Thank you, the scorching summer

By T Kannamala

Author:  News Chase: Thrills, frills & perils of News Reporting

Adieu and thank you the scorching summer 2017!

You have saved our great Indian sub-continent this year too from possible famine, and shortage of drinking water.

The blessed and much awaited south-west monsoon has entered the peninsular India through Kerala, the southernmost state of the country.

It is set for a long journey through the sub-continent along the West Coast up to the Himalayas. It would then take a `U’ turn, unable to surmount the tall mountain peaks, and return as the North East monsoon, covering the entire country.

It is a four month long journey beginning from Kerala in the first week of every year.

The cool monsoon story begins with the scorching heat that most of heartily detest.

The Thar Desert and adjoining areas of the northern and central India slowly heat up with the onset of summer in March-April every year. This causes a low pressure area over the northern and central Indian subcontinent. To fill this void, the moisture laden winds from the Indian Ocean rush in towards the subcontinent.

These winds, rich in moisture, are drawn towards the Himalayas, creating winds that blow storm clouds towards the subcontinent. However, our sentinel in the North, the great Himalayan mountain ranges, acts like a high wall and do not allow the winds to pass on to central Asia. In a bid to find a way out, the clouds gain altitude, and precipitation occurs, and cools the country with the first blessed pre-monsoon showers in the cruellest months of April and May.

The south west monsoon hits the Kerala coast accompanied by strong winds, lightning and thunder by the first week of June, and dies down by the end of September.

The moisture laden winds on reaching the southernmost conical shaped point of the peninsula, divides itself in to two parts; the Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch.

The Arabian Sea branch of the SW monsoon first hits the Western Ghats of the coastal state of Kerala. This branch moves northwards along the Western Ghats, giving rain to the coastal areas of the western sides of the Ghats. It is to be noted that the eastern parts of the Western Ghats do not receive much rain from this monsoon, as the wind does not cross the high Western Ghats Mountains.

Because of the same reason, the intensity of the retreating North-East monsoon is generally confined only to the southern districts of Kerala.

The bay of Bengal branch of the SW monsoon sweep over the bay of Bengal, heading towards north eastern India and Bengal, picking up more moisture from the Bay. It hits the eastern Himalaya and provides copious rain to the regions of north east India, Bangladesh and West Bengal.

Because of the convergence of both the monsoons, Mawsynram, situated on the southern slopes of the eastern Himalaya in Meghalaya, holds a Guinness record for the highest average rainfall of 11,873 millimetres (467 inches). The villagers use grass to sound-proof their huts from deafening rain, and rusting.

Around September, with the sun fast retreating south, the northern landmass of the Indian subcontinent begins to cool off rapidly. With this, air pressure begins to build over northern India. The Indian Ocean and its surrounding still hold its heat. This causes the cold winds to move down from the Himalayas and Indo-Gangetic plain towards the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean south of the Deccan peninsula.

This is known as the North-East monsoon or retreating monsoon.

While travelling towards the Indian Ocean, the dry cold winds pick up some moisture from the Bay of Bengal and pours it over peninsular India. Cities like Chennai get bountiful rains during the North East monsoon.

Looking forward to meeting you again next year2018, the blessed summer!

Eom/K M Thomas/June 23,2017