Features of indian monsoon. Indian Monsoon 2022-11-04
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The Indian monsoon is a seasonal weather pattern that significantly impacts the climate and agriculture of India and the surrounding region. It is characterized by heavy rainfall, strong winds, and frequent thunderstorms, and it occurs as a result of the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) over the Indian subcontinent. The following are some of the key features of the Indian monsoon:
Timing and duration: The Indian monsoon typically begins in June and lasts until September, although the timing and duration can vary from year to year. The onset of the monsoon is closely tied to the warming of the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, which causes the ITCZ to shift northward.
Rainfall: The Indian monsoon is known for its heavy rainfall, which is essential for the country's agriculture. The monsoon brings an average of 75-250 cm of rainfall to India each year, with the heaviest rainfall occurring in the western coastal regions and the northeastern states. The monsoon also causes widespread flooding in some areas, particularly in low-lying regions.
Wind patterns: The Indian monsoon is accompanied by strong winds that blow from the southwest and bring moist air from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. These winds are known as the southwest monsoon winds. During the winter months, the winds blow in the opposite direction, from the northeast, and are known as the northeast monsoon winds.
Impact on agriculture: The Indian monsoon is vital for the country's agriculture, as it provides the necessary moisture for crops to grow. The monsoon also helps to regulate the temperature of the region, as the heavy rainfall and cloud cover can provide some relief from the hot and dry conditions that prevail during the rest of the year.
Regional variations: The Indian monsoon affects different parts of the country differently. In the western coastal regions, the monsoon brings heavy and consistent rainfall, while in the central and northern regions, the rainfall is more variable and can lead to drought conditions in some years. The northeastern states also experience heavy rainfall during the monsoon season.
In conclusion, the Indian monsoon is a seasonal weather pattern characterized by heavy rainfall, strong winds, and frequent thunderstorms. It plays a vital role in the climate and agriculture of India and the surrounding region, but its timing and impact can vary significantly from year to year.
Indian Monsoons: Significance and Peculiar Features
Question 2: Which countries have monsoon seasons? A delay in onset usually results in an early retreat. The complex pattern of rainfall in India is distributed variable from the region because of various factors such as topography. Rainfall in India begins with the westerly winds that frequently occur throughout the year almost constantly, around the area near India at the Equator. Although the amount of rainfall is small, they are of immense importance for the cultivation of Rabi crops. A number of attempts have been made by climatologists, geographers and agricultural experts to divide India into climatic regions. As the distance from the sea increases, its moderating influence decreases and such regions have extreme weather conditions.
Most of India, though, receives between 60 cm and 100 cm of rainfall. Thus, they are cyclical winds. Sometimes the rainfall occurs early and at times it is delayed. ADVERTISEMENTS: According to this hypothesis, the origin of winter monsoon from the thermal high pressure system developed over northern India due to intense cooling of landmasses, appears to be doubtful. The energy for the tropical easterly jet stream comes from three sources— i intense heating of middle and upper troposphere above the Tibetan plateau; ii large amounts of latent heat released by the south-west monsoon over the Indian sub continent; and iii heat transfer from elevated surfaces of the Himalayas and-Tibet to the upper atmospheric anti-cyclone. When the axis of the monsoon trough lies over the plains, rainfall is good in these parts and when the axis shifts closer to the Himalayas, there are large dry spells in the plains and heavy rainfall in the mountainous catchment areas of the Himalayan rivers.
According to Maung Tun Yin, the abrupt onset of the summer monsoon at the beginning of June is related to the sudden northward shift of the Tibet plateau' or northern plains to a position along 40°N. Besides agriculture, the all-important energy sector is also heavily dependent on the monsoon rains. The Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch are formed when the South West Monsoon wind strikes the Western Ghats. Thus, understanding the characteristics of extreme events throughout India is important for the country's overall development. However, in the northeast regions, the main dynamic reason is the westerly regimes of the southerly wind and synoptic systems from the nearby oceans.
