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Which months are known for the season of retreating monsoon in India?
March and April
January and February
May and June
October and November
October and November
The retreating monsoon occurs during October and November as the sun shifts southwards, causing the low-pressure trough over the northern plains to weaken. This leads to the gradual withdrawal of the monsoon winds from the Indian subcontinent toward the Bay of Bengal.
The retreating monsoon occurs during October and November as the sun shifts southwards, causing the low-pressure trough over the northern plains to weaken. This leads to the gradual withdrawal of the monsoon winds from the Indian subcontinent toward the Bay of Bengal.
The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is the geographic low-pressure belt whose southward shift triggers the monsoon withdrawal.
Retreating monsoon is characterized by clear skies and a rise in temperature, creating a condition known as October Heat.
During this period, the moisture-laden winds pick up rainfall as they cross the Bay of Bengal, hitting the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
The transition marks the end of the Southwest Monsoon and the beginning of the Northeast Monsoon over southern India.
October Heat: The high temperature and humidity during this period often lead to oppressive weather conditions in Northern India.
Tamil Nadu receives the bulk of its annual rainfall from the Northeast (retreating) monsoon, unlike most of India which relies on the Southwest monsoon.
Option A (March and April) represents the hot weather season, while Option B (January and February) constitutes the cold weather season in India.
Option C (May and June) marks the pre-monsoon summer period characterized by heat waves and localized storms like Loo and Kalbaisakhi.
D is correct тАФ October and November are the primary months when the monsoon winds withdraw from the Indian subcontinent.
Always correlate the withdrawal of the monsoon with the migration of the ITCZ; it helps explain why Tamil Nadu receives winter rainfall while the rest of India experiences a dry period.