Question

What is winter rainfall locally known as?

Answer 1

Hint: The state in India to receive rainfall twice in a year is Tamil Nadu. The state receives rainfall once in the monsoon season and once in the winter season.

Complete answer: Mahawat is the local name of winter monsoon in India and this happens because of the western disturbances and also south west monsoon winds. The western disturbance is the reason why the north western part of India gets winter rainfall. By western disturbance what is meant is that a low pressure area develops over the Mediterranean sea and because of the jetstreams it moves east and reaches India.

For the growth of wheat the western disturbance plays a very important role and apart from this it is also important as all Himalayan rivers are snow fed and the western disturbance provides water to these rivers. In Punjab and Haryana the cultivation of wheat is done and the winter monsoon is very important for the cultivation of this wheat.

Winter monsoon is also experienced by south eastern India and this part of India receives monsoon because of the retreating south west monsoon winds. The wind direction totally changes during the retreating period and the winds start blowing towards the south west. Tamil Nadu coast gets rainfall when the winds return.

Note: In the Arctic, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions the extra tropical storms travel towards Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. This western disturbance is very essential for the rabi cropping season in India.