{"id":9843,"date":"2026-06-04T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/?p=9843"},"modified":"2026-06-04T10:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T10:40:14","slug":"north-east-monsoon-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"North East Monsoon in India: Features, Mechanism &amp; Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>The <strong>Northeast Monsoon<\/strong> or <strong>Winter Monsoon <\/strong>or <strong>Retreating Monsoon <\/strong>is the <strong>seasonal reversal of winds<\/strong> that provides <strong>rainfall to the south-eastern regions<\/strong> of the Indian subcontinent in the month of <strong>October to December.<\/strong> Unlike the Southwest monsoon that moves from sea to land, the <strong>Northeast monsoon<\/strong> blows from <strong>land to sea, <\/strong>absorbing moisture while crossing the Bay of Bengal. Geographically, the north east monsoon brings rainfall primarily in <strong>Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the Sun moves in the southern hemisphere by the month of October, the Indian landmass cools down and a low temperature region creates a <strong>high pressure zone<\/strong> over the central asian region. Meanwhile, the water in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal region retain heat for a longer time, generating a warm low pressure zone. Thus, the <strong>winds blow <\/strong>to the <strong>high to low pressure <\/strong>region and a<strong> reversal of winds <\/strong>takes place, moving from <strong>northeast to southwest direction.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_56_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/#About_North_East_Monsoon\" title=\"About North East Monsoon\">About North East Monsoon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/#Major_Characteristics\" title=\"Major Characteristics \">Major Characteristics <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/#Functional_Mechanism\" title=\"Functional Mechanism \">Functional Mechanism <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/#Effect_of_Cyclones_during_the_Monsoon\" title=\"Effect of Cyclones during the Monsoon\">Effect of Cyclones during the Monsoon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/#Impact_of_North_East_Monsoon_on_Tamil_Nadu_and_Adjoining_Areas\" title=\"Impact of North East Monsoon on Tamil Nadu and Adjoining Areas\">Impact of North East Monsoon on Tamil Nadu and Adjoining Areas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/#Break_in_Monsoon\" title=\"Break in Monsoon\">Break in Monsoon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/#FAQs_about_North_East_Monsoon_in_India\" title=\"FAQs about North East Monsoon in India\">FAQs about North East Monsoon in India<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/#What_is_Retreating_Monsoon\" title=\"What is Retreating Monsoon?\">What is Retreating Monsoon?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/north-east-monsoon-in-india\/#Which_state_in_India_receives_retreating_monsoon\" title=\"Which state in India receives retreating monsoon?\">Which state in India receives retreating monsoon?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a65b5e553ea97ff6b9a6450737648ac1\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_North_East_Monsoon\"><\/span><strong>About North East Monsoon<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Northeast Monsoon, <\/strong>also known as the <strong>Retreating Monsoon, <\/strong>occurs from <strong>October to December<\/strong> and is characterized by winds blowing from the northeast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This monsoon primarily affects southeastern India, including <strong>Tamil Nadu,<\/strong> and parts of the eastern coast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>During this period, the <strong>northeast trade winds<\/strong> bring moisture from the Bay of Bengal, resulting in rainfall.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Northeast Monsoon is crucial for replenishing water supplies in regions with less rain during the Southwest Monsoon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1e8b49eaaee2c9bcffbb5dad85d4fbce\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>About Indian Monsoon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Indian Monsoon is a critical climatic phenomenon characterised by seasonal wind shifts that bring heavy rains to the Indian subcontinent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Southwest Monsoon typically begins in June, bringing moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean, and continues until September.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Northeast Monsoon<\/strong>, occurring from October to December, affects southeastern India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><strong>Read our detailed article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/southwest-monsoon-in-india\/\">South West Monsoon in India.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3fe1e08b883b1f1450312ae11e8cb994\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Major_Characteristics\"><\/span><strong>Major Characteristics <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The features of North East Monsoon are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Timing and Duration<\/strong> &#8211; It occurs from <strong>October to December.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It follows the Southwest Monsoon and marks the transition from the rainy season to the winter season.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wind Direction<\/strong> &#8211; It is characterised by <strong>northeast trade winds<\/strong> that blow from the northeastern directions towards the Indian subcontinent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rainfall Distribution<\/strong> &#8211; It primarily affects the <strong>southeastern coast of India,<\/strong> including <strong>Tamil Nadu<\/strong> and parts of <strong>Andhra Pradesh.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rainfall is often less than the Southwest Monsoon but can be substantial in the affected regions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Impact on Weather<\/strong> &#8211; It brings <strong>cooler temperatures<\/strong> and helps reduce the heat of the preceding summer.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It <strong>replenishes water resources<\/strong> in areas with little rain during the Southwest Monsoon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rain Shadow Effect<\/strong> &#8211; The eastern coast of India, particularly Tamil Nadu, receives significant rainfall, while the regions to the west may experience dry conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Seasonal Variability<\/strong> &#8211; Rainfall can be <strong>variable<\/strong>, with some years experiencing heavier rains and others receiving less.