Geography — World, India and Andhra Pradesh for Group-I · Chapter 4

Monsoon and Climate Regions of India and Andhra Pradesh

What to remember

India has a tropical monsoon climate: the rainy season is the south-west monsoon (June to September), and the whole year has four seasons.
The monsoon is caused by differential heating of land and sea, the shift of the ITCZ, the heating of the Tibetan Plateau and the upper-air jet streams; El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole make it vary from year to year.
Andhra Pradesh has a hot, mostly humid tropical climate; the coast gets cyclones and north-east monsoon rain, and Rayalaseema is a semi-arid rain-shadow region.

Factors controlling India's climate

Latitude: The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of India. The south is tropical and the north is sub-tropical. Heat is high all year in the south.
Himalayas: They block the cold, dry Central Asian winds in winter. They also stop the moist monsoon winds, forcing them to give rain in India.
Land and sea distribution: The peninsula has sea on three sides, so the coast has a moderate (equable) climate. The interior has a continental climate with larger temperature ranges.
Altitude: Temperature falls about 6.5 °C for every 1,000 m of height (normal lapse rate). Hill stations are cooler than the plains nearby.
Relief: The Western Ghats force the Arabian Sea branch to rise and give heavy rain on the windward side. The leeward side becomes a rain shadow.
Upper air circulation: Jet streams and the shift of pressure belts change the winds over India with the seasons.

Mechanism of the monsoon

The word monsoon comes from the Arabic word "mausim", meaning season. It means a seasonal reversal of winds.

Differential heating: In summer, land heats faster than sea. A low-pressure area forms over north-west India and the Gangetic plain. The sea stays cooler with high pressure. Winds blow from sea to land.
ITCZ shift: The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (a belt of low pressure near the equator) moves north in summer over the Ganga plain. South-east trade winds from the southern hemisphere cross the equator and turn right (due to the Coriolis force) to become south-west monsoon winds.
Tibetan Plateau: The plateau heats up strongly in summer. This makes a strong low-pressure area and a strong rising air column, which pulls the monsoon in.
Jet streams: In summer the sub-tropical westerly jet moves north of the Himalayas. The tropical easterly jet then forms over the peninsula and helps the monsoon burst. The Somali jet (a low-level jet near the East African coast) feeds the Arabian Sea branch.
Mascarene High: A high-pressure area over the southern Indian Ocean strengthens the cross-equatorial flow.
El Nino and Southern Oscillation (ENSO): Warming of the central and eastern Pacific usually weakens the Indian monsoon and can cause drought. La Nina is the opposite and usually helps the monsoon.
Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD): A positive IOD (warmer western Indian Ocean) often helps the monsoon. A negative IOD does the opposite.

Four seasons of India

Season	Months	Main features
Cold weather (winter)	December to February	Clear skies, dry, cool north; north-east trade winds blow from land to sea; western disturbances give winter rain in the north-west
Hot weather (summer)	March to May	Rising temperature; low pressure in the north-west; hot dry wind "Loo"; local storms
South-west monsoon (rainy)	June to September	Moist winds from the sea; most of the annual rain; onset at Kerala coast around the start of June
Retreating monsoon (post-monsoon)	October to November	Falling temperature; clear skies; "October heat"; cyclones in the Bay of Bengal

Branches of the south-west monsoon

Arabian Sea branch: It is stronger. The Western Ghats give heavy rain on the western slopes. Part of it goes to Gujarat and Rajasthan with little rain on the Aravalli. Another part goes towards the Himalayas.
Bay of Bengal branch: It hits the north-east, then turns west along the Himalayan foothills and gives rain over the Ganga plain. The Garo-Khasi hills funnel winds and Mawsynram (in Meghalaya) gets very heavy rain.
Break in the monsoon: Dry spells of a week or more during the rainy season, when the monsoon trough moves towards the Himalayas.
Burst of the monsoon: The sudden start of heavy rain with thunder and lightning.

Local storms of the hot weather

Mango showers: Pre-monsoon showers in Kerala and Karnataka. They help ripen mangoes.
Nor'westers (Kal Baisakhi): Violent evening thunderstorms in Bengal and Assam. They help tea, jute and rice.
Loo: A very hot, dry wind blowing over the northern plains in the afternoon.
Blossom showers: Pre-monsoon rain in Kerala and nearby areas that helps coffee flowers.

