Transcript SA- Physical Geography... Monsoons NOTES

F. Monsoons
1. Monsoon is Arabic for season.
• They are caused by seasonal cooling and warming over land
and water. Warm moist air blows over the Bay of Bengal. The
air picks up moisture from the Bay. As it travels to the
Himalaya Mountain, the air cools and turns to rain. The
rains are necessary for crops to grow. The monsoons are very
critical for survival.
2. There are two types of monsoons…
a. Dry Monsoons – Cold dry air from the Himalayas
b. Wet Monsoons – Air travelling across the oceans
gathering water
3. If the monsoon produces too much rain,
there will be flooding. However, if it does
not bring enough rain, crops will not grow
(drought).
4. Bangladesh clearly shows the impact of the
monsoons. Due to the amount of rain, the soil is extremely fertile.
Farmers have three growing seasons each year. However, Bangladesh is one of the
poorest countries in the world.
How can Bangladesh have the best farmland
and still be so poor?
-The majority of the land is below sea level and floods
-Tropical cyclones destroy low lying lands every 5 to 7 years.