The Indian Subcontinent includes a wide variety of terrains and climates. It ranges from permanent snowfields in the highest mountains in the world to steamy lowlands where rice is widely cultivated, and from deserts in the interior Northwest Plains to one of the wettest places on earth (Cherrapunji, India with 425 inches per year).

The main controlling feature of the climate in this part of the world is the Asian monsoon. The winter monsoon sets in from November through May. Northeast winds bring clear skies and little rain during this period. It can be relatively cool from December to February, but in the spring, very hot temperatures often develop quickly and predominate until the arrival of the summer "wet" monsoon.

During this time of year and in the steamy summer to follow, the cooler climes in the northern, hilly regions provide some welcome respite from the oppressive conditions of the Plains.

During the summer monsoon, the winds turn to the southwest and heavy showers and thunderstorms develop. This arrival of the wet season, locally referred to as the "burst of the monsoon," starts in the south in late May or early June and spreads slowly to the north by July in most years. Extremely heavy rains can fall over the windward slopes of the mountains. Cherrapunji, at 4300 feet of elevation, is an example of such a favored area for rainfall. It averages over 100 inches of rain in June alone (over 3 inches per day!).

In some years (usually El Nino years) the summer monsoon winds remain weak and the monsoon is said to have "failed." The result can be crop failures and famine. La Nina years can, on the other hand, lead to excessively heavy summer monsoon rains and enhanced tropical activity with major flooding.

CALCUTTA, INDIA

CHERRAPUNJI, INDIA

The southeast part of India and Bangladesh, on the Bay of Bengal, are vulnerable to severe cyclones, especially during the period from October through November. Cyclones here have resulted in major loss of life and damage over the years. This very low delta region is vulnerable to major flooding when the cyclones blow ashore with their storm surge and torrential rains. The surge is further magnified due to the shape of the coastline.

DACCA, BANGLADESH

Nepal is a small mountainous country bordering India on the north. Nowhere on earth does the climate and terrain vary more in short distances - from the tropical forests of the low Plains in northern India to the permanent ice and snow of the world's highest mountains, the Himalayas. The climate here is highly elevation-dependent but is controlled by the same monsoon cycle we find in India. The rainy season here is from late June to September. This is a cloudy period with rather warm temperatures and heavy rains. The rest of the year is much drier and pleasant. In the high mountains, the snow cover is permanent, despite the warmth of summer below.

KATMANDU, NEPAL