1. South Asia
Climate & Vegetation

3. What are we wanting to find out about S. Asia’s Climate & Vegetation?
1. What are the 6 major climate regions of South Asia?
2.How do seasonal weather patterns present challenges to the region’s economy?
3. How do elevation & rainfall affect South Asia’s vegetation?

4. South Asia’s Climates
Much of the subcontinent lies beneath the Tropic of Cancer, in the South, so it has tropical climates with diverse vegetation
In the North & West, climate varies widely from the highlands of the Himalaya to the deserts around the Indus River.

5. Climates Tropical Rain Forest Climates Tropical Savannah Climate
Highlands Climate
Humid Subtropical
Desert Climate
Steppe

6. Monsoons Seasons Monsoons Hot: Late February to June
Wet: From June/July to September
Cool: October to Late February
Monsoons
Seasonal Winds
During cool season, dry monsoon winds blow from the N. and NE.
During hot season, warm temps heat the air and trigger change in the wind….bringing air from the S & SW, and monsoon rains

7. Natural Disasters Monsoon Rains Heaviest in EASTERN South Asia
Himalaya block them from moving NORTH
As a result, rain moves west to the Ganges Plain
Mixed Blessings
Temperatures
High temperatures allow farmers to produce crops like rice (which many in India & Bangladesh rely on)
Extreme heat can result in evaporation and dried-out soil
Wind
The winds allow the Ganges plain to have lush crops, it leaves areas like the Deccan Plateau and W. Pakistan extremely dry, with drought conditions
Rain
Too much rain in low areas=flooding, death, crop devastation