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Difficulty: EasyClimate, Weather Systems, and Monsoon of India

Consider the following statements regarding the phenomenon of a 'break' during the Indian summer monsoon season:

1. During a monsoon break, rainfall decreases significantly over most of the plains of India, while heavy precipitation concentrates along the Himalayan foothills.
2. A monsoon break occurs when the monsoon trough shifts northward from its normal position toward the foot of the Himalayas.
3. The occurrence of monsoon breaks in July and August is primarily driven by the migration of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) into the Southern Hemisphere.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. Statement 1 and Statement 2Answer
  2. B
    Statement 2 and Statement 3
  3. C
    Statement 1 only
  4. D
    Statement 1, Statement 2, and Statement 3

Answer

Statements 1 and 2 are correct.
The correct answer includes Statement 1 and Statement 2. During July and August, when the monsoon trough shifts from its normal position over the Indo-Gangetic plain to the foot of the Himalayas, rainfall ceases over central and northern plains, while heavy downpours occur along the slopes of the Himalayas.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Statement 1
During a break period, dry conditions prevail over northern and central Indian plains, but heavy rainfall shifts to the Himalayan foothills, causing floods in rivers like the Ganga tributaries.
Statement 1 is factually correct.
2
Analyze Statement 2
The trough axis moves northward to the foot of the Himalayas, leading to rainfall over the mountains while suppressing convective activity over central India.
Statement 2 correctly identifies the synoptic cause of the break.
3
Analyze Statement 3
In peak summer (July-August), the ITCZ is located over Northern India (20∘N−25∘N20^\circ\text{N}-25^\circ\text{N}). Breaks are intra-seasonal oscillations, not caused by Southern Hemisphere retreat of the ITCZ.
Statement 3 is incorrect.

Key Concept

Break in the Monsoon
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Topics

Climate, Weather Systems, and Monsoon of India

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