. Thetemperature can reachas high as 110oF duringthe Indian winter.
INDIA MONSOONS
The summer monsoons roar onto thesubcontinent from the southwest. The winds carrymoisture from the Indian Ocean and bring heavyrains from June to September. The torrential
rainstorms oftencause violentlandslides. Entirevillages have beenswept awayduring monsoonrains.
INDIA MONSOONS
Despite the potential for destruction, the summermonsoons are welcomed in India. Farmers dependon the rain to irrigate their land. Irrigated land hasenough water to grow crops. Additionally, a greatdeal of India’s electricity is generated by waterpower provided by the monsoon rains.
INDIA MONSOONS
Pakistan is much drierthan India. The summermonsoon winds in Indiabring moisture from theIndian Ocean in the west,but Pakistan is north of theocean, so it receives muchless rain. The Thar Desertis on the border betweenIndia and Pakistan. Desertland recieves very little
precipitation. The Thar Desert covers more than77,000 square miles, about the size of Nebraska.