By : Neha Dhyani
Updated : Mar 28, 2022, 9:01
Monsoons denote a seasonal change in the wind pattern that causes rain. The monsoon is caused by temperature differences in the air over land and sea.
Southeast Asia and India greatly depend on the Indian monsoon for its economic needs of agriculture, irrigation systems, electricity, and hydroelectricity. The Indian Meteorological Department recognizes the months between March to May as pre-monsoon seasons, June to September as southwest monsoon season and October to December as post-monsoon seasons.
Before we get on with the difference between advancing and retreating monsoon, let's first understand the features of the Indian monsoon -
A total of four seasons can be identified in India:
The major points of difference between advancing and retreating monsoon are—
Point of difference | Advancing Monsoon | Retreating Monsoon |
Course | Advancing winds enter from the South by mid-June and move Northwards. They cover the entire subcontinent in over a month's time, except the North-West. | Retreating monsoon begins in early September in the north-western states, and by mid-October, it completely withdraws from the northern half of the Indian peninsula. By early December, monsoon retreats from the rest of the country. |
Typical features | Wet and dry spells; the monsoon trough and tropical depressions. | Clear skies, high temperatures, and high humidity in Northern plains. |
Rainfall Amount | High rainfall | Moderate to low rainfall |
Wind movement | The wind pattern is from Sea to Land. | The winds blow from Land to Sea. |
Wind type | Advancing monsoon carry moist winds | Retreating monsoon has dry winds |
Wind direction | Towards North-East | Towards South-West |
Affected regions | The Western and the Northeastern parts of India, Mawsynram, Khasi hills in Meghalaya receive maximum rainfall from the advancing monsoon. | The south-eastern coast-like states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu receive maximum rainfall from the retreating monsoon. |
Part of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, National Monsoon Mission was launched in 2012. Its main objective is to improve overall monsoon prediction in India through accurate seasonal, intra-seasonal, and medium-range monsoon forecasts.
The budget estimate for the mission is 290 crores. Under the Monsoon Mission, the Ministry has developed state-of-the-art climate and weather prediction models that have improved weather forecasting in all of India's States and UTs.
The southeastern coast of India receives heavy rainfall during retreating monsoon. Tropical cyclones are also common during this time. The Western Ghats and the northeastern part of India receive very heavy rainfall from June to September during the advancing monsoon.
While advancing monsoon starts in the nucleus of the Indian monsoon season, i.e., June to September, retreating monsoon occurs from October to November is the difference between advancing and retreating monsoon.
The Indian economy is significantly dependent on the monsoon season for its agriculture, irrigation, and hydroelectricity, and advancing monsoon brings maximum rainfall throughout India. The question is also frequently asked in the UPSC examination's Geography section.
The state of Tamil Nadu receives the maximum rainfall from retreating monsoon, and the states of North East India and the Western Ghats receive maximum rainfall from advancing monsoon.