How do the summer monsoons affect eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border?

The mountainous regions of eastern Afghanistan along the border with Pakistan are uniquely influenced by the Indian monsoons, which typically arrive between July and September. Unlike the rest of the country, which experiences hot, dry, and cloudless summer months, this specific region receives maritime tropical air masses that bring humidity and rain.1

In some areas, such as the highlands near Kabul, the trough of this summer monsoon can reach the region as early as August. While most of Afghanistan receives the majority of its annual precipitation between December and April, the monsoon region is a notable exception, as these summer rains contribute to the area's annual mean precipitation, which averages about 16 inches (400 mm).21