Climate regions of India (Koppen scheme)

Koppen used temperature and rainfall to divide India into regions.

Code	Type	Where
Am	Tropical monsoon, short dry season	West coast, parts of the north-east
As	Tropical monsoon, dry summer	Tamil Nadu coast
Aw	Tropical savannah	Most of the peninsula
BShw	Semi-arid steppe	North-western Gujarat, parts of western Rajasthan and Punjab (also rain-shadow interior of the peninsula in some texts)
BWhw	Hot desert	West Rajasthan
Cwg	Humid sub-tropical with dry winter	Ganga plain
Dfc	Cold, humid winter	Arunachal Pradesh
ET / H	Tundra / highland	High Himalaya

Climate of Andhra Pradesh

General: AP lies in the tropical belt. The climate is hot with a long summer. The coast is humid, while the interior is drier.
Seasons: The same four seasons apply. Summer (March to May) is very hot and the interior sees severe heat waves. Winter is mild and short.
Rainfall: Most of the state gets rain from the south-west monsoon and also from the north-east (retreating) monsoon in October-November. The south coastal region gets a large share of its rain from the north-east monsoon.
Rayalaseema: It lies in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats. It is semi-arid with low and uncertain rain. Anantapur is among the driest parts of the state.
Coastal Andhra: It gets more rain and is humid. It is exposed to Bay of Bengal cyclones, mostly in October to December, and sometimes in May. Storm surge and floods follow.
Hills: The Eastern Ghat hills near Visakhapatnam region, such as Araku and Lambasingi, are cooler. Lambasingi is called the "Kashmir of Andhra Pradesh" because of its cool winter and sometimes near-freezing nights.
Impact: Cyclones damage crops such as paddy, banana and coconut. Drought hits groundnut in Rayalaseema. Irrigation and watershed schemes reduce the risk.

Rainfall pattern and its effects

Distribution: Rainfall is highest on the windward slopes of the Western Ghats and in the north-east hills, and lowest in the Thar desert and the rain shadow of the peninsula.
Variability: Rainfall changes from year to year. Areas of low rainfall have the highest variability, so drought is common there.
Floods and droughts: A strong monsoon can cause floods in the Brahmaputra and Ganga basins and in the east-coast deltas. A weak monsoon or a long break causes drought, mainly in dry regions such as Rayalaseema.
Farming link: Kharif crops such as paddy, cotton and groundnut depend on the south-west monsoon. Rabi crops depend on winter moisture, irrigation or north-east monsoon rain in the south.
Forecasting: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues the monsoon forecast and cyclone warnings. Satellites, radars and weather stations help.
Cyclone warning in AP: Warnings are given through colour codes and bulletins. The state disaster management authority and coastal shelters protect people.

Exam traps

Monsoon winds blow from the sea to the land in summer (south-west) and from land to sea in winter (north-east). Do not reverse them.
The Arabian Sea branch is not a "weaker" branch; it is the stronger and gives heavy rain on the Western Ghats.
Western disturbances bring winter rain to the north-west; the south-west monsoon brings the rainy season. Do not mix them.
The north-east monsoon is not a summer monsoon. It gives winter rain to the Tamil Nadu coast and south coastal AP.
ITCZ shifts north in summer and south in winter; it does not stay fixed on the equator.
El Nino generally weakens the Indian monsoon; La Nina generally helps it.
Mango showers help mango; Kal Baisakhi helps tea, jute and rice; blossom showers help coffee.
The Tropic of Cancer divides India into two climate zones, but the whole country has a monsoon type of climate.

One-liners

1. The word monsoon comes from the Arabic word "mausim".
2. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of India.
3. Normal lapse rate is about 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.
4. The monsoon usually reaches the Kerala coast around the start of June.
5. The Tibetan Plateau heating helps the monsoon.
6. The tropical easterly jet forms over the peninsula in summer.
7. The Somali jet feeds the Arabian Sea branch.
8. Mawsynram in Meghalaya is famous for very heavy rain.
9. Loo is a hot dry wind of the northern plains.
10. Kal Baisakhi is a thunderstorm of Bengal and Assam.
11. Rayalaseema is a rain-shadow, semi-arid region.
12. Lambasingi is called the "Kashmir of Andhra Pradesh".

