5 Interesting Facts About India's Monsoon
India receives rainfall in the monsoon season, bringing respite to the country's people from the preceding scorching summer months. The Monsoon in India succeeds the peak summer season Arpil-June. The Monsoon in India runs from late June to early September, but this varies in different parts of the country. The monsoon season revitalizes all dried-out streams and valleys, bringing them back to life. Also, it brings the beauty of nature to the forefront and is incredibly pleasing to the eye.
This article will share the top 5 interesting facts about India's Monsoon.
Before that, you should know that with such heavy rainfall and monsoon season comes the need to protect yourself from falling ill. The best way to do this is simply to get yourself a durable raincoat that guarantees to save you from raindrops.
At ZEEL Rainwear, we offer all this and much more. So, order your rainwear online from ZEEL Rainwear and forget about worrying too much the next time you need to go out in the rain.
Before moving on to the facts, let's know the characteristics of the Indian Monsoon.
Key Characteristics of Indian Monsoon
There are a few key characteristics of the Indian Monsoon that are specific to India, such as
- It is the seasonal reversal of winds in tropical regions.
- Monsoon comes with heavy rainfall during the season, usually from June to September, making them seasonal. However, this time duration may differ depending on the conditions required to bring the Monsoon. They can even go on to extend up till October.
- There are ocean and sea breezes on a large scale during the Indian monsoon season.
- Monsoon arrives, post the summer season.
- The condition for Monsoons is always from cold regions to warm ones.
- The Monsoon in India is governed by topography or relief features. For instance, the windward side of the Western Ghats receives plentiful rainfall, but the leeward side is devoid of rain. This is due to the topography.
- The rainfall in India has a declining trend with the increasing distance. Kolkata receives heavy rain, and Delhi receives light rainfall comparatively.
- The summer or southwest rainfall comes in such a heavy downpour that it leads to soil erosion and runoff.
Top 5 Interesting Facts About the Indian Monsoon
After the sweaty and sticky summer comes the monsoon season or the season of rain. This season lasts from late June to early September, but these months vary throughout the country. Since the Indian Monsoon does not arrive uniformly throughout the nation, it differs zone-wise.
Also, the amount of rainfall received by different zones also varies depending on various factors. Isn't it interesting how the Monsoon varies across India, with Mawsynram(in the northeast) receiving the highest rainfall and Jaisalmer(in the western state of Rajasthan) receiving the minimum rain?
Mawsynram, located in the Khasi hills of Meghalaya, is the wettest place on Earth.
Monsoon brings enhanced beauty subdued during summers and makes mother earth bring out its best. If you're a lover of greenery, the Monsoon in India is the perfect time to visit all places and be mesmerized by this country's beauty.
With this being said, there are a few interesting facts about the Indian Monsoon.
The Meaning
Are you intrigued by the word Monsoon and often find yourself wondering what the meaning of the term monsoon is? The majority of people think/ believe that the term Monsoon is related to heavy rainfall or means heavy rain. Interestingly enough, the word monsoon is derived from the Arabic word "Mausim", which means strong winds blowing from colder to hotter regions. Monsoon is associated with a seasonal change in the wind direction of an area. It is related to the Indian Ocean, and remember that Monsoon blows from cold to hot regions. The summer and winter monsoons are responsible for determining the climate of India and most of Southeast Asia.
Note: Climate is the long-term change in weather in a specific area. This long term is usually 25 years. On the other hand, the weather is the short-term change in the atmosphere that is often observed on a daily basis.
The First India Monsoon Forecast
The very first forecast of the Indian Monsoon dates back to 1886. It has a long history, and the Indian Monsoon is said to have the oldest meteorological observatories in the entire world. Moreover, in 1875, the government of India set up the India Met Department or the Indian Meteorological Department, which accumulated all the information of the meteorological work put under a central authority. Around this time, Mr Blanford was appointed as the Met Reporter to the Indian government. Sir John Eliot was the first Director General of Observatories appointed in 1889, May at the Calcutta headquarters.
The IMD, starting in 1875, has come a long way and achieved scientific growth in all these years. One of the first few computers in India was handed over to the IMD for applications of science in meteorology. India is among the first developing nations to have a geostationary satellite of its own- INSAT. This satellite was launched to monitor weather conditions in the Indian subcontinent, and the painstaking work of INSAT is for cyclone warning. Today the IMD is doing wonders on the global level and going strong with the incredible work they do
The Coverage of the Indian Monsoon
This is another interesting fact regarding the Indian Monsoon. There are two types of Monsoon in India.
These are known as the Summer and Winter Monsoon.
The summer monsoon first covers the Southern part of India by June's first week, and slowly and gradually, it then proceeds and progresses towards the Northern part of India. By this time, half of the Indian landmass gets covered, and mid-July covers the rest. Moreover, a threshold of 10% is used by the IMD while declaring surplus monsoon or drought.
Apart from this, the winter monsoon lasts from October to April and is less known than the summer monsoon. This dry winter monsoon starts from the northeast and is thus referred to as the Northeast Monsoon.
Agricultural Dependency on Indian Monsoon
Since the Indian subcontinent is agriculturally dominant, the Monsoon in India is crucial. The Indian rains are responsible for 90% of the rain, and this rainwater is accountable for sustaining animal and human life, irrigation, and growing crops. All this and much more is done with the help received from the Indian Monsoon.
The Festivals Associated with the Indian Monsoon
India is a diverse nation with various cultural identities, traditions, and festivals. The Indian Monsoon brings different celebrations in various parts of the country, and all these festivals are associated with pomp and enthusiasm. A few festivals celebrated during the Indian Monsoon include Teej, Raksha Bandhan, Onam, Sravan, and Nag Panchami.
Conclusion
The Indian Monsoon brings a lot of happiness to people and mother Earth. However, not everybody is a fan of getting drenched in the rain, soaking wet, and falling ill. To enjoy the Monsoon in India without spoiling it for yourself, it's best to keep yourself protected. How will you do that? You can do it simply by ordering the ZEEL Rainwear.
The Rainwear from ZEEL is sustainable and durable and can save you from unexpected rains and thunderstorms. They offer stylish trench coat-styled rainwear for women. With comfort, they offer glamour. So, the next time you want to go out during monsoon season, you need not worry about anything and easily carry on with your daily activities and simultaneously protect yourself from getting wet.
