Asia's monsoon winds reverse, shaping life and weather

Asia's monsoon winds are massive seasonal air currents that dramatically reverse direction each year, profoundly influencing rainfall and sustaining billions of lives. During summer, warm ocean air rises, pulling moist southwest winds inland, bringing heavy rains to South and Southeast Asia. The Indian subcontinent receives about 75% of its annual precipitation then, often exceeding 2,000 millimeters in some areas.