Practice questions

The word 'monsoon' is derived from an Arabic word meaning
1. storm
2. wind
3. season
4. rain
Answer
C. season
Mausim means season; monsoon is a seasonal reversal of winds.
Which line passes through the middle of India and divides it into tropical and sub-tropical zones?
1. Arctic Circle
2. Equator
3. Tropic of Capricorn
4. Tropic of Cancer
Answer
D. Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer crosses central India.
The normal lapse rate of temperature is about
1. 6.5 °C per 1,000 m
2. 1 °C per 1,000 m
3. 10 °C per 1,000 m
4. 0.65 °C per 1,000 m
Answer
A. 6.5 °C per 1,000 m
Temperature falls about 6.5 °C for every 1,000 m of height.
The Indian winter rain in the north-west is mainly due to
1. tropical easterly jet
2. south-west monsoon
3. western disturbances
4. Kal Baisakhi
Answer
C. western disturbances
Western disturbances from the Mediterranean region bring winter rain to the north-west.
Which season in India lasts from October to November?
1. Cold weather
2. Hot weather
3. South-west monsoon
4. Retreating monsoon
Answer
D. Retreating monsoon
October-November is the post-monsoon (retreating monsoon) season.
The hot dry wind that blows over the northern plains in the afternoon in summer is called
1. Kal Baisakhi
2. Loo
3. Mango shower
4. Blossom shower
Answer
B. Loo
Loo is the hot, dry summer wind of the plains.
Pre-monsoon showers that help the ripening of mangoes in Kerala and Karnataka are called
1. mango showers
2. Nor'westers
3. Western disturbances
4. Loo
Answer
A. mango showers
Mango showers are pre-monsoon showers in the south.
Kal Baisakhi thunderstorms mainly affect
1. Rajasthan and Gujarat
2. Kerala and Karnataka
3. Bengal and Assam
4. Punjab and Haryana
Answer
C. Bengal and Assam
Nor'westers (Kal Baisakhi) strike Bengal and Assam in the hot weather.
Which region of Andhra Pradesh lies in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats?
1. Uttarandhra
2. Godavari delta
3. Coastal Andhra
4. Rayalaseema
Answer
D. Rayalaseema
Rayalaseema is semi-arid because it lies on the leeward side.
Lambasingi in Andhra Pradesh is popularly known as the
1. Ooty of Andhra Pradesh
2. Rain capital of Andhra Pradesh
3. Desert of Andhra Pradesh
4. Kashmir of Andhra Pradesh
Answer
D. Kashmir of Andhra Pradesh
It is a cool hill place with a cold winter.
The shifting low-pressure belt near the equator where trade winds meet is the
1. Mascarene high
2. ITCZ
3. Polar front
4. Subtropical high
Answer
B. ITCZ
ITCZ = Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone.
Which part of AP is exposed to Bay of Bengal cyclones most often?
1. Coastal Andhra
2. Interior Rayalaseema
3. Anantapur plateau
4. Nallamala hills
Answer
A. Coastal Andhra
Cyclones cross the east coast, mostly in October-December.
Mawsynram, known for very heavy rain, lies in
1. Rajasthan
2. Andhra Pradesh
3. Meghalaya
4. Kerala
Answer
C. Meghalaya
The Garo-Khasi hills funnel Bay of Bengal winds there.
Southern hemisphere south-east trade winds become south-west monsoon winds after crossing the equator because of
1. the Jet stream
2. the Coriolis force
3. tidal force
4. the El Nino
Answer
B. the Coriolis force
The Coriolis force turns winds right in the northern hemisphere.
The Koppen type Aw represents
1. highland
2. cold humid winter
3. tropical savannah
4. hot desert
Answer
C. tropical savannah
Aw is the tropical savannah climate of most of the peninsula.
A monsoon 'break' means
1. a cyclone in the sea
2. sudden start of the monsoon
3. end of the monsoon
4. a dry spell during the rainy season
Answer
D. a dry spell during the rainy season
A break is a spell of a week or more without rain in the monsoon.
Which of the following is a feature of the cold weather season?
1. North-east trade winds blow from land to sea
2. ITCZ lies over the Ganga plain
3. Tropical easterly jet forms
4. Winds blow from sea to land
Answer
A. North-east trade winds blow from land to sea
In winter the land is cold and winds blow from land to sea.
The Himalayas affect India's climate chiefly by
1. reducing sunshine in Kerala
2. causing the north-east monsoon
3. blocking cold Central Asian winds and trapping monsoon winds
4. raising summer temperature in the south
Answer
C. blocking cold Central Asian winds and trapping monsoon winds
They shield India from cold winds and force the monsoon to rain.
