Monsoon Winds of Arabian Sea

The monsoon winds originating from the Arabian Sea diverge into three main branches:

1. One branch encounters the barrier of the Western Ghats. As these winds ascend the slopes of the Western Ghats to heights of 900-1200 meters, they cool down, leading to heavy rainfall on the windward side of the Sahyadris and the Western Coastal Plain, typically ranging from 250 cm to 400 cm. Upon crossing the Western Ghats, these winds descend and warm up, resulting in decreased humidity and minimal rainfall in the region east of the Western Ghats, known as the rain-shadow area. This phenomenon can be observed in the significant difference in rainfall between Kozhikode, Mangalore, Pune, and Bengaluru.
2. Another branch of the Arabian Sea monsoon strikes the coast north of Mumbai. These winds travel along the Narmada and Tapi river valleys, bringing rainfall to extensive areas of central India. The Chotanagpur plateau receives around 15 cm of rainfall from this branch. Subsequently, these winds enter the Ganga plains and merge with the Bay of Bengal branch.
3. A third branch of the monsoon wind hits the Saurashtra Peninsula and Kachchh. It then traverses west Rajasthan and along the Aravalis, resulting in scanty rainfall. In Punjab and Haryana, this branch also joins the Bay of Bengal branch. The reinforcement of these two branches leads to rainfall in the western Himalayas.

The cold breezes that carry showers with them when they move from the ocean’s surface to the land are known as monsoon winds. India’s environment is fundamentally affected by monsoon winds. The branch monsoon winds over the Arabian Sea are the source of the rainstorm winds. Over the North Eastern Ocean, rainstorm winds begin in the northeast and shift toward the southwest with the changing of the seasons. In the colder time of year, winds begin in Southwest Asia and move toward the ocean.

You will find out about the Arabian Sea monsoon winds from this article, which will assist you with getting ready for the UPSC civil service test in geography.