Monsoon

The term monsoon comes from the Arabic mausim meaning 'season'. It is a seasonal change of wind direction which is associated with temperature changes between land and ocean in subtropical regions. It is characterized by large amounts of precipitation and countries are dependent upon its arrival. If there is no monsoon, a drought follows leading to a large economic impact on agriculture.

Examples:

• India's climate is characterized by a two monsoons, the south-west monsoon and the north-east monsoon. The south-west monsoon brings rain to the west coast in the summer months and the north-east monsoon brings rains to the east coast between the months of October and December.
• South-eastern Asia's (Indo-China, southern China, the South China Sea, and the Philippines) monsoon occurs from June to August.
• The west African coast occurs year round but moves north beginning in February and reaches the northern part of the Sahel in May. The rains move south again in September.
• Northern Australia's monsoon season occurs from November to April and is characterized by three major monsoon events with precipitation lasting well over seven days.

Wait.
A big black cloud on a sunny day,
a gust of cold wind in the evening,
I watch the clouds and wait for her,
rains are when we want to be together.

Listen.
The raindrops falling on mango leaves,
her floating footsteps on the verandah,
Sparrows in the puddle taking bath,
Kids near the stream with paper boats.

Laugh.
The monsoon showers with tumultuous pomp,
hitting sideways on the window panes,
everyone in a rush to avoid the outpour,
The ones who get hit, soaked and tickled.

Quiet.
Day and night roll into each other,
watching and listening and getting drenched.
She stretches her arms and looks above,
I see her dance and colors of rainbow.

Mon*soon" (?), n. [Malay m&umac;sim, fr. Ar. mausim a time, season: cf. F. monson, mousson, Sr. monzon, Pg. monssao, It. monsone.]

A wind blowing part of the year from one direction, alternating with a wind from the opposite direction; -- a term applied particularly to periodical winds of the Indian Ocean, which blow from the southwest from the latter part of May to the middle of September, and from the northeast from about the middle of October to the middle of December.

<-- 2. a heavy rainfall in India associated with the soutbest monsoon. 3. the season in which the monsoon[2] occurs -->

 

© Webster 1913.