SECONDARY SURFACE CIRCULATION:MONSOONAL WINDFLOWS
The global scheme of wind belts and semipermanent pressure cells we have just described constitutes the general circulation (or primary circulation) system of the atmosphere. At a more localized scale, there are countless instances of “shifting” surface wind belts that create pronounced winter/summer contrasts in weather patterns. Here, to illustrate such regional, or secondary, circulation systems, we will confine our attention to one of the most spectacular examples: the Asian monsoon.