Climate Regions

Chapter 22, Section 2 (Pages 617–620) Climate Regions

The physical environment affects people. As you read, complete the outline below to summarize the monsoon cycle. I. First Main Heading A. Key Fact B. Key Fact II. Second Main Heading A. Key Fact B. Key Fact III. Third Main Heading A. Key Fact B. Key Fact

Monsoons (pages 618–619) Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies,Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Inc. South Asia has three distinct seasons—hot, wet, and cool. Seasonal winds called monsoons determine when these seasons Label South Asia’s begin and end. seasons. Monsoons follow a yearly pattern. From October to late Feb- ruary is the cool season. Dry monsoon winds blow from the north October and northeast. From late February to June is the hot season, and the November air is heated by warm temperatures. The air then rises and causes December a change in wind direction. As a result, moist ocean air moves January in from the south and southeast, bringing with it the monsoon February rains. This wet season lasts from June or July through September. When the monsoons sweep over the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, the Himalaya block them from going north. So the rains turn March west and fall on the Ganges Plain. April May Natural Disasters The high temperatures of the hot season and the rains of the June wet season have good and bad effects on South Asia. Farmers July are able to grow crops such as rice in the high temperatures. August However, the heat causes water to evaporate and dries out the September soil. Similarly, the rains allow crops to grow in Bangladesh and

154 Chapter 22, Section 2 Monsoons (continued)

the Ganges Plain. Yet areas outside the monsoon’s path—the Deccan Plateau and western Pakistan, for example—receive little Circle the three or no rainfall and can become scorched by drought. Too much terms that mean rain can cause floods, which kill people and animals, ruin crops, “an intense tropi- destroy homes, and wipe out roads. cal storm with high Another kind of weather disaster that strikes South Asia is winds and heavy a cyclone, an intense tropical storm with high winds and heavy rains.” rains. Cyclones are like hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the north Pacific. These storms can be followed by deadly tidal waves that surge from the Bay of Bengal.

Climate Zones (pages 619–620)

Location, landforms, and monsoons affect the climate zones in South Asia. In much of the region, the climate is tropical. In the north and west, the climate can range from cold in the What is the main Himalaya to intensely hot in the deserts around the Indus River. idea of this subsection? Tropical Areas A tropical dry climate is found in much of south central India. Grasslands and deciduous forests are lush and green in the short wet season but turn brown in the long dry season. A tropical wet climate is found in Bangladesh and southern Sri Lanka. Temperatures are warm throughout the year, and plenty of rain falls. Most of Bangladesh receives 100 inches of rain per year. One of the wettest places on Earth is the city of Cherrapunji in northeastern India. It averages 450 inches of rain per year. Dry and Temperate Climates Some areas do not benefit from the monsoons. For example, the land is dry and windswept along the lower Indus River. Farmers in this area use irrigation to water their wheat and Explain why the other crops. Deccan Plateau The sand dunes and gravel plains of the Thar Desert are has a dry climate. Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, located east of the Indus River. Surrounding much of this desert is a steppe. The steppe is partly dry grassland with few trees. Another steppe area crosses the Deccan Plateau. The mountains of the Western Ghats block the rain from reaching the central Deccan, so it is dry. The Ganges Plain lies north of the Deccan Plateau. The climate there is humid and subtropical. Temperatures are high, with muggy summers but dry winters.

Chapter 22, Section 2 155 Climate Zones (continued)

Highlands The Himalaya, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush mountain ranges rise along the northern border of South Asia. This section of the region has a highland climate zone. The temperature is always below freezing at elevations above 16,000 feet. Snow never melts at these elevations, and little vegetation can grow there. The climate turns more temperate farther down the mountain slopes.

Answer these questions to check your understanding of the entire Wrap-Up section.

1. Categorizing Complete this table. Identify the positive and negative effects of the high temperatures of the hot season and the rains of the wet season.

2. Locating What parts of South Asia receive the most rainfall? How much rain do they get?

E pository In the space provided, write a paragraph identifying at least four x climate zones in South Asia. Include facts about each zone.

156 Chapter 22, Section 2