IN NEWS: Southwest monsoon withdraws from India
- The southwest monsoon has ended, and the northeast monsoon is likely to set in “in the next 72 hours”.
- The onset of the northeast monsoon, also known as the ‘retreating monsoon’, would likely be “weak”.
About the Northeast monsoon
- It is also called the winter monsoon.
- It is a comparatively small-scale monsoon.
- It is confined to the southern peninsula. The rainfall associated with the northeast monsoon is important for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, north interior Karnataka, Mahe, and Lakshadweep.
- About 75 percent of the country’s annual rainfall is received from the Southwest monsoon between June and September.
- It recorded rainfall from October to December in some South Asian countries, such as the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar.
- The wind pattern rapidly changes from a south-westerly to a north-easterly direction.
- It is the peak time for cyclonic activity in the North Indian Ocean region, covering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
- The winds associated with the formation of low-pressure systems, depressions, or cyclones influence this monsoon.