What is a moonsoon?

A monsoon is a seasonal change in the prevailing wind direction that typically lasts for several months. The term is most commonly used to describe the seasonal wind reversal in the Indian Ocean region, where the summer monsoon brings moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean to the Asian continent, while the winter monsoon brings drier winds from the Asian continent to the Indian Ocean.

Monsoons are caused by the differential heating of the land and sea masses during different seasons. In the summer, the land masses heat up more quickly than the ocean, creating a low-pressure area over the land. This low-pressure area draws in moisture-laden winds from the ocean, which condense and form clouds. The clouds then release the moisture as rain over the land masses.

In the winter, the land masses cool down more quickly than the ocean, creating a high-pressure area over the land. This high-pressure area pushes the moisture-laden winds away from the land masses, resulting in drier conditions.