RAS question
The northeast monsoon brings rainfall primarily to:
Correct answer: (B) Coromandel Coast (Tamil Nadu, south AP).
The northeast monsoon primarily brings rainfall to the Coromandel Coast, especially Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh.
Explanation
The northeast monsoon matters on India's east coast because its October-November winds cross the Bay of Bengal, pick up moisture, and then give heavy rain to the Tamil Nadu coast and southern Andhra Pradesh. The Coromandel Coast therefore receives its main monsoon rainfall from the northeast monsoon, while most of India receives monsoon rain from the June-September southwest monsoon. NCERT also notes that the retreating monsoon season is dry in north India but rainy in the eastern part of the Peninsula, where October and November are the rainiest months. Tamil Nadu's rainfall peak in October-November therefore follows from the seasonal reversal of winds and their moisture gain over the Bay of Bengal.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Malabar Coast is linked with the southwest monsoon, while the northeast monsoon's main rainfall belt lies on the Coromandel Coast.
- (C) The Gujarat Coast receives its monsoon rainfall from the southwest monsoon, not primarily from the October-November northeast monsoon.
- (D) The Konkan Coast belongs to India's west-coast southwest-monsoon rainfall zone, so it is not the primary recipient of northeast-monsoon rain.
Concept
The seasonal reversal of monsoon winds determines the regional distribution of rainfall in India. Tamil Nadu's October-November rainfall is a standard exception to the usual June-September monsoon pattern.