Monsoon Breaks

Monsoon Breaks

Subjects: Geography

Context: ‘break’ in the South-West monsoon early in June has affected Kharif sowing in many parts of the country, with the overall coverage falling 10 per cent until July 8compared with the same period a year ago.

Concept:

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare showed that about acreage has reduced with various Kharif crops compared with last year.

• The monsoon has tendency to have ‘breaks’ in rainfall, during which very less or no rainfall occurs. The monsoon rains take place only for a few days at a time.
• They are interspersed with rainless intervals. These breaks in monsoon are related to the movement of the monsoon trough.
• This happens when the Monsoon trough shifts to the foothills of Himalayas, which leads to sharp decrease in rainfall over most parts of the country but increase along the Himalayas and parts of Northeast India and Southern Peninsula.

Break in Monsoon:

• During July and August, there are certain periods when the monsoons become weak. Breaks are likely to occur during the second week of August and last for a week.
• The breaks are believed to be brought about by the northward shifting of the monsoon trough (minimum low pressure cell in ITCZ).The axis of the trough lies at the foothills of the Himalayas during the break period.
• During the break period, heavy rainfall occurs over the sub-Himalayan regions and the southern slopes of the Himalayas.
• One or two breaks do occur during the rainy season.