India's
climate is dominated by monsoons. Monsoons are
strong, often violent winds that change direction
with the season. Monsoon winds blow from cold
to warm regions because cold air takes up more
space than warm air. Monsoons blow from the land
toward the sea in winter, and from the sea toward
land in the summer.
India's winters are hot and dry.
The monsoon winds blow from the northeast and
carry little moisture. The temperature is high
because the Himalayas form a barrier that prevents
cold air from passing onto the subcontinent. Additionally,
most of India lies between the Tropic of Cancer
and the equator, so the sun's rays shine directly
on the land. The temperature can reach as high
as 110 o F during the Indian winter.
The summer monsoons roar onto
the subcontinent from the southwest. The winds
carry moisture from the Indian Ocean and bring
heavy rains from June to September. The torrential
rainstorms often cause violent landslides. Entire
villages have been swept away during monsoon rains.
Despite the potential for destruction, the summer
monsoons are welcomed in India. Farmers depend
on the rains to irrigate their land. Additionally,
a great deal of India's electricity is generated
by water power provided by the monsoon rains.
Pakistan is much drier than India.
The summer monsoon winds in India bring moisture
from the Indian Ocean; Pakistan is north of the
ocean and receives much less rain. The Thar Desert
is on the border between India and Pakistan. It
covers more than 77,000 square miles, about the
size of Nebraska.
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