Question

Give the characteristics and effects of the monsoon rainfall in India.

Answer 1

Characteristics of Monsoon in India

• ‘Monsoon’ type of climate is found in India.
• Monsoon has a tendency and phenomenon to have ‘breaks’ in rainfall.
• Thus monsoon has dry and wet spells.
• Rainless intervals intersperse the Monsoon.
• The alternation of wet and dry spells varies in duration, frequency, and intensity.
• The movement of the monsoon trough influences the ‘breaks’ in the monsoon.

Effect of Monsoon in India

• Heavy rains in the catchment areas of the Himalayan rivers bring in floods and devastation of property and life.
• From early June to mid-September, between 100- 120 days is the duration of the monsoon. Some places like Tamil Nadu receive a major portion of their rainfall during October and November, but most parts of the country receive rainfall from June to September.
• The annual precipitation is less than 10 cm in Western Rajasthan and Ladakh, whereas in Meghalaya the annual precipitation is over 400 cm.
• In the Northern plains, there is generally a decrease in rainfall from East to West.
• Generally by the first week of June, the monsoon arrives at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula.
• Later the Monsoon splits into two branches – the Bay of Bengal branch and the Arabian Sea branch.
• The Bay of Bengal branch arrives in Assam by the first week of June.
• central part of the country and Saurashtra-Kachchh region receives the Arabian sea branch of the monsoon by mid of June.
• Eastern Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Western Uttar Pradesh receives the monsoon by the first week of July.
• The monsoon reaches the rest of the country, including Himachal Pradesh by mid-July.
• The process of retreat or withdrawal of monsoon is very gradual.
• By early September, the monsoon starts to withdraw from the Northwestern states of India.
• From the northern half of the peninsula, the withdrawal of the monsoon will be completed by mid-October.
• The withdrawal of monsoon is rapid from the Southern half of the Peninsula.
• The withdrawal is completed from the rest of the country by early December.