In September the dry air from the North circulates in the west of the highlands and above northwestern India. These upper level easterly jets create an air flow on the southern side of the Tibetan plateau reaching down to low levels over northernmost India. Again, in 1973, when a joint Indo-Soviet monsoon expedition Monex was organised, the Indian and Soviet meteorologists arrived at the conclusion that the Tibetan highland plays a crucial role in initiating the monsoon circulation over the Indian subcontinent. During the cold months, the direction of the monsoon is from the north-east, known as the north east monsoon in India, while during the time of warmest months of the year the monsoon wind blows from the southwest hence known as the south west monsoon in India. Nearly 80 per cent of rains in India are caused by the south-west monsoons during June-September. The air above the water continues to be at a greater pressure because it continues to be warmer than the land. It reaches its greatest speed at its normal position to the south of the anticyclonic ridge, at about 15° N from Most spectacular clouds and rain occur against the It is mainly in July and August that waves of A totally different development arises when the easterly jet moves farther north than usual.
What are the important features of Indian Monsoon? Climate
In the northern part of the country, a feeble high-pressure region develops, with light winds moving outwards from this area. Water heats up and cools down quickly as compared to land. After crossing the Western Ghats, these winds descend and heat up which reduces the humidity in the winds. In May, a temperature of 45°C is common in the north-western part of the country. It is because of these mountains that this subcontinent experiences comparatively milder winters as compared to Central Asia. Its effects are felt by India, the Indian subcontinent and the neighbouring water bodies of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. The monsoons are a twofold system of seasonal winds because they move from the sea to the land in the summer and from the land to the sea in the winter.
Sample Questions Question 1: What causes a tropical cyclone? These showers are helpful for tea, jute and rice cultivation. The second branch moves up the Brahmaputra valley in the north and north-east, causing heavy rains. The livestock act as the crucial buffer for the vulnerable sections of society—especially during the lean season. During the winter season, there is a general decrease in temperature from south to north. In April, temperatures in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are around 42°C. To protect the vulnerable sections against these adversities, the government spends large amounts from its already constrained resources. Typically, it takes place from April through September.
Give the characteristics and effects of the monsoon rainfall in India.
Causes of a monsoon Sunlight warms both land and ocean surfaces in the summer, but land temperatures rise faster because the land has a smaller heat capacity. The southwest monsoon is the main monsoon causing maximum rainfall in India, as it starts from the sea and moves up the land from the west gradually covering the country and bringing rains. An unstable and strong southwestern surface flow provides 80% of the humidity which is the major burst of the monsoon bringing the south-west monsoon. These rains feed about 70 per cent or 99 million hectares of the total net sown area of 141 million hectares. The opposite shift is also possible, with midlatitude upper air flowing along the south face of the Himalayas and bringing drought to the northern districts. These breaks are related to the movement of the monsoon trough. However, the land is still moist.
Features of regional Indian monsoon rainfall extremes
Image source: NCERT Seasons in India The subcontinent of India has great latitudinal dimensions. They are the southwest monsoon or the summer monsoon and the northeast monsoon or the winter monsoon. The amount of rainfall varies from time to time, often resulting in floods and droughts. When positioned normally over the Gangetic plains, it controls moisture convergence and rainfall and areas within upto 500 kin on either side of the trough get moderate, but well-distributed rain. It collects data from different weather patterns across the world for more accuracy. Across northern India, the subtropical jet stream towards the west controls the air-flow with the surface winds flowing from the north-east. These temporary storms bring some respite from the oppressing heat since they bring along light rains and a pleasant cool breeze.
ADVERTISEMENTS: Thus, the presence of the Tibetan highland is very important, even if there is no significant barrier effect on the flow of air. As a result, windward side gets heavy rain while the leeward side gets scanty rain. The monsoon gets well-established in the later part of June-July around the 6000 metres altitude. In other words, monsoons are periodic seasonal winds in which there is a complete reversal of the wind direction after every six months. There is hardly any seasonal change in the distribution pattern of the temperature in coastal areas.