Why does Rayalaseema receive low and uncertain rainfall?
1. It is close to the equator
2. It has no hills
3. It lies on the Bay of Bengal coast
4. It lies on the leeward side of the Western Ghats
Answer
D. It lies on the leeward side of the Western Ghats
Descending air on the leeward side gives little rain.
Heating of the Tibetan Plateau in summer helps the monsoon because it
1. creates a strong low pressure that pulls in moist winds
2. cools the air above the plateau
3. creates high pressure that pushes winds south
4. stops the westerly jet from forming
Answer
A. creates a strong low pressure that pulls in moist winds
Strong heating causes rising air and low pressure.
A positive Indian Ocean Dipole generally
1. causes winter rain in the north
2. helps the Indian monsoon
3. weakens the monsoon every time
4. stops the north-east monsoon
Answer
B. helps the Indian monsoon
A warmer western Indian Ocean often adds to monsoon rain.
Which pair is correctly matched?
1. Loo - jute
2. Kal Baisakhi - wheat
3. Mango showers - tea
4. Blossom showers - coffee
Answer
D. Blossom showers - coffee
Blossom showers help coffee flowers; Kal Baisakhi helps tea, jute and rice.
The south coastal part of AP gets a good share of rain from
1. mango showers
2. north-east monsoon
3. Loo
4. western disturbances
Answer
B. north-east monsoon
Retreating monsoon winds pick up moisture over the Bay of Bengal.
In the summer, the sub-tropical westerly jet stream
1. moves north of the Himalayas
2. gets stronger over the peninsula
3. moves over south India
4. blows from the south-west
Answer
A. moves north of the Himalayas
This shift lets the monsoon burst and the easterly jet form.
The Koppen type BShw in India is found
1. on the Kerala coast
2. in the Ganga delta
3. east of the Western Ghats in the rain shadow
4. on the high Himalaya
Answer
C. east of the Western Ghats in the rain shadow
BShw is the semi-arid steppe climate.
Which is the best description of the Arabian Sea branch of the monsoon?
1. It gives rain mainly to Assam
2. It blows during winter
3. It gives heavy rain on the western slopes of the Western Ghats
4. It is weaker than the Bay of Bengal branch
Answer
C. It gives heavy rain on the western slopes of the Western Ghats
The Western Ghats force the air up and cause heavy rain on the windward side.
Which factor best explains why Chennai coast gets more rain in winter than in summer?
1. Loo winds
2. North-east monsoon winds bring moisture from the Bay of Bengal
3. Western disturbances
4. Jet stream
Answer
B. North-east monsoon winds bring moisture from the Bay of Bengal
Retreating monsoon winds cross the Bay and give winter rain.
A season with clear sky, falling temperature and high humidity after the monsoon is often called
1. October heat
2. Break monsoon
3. Loo
4. Burst
Answer
A. October heat
Hot, humid days are common in the retreating monsoon.
Cyclones affecting the east coast of AP mostly occur in
1. January to February
2. June to July
3. October to December
4. March only
Answer
C. October to December
The Bay of Bengal sees most cyclones in post-monsoon months.
Which of the following gives rise to a break in the monsoon?
1. Shift of the monsoon trough towards the Himalayas
2. Shift of ITCZ to the equator
3. Arrival of western disturbances
4. Fall of the Tibetan Plateau pressure
Answer
A. Shift of the monsoon trough towards the Himalayas
When the trough shifts north, rain stops on the plains.
Strengthening of the Mascarene High generally
1. causes winter rain
2. creates the Loo
3. stops the monsoon
4. strengthens the cross-equatorial flow to India
Answer
D. strengthens the cross-equatorial flow to India
A stronger high near the Mascarene Islands feeds the monsoon winds.
Which of the following causes of a weaker monsoon is correctly paired?
1. Positive IOD - cold western Indian Ocean
2. La Nina - warm central and east Pacific
3. Mango showers - cold Pacific
4. El Nino - warm central and east Pacific
Answer
D. El Nino - warm central and east Pacific
El Nino is the warming of the central and eastern Pacific.
Compared with the plains nearby, hills of the Eastern Ghats in AP are cooler mainly because of
1. nearness to Rajasthan
2. altitude
3. jet stream
4. latitude
Answer
B. altitude
Temperature falls with height.
Which describes a Koppen Cwg climate?
