Land-sea heating contrast, seasonal wind reversal, and orographic focusing by the Himalayas
10°C
July
1.0×
July — Monsoon Onset
The South Asian monsoon is driven by differential heating: land heats faster than ocean in summer,
creating a thermal low over the Indian subcontinent that draws in moist ocean air.
The Himalayan barrier forces this moisture upward, concentrating extreme rainfall along its southern slopes.
The Somali Jet (cross-equatorial flow) is the atmospheric superhighway delivering moisture from the Arabian Sea.