Discuss the Mechanism of the Monsoon

Question. Discuss the mechanism of the monsoon.

Answer: The land gets heated up during the summer season which leads to the rising of hot air, creating a low-pressure area on the land. 

The Indian Ocean on the other hand has a high-pressure area. The air moves from these high-pressure areas to the low-pressure areas. The low pressure on the land attracts the winds from the southeast. 

After crossing the equator, the southeast winds turn right towards the Indian subcontinent due to the Coriolis Force. These winds blow in the direction of the southwest and enter India as a part of the southwest monsoon. 

As these winds reach India, they are divided into two monsoon seasons- the Bay of Bengal branch and the Arabian Sea branch. 

There is a shift in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone in the summer. The Tibetan plateau also gets severely heated in the summer. Strong vertical air currents are passed due to this and a high-pressure area is created. 

Periodic changes in the wind are also caused due to southern oscillation. There is a difference in pressure over the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean that determines the intensity of the monsoon. 

The monsoon reaches Mumbai as a part of the Arabian Sea branch monsoon in the first week of June. The Bay of Bengal branch of monsoon reached Assam between 1st June and 5th June. 

There is a decrease in the frequency of rainfall during winters. The irrigation for agriculture in India is dependent on the Southwest monsoon and the retreating monsoon. 

The monsoon can be described as the seasonal winds that change their direction with a change in the seasons. In summers, the monsoon moves from the sea to the land and from the land to the sea in the winter season. 

The duration of monsoon in India is for about 100-120 days starting from early June and lasting until mid-September.