Monsoon Winds

What are Monsoons?

• Scale: _____________ wind systems occurring on a

____________ scale
• _______winds  affected by _________________________in
Northern and Southern Hemispheres
• Time of occurrence: NOT everyday but during the winter and
summer seasons in respective Hemispheres
• Regional areas of occurrence: Asia-Pacific, African and American
regions
What are Monsoons?
• Note: For ‘O’ Level Syllabus, only focussing on

June to September December to March

• Southwest (SW) Monsoon in • Northeast (NE) Monsoon in

South Asia South Asia and Southeast
Asia
• Southeast (SE) Monsoon in • Northwest (NW)Monsoon in
Australia Australia
What are Monsoons?
• Impact on rainfall:
o When winds blow across dry land  dry winds  ____ season with
_______________
o When winds blow across oceans/seas  moisture-laden onshore winds
 _____ season with ____________
o Note: Such places affected by the monsoons experience the monsoon
climate with ________________________.
• Impact on people:
o Dry season with little/no rain  drought 
o Wet season with heavy/torrential rain  floods 
What are Monsoons?
• Note: Monsoon winds are named ____________ the compass direction that
they are blowing ___________.
• When monsoon winds in one Hemisphere blow across the Equator to enter the
other Hemisphere, their ____________will change due to _____________and
so will the ____________.
• _________________is the force produced by the Earth’s rotation which will
cause objects like air planes, currents of air, ocean currents to appear to move
at a curve than a straight line.
• Note:
o When the Earth rotates, different parts of the Earth move at different
speeds.
o Coriolis force at Equator is hardly felt but further away from the Equator (>
10°N and S of Equator), Coriolis force has impact.
CONCEPTS behind Monsoons Formation
Specify Specify which Specify which Specify
TIME HEMISPHERE(S) hemisphere(s) DIRECTION &
and where Summer is an AREA OF NAMED REGIONS
SEASON and Winter are HIGH/LOW which winds are
experienced PRESSURE blowing from

Specify impact Specify NAME of

of RAINFALL monsoon and
Specify if winds Specify CORIOLIS
(LITTLE / CHANGES in
are blowing FORCE &
HEAVY) on Names of
across DRY LAND DIRECTION that
NAMED AREAS monsoon due to
or NAMED winds are
that receive the deflection (if
OCEANS/SEAS DEFLECTED to
monsoon winds applicable)
Coriolis Effect
June
Northern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
India

Earth’s rotation
Indian
Ocean

Australia
Formation of Northeast Monsoon
• During _________________, it is ___________ in Northern Hemisphere,
forming an area of _______ pressure and it is _________in Southern
Hemisphere, forming an area of _________pressure.
• _____________ monsoon winds from ______________blow toward
____________ continent.
• As they are deflected to the ________ in the Northern Hemisphere due to
the __________, the NE monsoon winds blow across the
____________________and are cold and ______, bringing _________to
___________.
• However, much rain is experienced in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore
as the NE monsoon winds blow across South China Sea.
• NE monsoon winds are deflected to the left by Coriolis force as they enter
into the Southern Hemisphere and they blow as the Northwest monsoon
winds.
Coriolis Effect
December
Northern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
India

Earth’s rotation
Pacific
Ocean

Australia
Formation of Southwest Monsoon
• During June to Spetember it is winter in Southern Hemisphere
forming an area of high pressure and it is summer in Northern
Hemisphere, forming an area of low pressure.
• Cold air from Australia continent blows toward Indian sub-
continent as southeast monsoons.
• Winds are deflected to the right by Coriolis Effect as they enter into
the Northern Hemisphere and they blow as southwest monsoons.
• Moisture carried by the SW monsoon wind which blows over the
Indian Ocean brings rain to Southwestern India and Bangladesh.
• Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore do not experience much rain.