The duration of monsoon in India extends for an average period of
- (a)80 – 140 days
- (b)100 – 120 days
- (c)90 – 130 days
- (d)100 – 140 days
Correct — B, 100 - 120 days. The south-west (summer) monsoon, which brings most of India's annual rainfall, normally sets in over Kerala around 1 June and withdraws from the extreme north-west by late September or early October — an active rain-giving spell of roughly 100 to 120 days.
- (a)80 – 140 days — Too wide a band; the conventional figure for the monsoon's duration is about 100-120 days.
- (c)90 – 130 days — Not the standard range; the monsoon runs for about 100-120 days.
- (d)100 – 140 days — Stretches the withdrawal too far; the accepted duration is roughly 100-120 days.
India's climate is dominated by the seasonal reversal of winds — the monsoon. The south-west monsoon advances from June, covers the whole country by mid-July and retreats through September; its effective rain-giving period lasts about 100-120 days and supplies around three-quarters of India's yearly rainfall.
Anchor the dates: onset around 1 June (Kerala), full coverage by mid-July, and withdrawal beginning in September. June to September is roughly four months — close to 100-120 days. The distractors widen the range at one end.
- The south-west monsoon lasts for an average of about 100-120 days (June to September).
- It normally reaches Kerala around 1 June and covers all of India by mid-July.
- It provides roughly 75 per cent of India's annual rainfall.
- Withdrawal (the retreating monsoon) begins over north-west India in September.
- Stretching the range beyond 120 days.
- Confusing the June-September south-west monsoon with the October-December north-east monsoon.
Asked as the average duration of the Indian monsoon, or by matching onset and withdrawal months to regions.
No directly related past PYQ was found.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The south-west monsoon normally sets in over Kerala around
- (a)1 May
- (b)1 June
- (c)1 July
- (d)1 August
Answer(b) 1 June — the conventional monsoon onset date.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The retreating (north-east) monsoon brings winter rainfall mainly to
- (a)Punjab and Haryana
- (b)the Tamil Nadu coast
- (c)Rajasthan
- (d)Assam
Answer(b) the Tamil Nadu coast — during October to December.