Monsoon

ITCZ

Unique
weather
phenomenon
Mausam=
Seasonal
reversal of
winds

India
Monsoon: unique features
Sudden Onset

Indian Monsoon: mechanism

Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ)

Tropi
cal
Easte
rly
Jet

Masce
rene
High

Tibe
t plt.
LP

Northward
movement of the
sun in summer
Heating of Tibetan
plt LP
Rising of the air
Create TEJ above
Tibet move
towards Mascarene
High
Strengthen
Mascarene High
pressure cell

Pressure system on earth

Second equatorial trough

ITC
Z

LP cell

LP
cell

Summer:
northward
movement of sun,
northward
movement of ITCZ
Sometimes, LP
cells of ITCZ do
not merge with
ITCZ on
movement of ITCZ

Second equatorial trough

ITC
Z

LP cell

LP
cell

When 2nd
equatorial trough
(LP cell of ITCZ)
merges with main
ITCZ strengthen
the LP of ITCZ
Attract more
monsoon winds
towards India
If not, then weak
LP system over
Tibet

So
Je m
st t ali
nd rea
la m
te /F
r i

Somali current and Somali Jet

stream

i
al
m n t
o
S cea en
o rr
cu

Somali jet stream

low level, appear
only in summer
Intensify Somali
ocean current
Somali jet stream
pushes monsoon
winds towards
India
Stronger the
Somali current,
better d monsoon

Permanent Jet stream in the world

Him
Sub-Tropical
Westerly
Jet
a
la
y
H
P

as

Him
yas ala

H
P

STWJ

Winter entirely
south of
STWJ
Himalayas over
north India
ITCZ
STWJ maintain the
High pressure
over north India
ITCZ

Sub-Tropical Westerly Jet

STWJ

H
P

STWJ

STWJ

Early summer
northward
movement
bifurcation
southern branch
still over northern
India
HP conditions

Sub-Tropical Westerly Jet

Hi m
y a s a la

STWJ

Summer: STWJ
entirely northward
Allow Onset of
monsoon (sudden
burst)
If southern branch
re-establishmonsoon break

Sub-Tropical Westerly Jet

LP cell
H
P

STWJ
LP cell

Even after
development of ITCZ
over Tibet, and
merging of 2nd
equatorial trough,
monsoon winds
cant attract toward
India
If southern branch of
STWJ is over northIndia resist monsoon
winds towards India

Indian Ocean Dipole

L
P

H
P
Mascaren
e High

L
P
Western
pacific
Pool

Association of
Western Pacific
Pool with
Mascarene
High
Strong WPPstrong
Mascarene
High

Indian Ocean Dipole

H
P

Mascar
ene
High

H
P

Wester
n
Pacific
pool

L
P

El-Nino year:
Weak WPP
weak
Mascarene
High
Low push to
SW monsoon
winds to move
towards India

Fluctuation in Monsoon
IT
C
Z

1) If ITCZ does not

develop properly
over Tibet

Fluctuation
in Monsoon
IT
LP cell

C
Z

LP cell

2) If 2nd equatorial
trough does not
merge with ITCZ

Fluctuation in Monsoon
H
P

ST
WJ

STWJ

3) Southern
branch of STWJ
re-establish
over north India

Fluctuation in Monsoon

4) Inadequate
heating of Tibetan
plateau

Fluctuation
in Monsoon
L
P

H
P
Mascaren
e High

5) Weak
Mascarene High
pressure cell

Fluctuation in Monsoon

H
P

H
P

L
P

6)
Intensification
of Indian
ocean dipole/
El-Nino event
- If IOD
intense= IOD
negative
weak
monsoon in
India

Monsoon

Ara
bian
bra
nch

Bay
of
Ben
gal
bra
nch

Burst of monsoon
first on Malabar
coast
2 branches:
1) Arabian branch
2) Bay of Bengal
branch

Monsoon: Arabian branch

rn
ste
We ts
Gha

Western Ghats
blocks
Rainfall in
windward side
South KN plateau,
Rayalseema of AP
remain dry

ra
v

al
li

Monsoon : Arabian branch

No effective barrier
in Gujarat or
Rajasthan
Aravalli parallel to
the winds
Low rainfall in GJ-RJ
Rainfall along
Kathiawar upland,
south Aravalli

Monsoon : Arabian branch

li
l
a
v
ra
A
yan
h
d
n
i
V

ra
Satpu
rn
ste
We ts
Gha

Gaps between
Western Ghats,
river valleys
winds enter interior
of India
Wind reach up to
Himachal PradeshPunjab

Monsoon: Bay of Bengal branch

rn
e
st t s
a
E ha
G

Eastern Ghats
low, discontinued
cannot block
Large gaps, large
river deltas more
winds can enter
inland

Monsoon: Bay of Bengal branch

Chhota
n
a
hy
nagpur plt
Vind
ura
p
t
a
S
rn
e
st t s
a
E a
Gh

Rainfall along
chhotanagpur
plateau, Vindhyan
and Satpura range

Monsoon: Bay of Bengal branch

Purvanchal
Meghalaya
plateau
Funneling effect
high rainfall
Rainfall decrease
from east to west
Most of the rain
from eastern
branch

Rainfall pattern
10
0
cm

India avg rainfall

= 120-180 cm =
wetter
But rainfall
variation is across
regions and
seasons

6
0
c
6m
2 0
0 c
c m
m

Rainfall pattern
1
0
0
c
m

2
0
0
c

6
0
c
m

1
0
0
6c
0m
c
m

2
0
0
c
2
m
0
0
c
m

Highest rainfall:
western Ghats,
North-east
Then East India
Then GJ-RJ and J&K
Then south KNRayalseema region
Thar and Kutchh
deserts

Retreating Monsoon

North
North
ern
ern
Trade
Trade
winds
winds
ITITCC
ZZ

South
South
ern
ern
Trade
Trade
winds
winds

Southward
movement of ITCZ
SW monsoon winds
and NE winds coexist
Gradual withdrawal
of SW monsoon
winds first
eastern then
western branch

Retreating Monsoon: tropical

cyclone
Increase in SST of
IT
CZ

Bay of Bengal and

Arabian sea
Possibility of
Tropical cyclone
Retreating SW
monsoon branch
drag them
towards Eastern
coast

Winter: rain in TN coast

North
NE
East
winds
Trade
winds

NE winds
coming from
land dry winds
But passing
through Bay of
Bengal- become
moist
Coastline of TN
Rainfall in TN

Winter:H western Disturbances

ima
yas la

STWJ

ITCZ

STWJ from
Mediterranean
sea
Brings
disturbances to
north India
Winter rainfall
western
disturbances

Summer
H
P

STWJ

ITCZ

Northward apparent
movement of Sun
Temperature
increases
LP but resisted by
STWJ
Local heating
convectional rainfall
Pre-monsoon
thunder storm
Kalbaishakhi (WB),
Mango shower,
Blossom shower