{"id":123172,"date":"2026-09-06T20:33:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T15:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=123172"},"modified":"2026-09-06T20:33:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T15:03:13","slug":"difference-between-advancing-and-retreating-monsoon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/difference-between-advancing-and-retreating-monsoon\/","title":{"rendered":"Difference between Advancing and Retreating Monsoon"},"content":{"rendered":"

India experiences two main monsoon phases. The Advancing Monsoon occurs from June to September and brings widespread rainfall across most parts of the country. The Retreating Monsoon occurs from October to December and mainly affects the southeastern coastal regions of India.<\/span><\/p>\n

Together, these two phases provide the majority of India\u2019s annual rainfall and make the monsoon system vital for the country\u2019s agriculture and overall development.<\/span><\/p>\n

Advancing Monsoon (Southwest Monsoon)<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Advancing Monsoon is the beginning of the rainy season in India<\/strong><\/a>. During this time, warm and moist winds blow from the southwest direction, mainly from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, towards the land. These winds bring heavy rainfall to most parts of the country during the summer months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Advancing Monsoon Mechanism and Origin<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Advancing Monsoon is caused by the differential heating of land and sea during summer. Intense heating of the Indian landmass creates a strong low-pressure area over northern India, while high pressure develops over the southern Indian Ocean (Mascarene High).<\/span><\/p>\n

Air moves from high pressure to low pressure areas. As these winds cross the equator, they are deflected by the Coriolis force and become south-westerly winds, carrying moisture from the oceans towards India.<\/span><\/p>\n

The northward shift of the ITCZ further strengthens this low-pressure zone and triggers the onset of monsoon rainfall over the Indian subcontinent.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Southwest Monsoon generally reaches the Kerala coast around early June and gradually advances across the country. It progresses through two major branches:<\/span><\/p>\n