Which of the following is associated with the retreating monsoon in India?

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Accepted Answer

Step 1 — Define retreating monsoon: The retreating (or withdrawing) southwest monsoon occurs in late September–October, when the moisture-laden westerlies withdraw from most of the Indian subcontinent and the large-scale wind regime changes.

Step 2 — Change in cloudiness and humidity: As the monsoon withdraws, cloud cover and widespread rainfall decrease rapidly, producing clearer skies and a sharp fall in atmospheric humidity over many regions.

Step 3 — Increased solar heating by day: With reduced clouds and lower humidity, daytime solar insolation increases. Clear skies allow stronger sunlight to reach the surface, raising daytime temperatures.

Step 4 — Dry continental air advection: The moist maritime monsoon air is replaced by drier continental air masses from the northwest. Dry air heats up more rapidly during the day because of lower latent heat losses.

Step 5 — Local and regional manifestation: The combined effect of more sunshine and drier air produces an anomalous rise in daytime temperatures in October across parts of north and central India — a well-known phenomenon locally termed “October heat.”

Step 6 — Conclusion linking cause and name: Therefore, the meteorological processes characteristic of the retreating monsoon (withdrawal of moisture, clear skies, dry continental winds, and increased insolation) directly produce the ‘‘October heat’’, making option C the appropriate association.

FINAL_ANSWER: C

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