1. Humid sub-tropical with a dry winter, as in the Ganga plain
2. Hot desert in Rajasthan
3. Tundra in Ladakh
4. Dry summer on the Tamil Nadu coast
Answer
A. Humid sub-tropical with a dry winter, as in the Ganga plain
Cwg is common in the Ganga plain.
The equable climate of the coast and the extreme climate of the interior are due to
1. lapse rate
2. distance from the sea
3. El Nino
4. altitude only
Answer
B. distance from the sea
Sea moderates coastal temperatures.
Consider the statements. 1. The tropical easterly jet forms over the peninsula in summer. 2. The south-west monsoon winds blow from land to sea. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
Statement 2 is wrong; summer monsoon winds blow from sea to land.
Consider the statements. 1. Kal Baisakhi is a thunderstorm of Bengal and Assam. 2. Loo is a cold winter wind of the Ganga plain. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
Loo is a hot dry summer wind, so only 1 is correct.
Consider the statements. 1. La Nina usually helps the Indian monsoon. 2. El Nino usually weakens the Indian monsoon. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both are standard monsoon links.
Consider the statements. 1. Rayalaseema is a high-rainfall region of AP. 2. Coastal Andhra is exposed to cyclones. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Rayalaseema is semi-arid, so only 2 is correct.
Consider the statements. 1. The monsoon is a seasonal reversal of winds. 2. The ITCZ shifts south during the Indian summer. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
ITCZ shifts north in summer, so only 1 is correct.
Consider the statements. 1. The north-east monsoon gives winter rain to the Tamil Nadu coast. 2. The Bay of Bengal branch gives rain to the Ganga plain. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct.
Consider the statements. 1. Western disturbances bring winter rain to the north-west. 2. The Himalayas stop cold Central Asian winds from entering India. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both are correct features of India's climate.
Consider the statements. 1. The Western Ghats cause heavy rain on their leeward side. 2. The Aravalli range lies parallel to the Arabian Sea branch and gives little rain. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Heavy rain falls on the windward side, so statement 1 is wrong.
Consider the statements. 1. Mango showers help the ripening of mangoes. 2. Blossom showers help coffee flowers. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both are pre-monsoon showers in the south.
Consider the statements. 1. The Mascarene High lies over the southern Indian Ocean. 2. The Somali jet feeds the Bay of Bengal branch only. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
The Somali jet feeds the Arabian Sea branch, so only 1 is correct.

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1.Which region of India is most suitable for tea cultivation due to its climate and soil? (RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (07/08/2025) Shift 1)
2.Which region in India is known for experiencing 'Norwesters' during the pre-monsoon season? (RRB NTPC Graduate Level CBT-I (24/06/2025) Shift 2)
3.Which among the following types of climate is mainly found in the Thar Desert region of India?
4.What types of climate and vegetation characterise the Taiga natural region? (RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (22/08/2025) Shift 3)
5.In which of the following Indian regions is an alpine climate with snowy winters and cool summers predominant? (RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (14/08/2025) Shift 1)
6.The cold subarctic climate region possesses forest lands having conifers as main vegetation. These forest lands are known as:
7.The Sangam literature is associated with which region?
8.The Faraizi Movement, led by Haji Shariatullah, focused on religious purification and resisting the British in which region? (RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (08/08/2025) Shift 2)
9.The famous Asphan Jahi dynasty is related to which regional empire? (RPF SI 2018 (13/01/2019) Shift 2)
10.Tea cultivation in India is mainly concentrated in which of the following regions? (RRB NTPC GRADUATE CBT 1 (25/03/2026) Shift 1)

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