Question

What is the direction of monsoon winds in winter?
A) From oceans to land
B) From land to oceans
C) From the equator to poles
D) From poles to the equator

Answer 1

Hint: The air movement generated due to differences in temperature and pressure conditions on land and water in different seasons of the year leads to the formation of monsoon winds. In different seasons, these winds blow from opposite directions and are also called seasonal winds.

Complete answer:
The movement of air from high-pressure zones to low-pressure zones is the main cause of seasonal or monsoonal winds. During summers, the air over land near the equator heats up faster than that over the oceans and rises to create a low-pressure area. The cooler, moisture-laden wind above the oceans (high-pressure zone) rushes towards the land to fill the vacuum. Thus the water-vapour laden winds coming from the southwest direction brings summer monsoon.

However, during winter, as the land near the equator does not receive direct sunlight the air above land cools faster than the air above oceans. The warm air above the ocean rises creating a low-pressure vacuum zone that is filled by the cool air from the land. This difference in temperature and pressure gives rise to air movement from the land towards the oceans.

Hence, the correct answer is Option ‘B’ i.e, From land to oceans.

Note: The north-east monsoon winds of winter blowing from the Himalayas, which is a cold and dry region, carry very little water vapour and thus we experience only a small amount of rain in the winter season.