Consider the following statements:
- The duration of the monsoon decreases from southern India to northern India.
- The amount of annual rainfall in the northern plains of India decreases from east to west.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct
- The duration of the monsoon season decreases gradually from southern to northern India. This is because the monsoon season begins in southern India (Kerala) around June and extends northward, covering the entire country by mid-July. The retreat of the monsoon begins first in the north and gradually progresses towards the south.
Statement 2 is correct
- The northern plains receive most rainfall from south-west monsoon winds carrying moisture from the Indian Ocean. As the monsoon progresses inland in the northern plains, it loses moisture, resulting in a decrease in rainfall from east to west across the northern plains. States like West Bengal and Bihar in the eastern part of the northern plains receive higher rainfall compared to states like Haryana and Punjab in the western part.
