Page 127 - ICSE GEOGRAPHY

Winter Monsoon Th is high pressure is developed over the
Th e continental interior of India becomes
much cooler than the surrounding oceans
during the winter season. Th e wind direction
is reversed at this time and blows from the
continental high pressure areas to the low
pressure areas over the oceans. Th is creates
the north-east monsoon over India.
Features of Monsoons in India
• Orographic rainfall: Most of the rainfall is
caused due to the obstruction of moisture
bearing winds by mountain ranges. As a
result, the windward side gets heavy rain
while the leeward side gets scanty rain.
• Rainfall is not predictable: Th e amount
of rainfall varies from time to time, oft en
resulting in fl oods and droughts. Rainfall
can never be predicted accurately.
Sometimes rainfall occurs early and at
times, it is delayed.
• Rainfall occurs mainly in summer: A
large part of the country receives rainfall
mainly in the summer due to the south-
west monsoon winds. Th e north-east winter
monsoon causes very limited rainfall.
• Distribution of rainfall is uneven: Some
regions receive over 200 centimetres of
rain and suff er from fl oods while others
receive less than 50 centimetres annually
and experience semi-desert conditions.
Th e Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea,
and the Indian Ocean are the cause of
most rainfall in India, but the varied
temperatures of these bodies result in an
uneven distribution of rainfall.
Retreating Monsoon and Its Eff ect
During the winter season, the weather
conditions get infl uenced by high pressure.
rabi crops: agricultural crops that are sown in winter and harvested in spring
north-western part of the country. As a result,
cold dry winds blow from this region towards
the southern low pressure areas. Th ese
winds then lie over the water bodies which
surround Peninsular India. Since these winds
are cold and dry, they do not cause rainfall.
Th e weather conditions under their infl uence
remain cold and dry. However, these north-
east monsoon winds collect moisture while
passing over the Bay of Bengal and bring rain
along the Coromandel Coast on the eastern
coast of Tamil Nadu.
Sociocultural Impact of Monsoon on
India
Th ough there is variation in the climatic
conditions of India, there is an underlying
thread which unifi es these conditions. Th is
unity in climatic conditions results from the
combined infl uence of regular movements of
monsoons (seasonal winds) and the obstructive
role of the Himalayan mountain system.
Th e sequence of hot, wet and cold seasons
aff ect the lifestyles and economic activities of
people across India.
• Farmers all over India start their
agricultural activities like the ploughing
of fi elds, sowing of seeds, transplantation,
and similar activities, with or just before
the onset of the monsoons. During winter,
wheat is the major rabi crop in cool and
irrigated areas whereas barley, gram and oil
seeds are common crops of the unirrigated
areas in northern and central India.
• Th e clothes that people wear are also
according to the season. People wear
cotton clothes in the summer and woollen
clothes in winter, especially in north and
central India.
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