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. 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 a.Dry Monsoons – Cold dry air from the Himalayas b.Wet Monsoons 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 -The majority of the land is below sea level and floods Tropical cyclones destroy low lying lands every 5 to 7 years. -Tropical cyclones destroy low lying lands every 5 to 7 years.