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d497e4383e4463ab0396b6725dc7adc0\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Functional_Mechanism\"><\/span><strong>Functional Mechanism <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>During<strong> October and November,<\/strong> the sun&#8217;s movement towards the south shifts <strong>monsoon troughs or low-pressure systems <\/strong>towards the south.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It results in the weakening of troughs over the Northern Plains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Also, the withdrawal of <strong>South West Monsoon<\/strong> winds, it leads to the development of a<strong> high-pressure system<\/strong> over that area, i.e., the cold winds swipe down from the <strong>Himalayas and Indo-Gangetic plains<\/strong> towards the vast span of the <strong>Indian Ocean.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>By the beginning of October, monsoons had withdrawn from the Northern Plains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>Northeast Monsoon<\/strong> then starts affecting <strong>Southeastern India.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a3b45a65a260bc84bbb1e1277590d372\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><strong>October Heat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>October-November<\/strong> is a transition from a hot, rainy season to dry winter conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monsoon retreat<\/strong> is marked by clear skies and a temperature rise.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Day temperatures are high, while nights are cool and pleasant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, since the land is still moist, the conditions of high temperature and humidity make the weather oppressive during the day.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This is commonly known as <strong>\u2018October heat\u2019.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-308da15476fcdd93f103972138409d3a\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Effect_of_Cyclones_during_the_Monsoon\"><\/span><strong>Effect of Cyclones during the Monsoon<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>After October 15, the mercury begins to fall rapidly, particularly in Northern India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low-pressure conditions<\/strong> prevailing over north-western India get transferred to the <strong>Bay of Bengal<\/strong> by early November.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This shift is associated with <strong>cyclonic depressions,<\/strong> commonly known as <strong>tropical cyclones.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They originate over the <strong>Andaman Sea<\/strong> and the <strong>Bay of Bengal<\/strong>. Sometimes, they cross the eastern coasts of India, causing heavy and widespread rains.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They are often very destructive and sometimes cause immense damage to life and property.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thickly populated deltas of the <strong>Godavari<\/strong>, the <strong>Krishna<\/strong>, and the <strong>Kaveri <\/strong>are frequently struck by these cyclones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-adef9ba6ca133996f1e966929e109f69\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Impact_of_North_East_Monsoon_on_Tamil_Nadu_and_Adjoining_Areas\"><\/span><strong>Impact of North East Monsoon on Tamil Nadu and Adjoining Areas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Northeast Monsoon<\/strong> also causes rainfall in <strong>Tamil Nadu<\/strong> and adjoining areas of <strong>Andhra Pradesh<\/strong> to the south of the <strong>Krishna Delta<\/strong> and <strong>Kerala <\/strong>(also called the <strong>second rainy period of Kerala).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>retreating monsoon<\/strong> absorbs moisture while passing over the <strong>Bay of Benga<\/strong>l and causes this rainfall in the regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Due to winter rainfall, <strong>Tamil Nadu<\/strong> coastal areas have developed dry evergreen forests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"461\" height=\"342\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-8.png\" alt=\"north east monsoon in india\" class=\"wp-image-9853\" style=\"width:377px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-8.png 461w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-8-348x258.png 348w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-8-80x60.png 80w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-8-265x198.png 265w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/07\/1-8-150x111.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-cb2b6b79a613f98a4dd977c182dbf9d1\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Break_in_Monsoon\"><\/span><strong>Break in Monsoon<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The monsoon tends to have \u2018<strong>breaks<\/strong>\u2019 in its rainfall, which causes <strong>wet <\/strong>and dry <strong>spells <\/strong>in July and August. This phenomenon is known as a \u2018<strong>break in monsoon\u2019.<\/strong> These breaks in different regions are due to various reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In <strong>northern India,<\/strong> rains are likely to fail if <strong>rain-bearing storms<\/strong> are infrequent along the <strong>monsoon trough or the ITCZ<\/strong> (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone) in this region.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Along the <strong>west coast, dry spells<\/strong> occur when <strong>winds blow parallel to the coast.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Another important reason is an increase in the intensity of <strong>Tibetan high pressure.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This results in the <strong>northward shifting<\/strong> of the monsoon trough.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>During the break period, the trough&#8217;s axis lies at the <strong>foothills <\/strong>of the Himalayas, causing heavy rainfall over the foothills on the <strong>southern slope <\/strong>while no rain occurs in the <strong>Gangetic Plains.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1e3e83c5b8a917cb9ef7a7668a550cb2\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Differences Between South West and North East Monsoon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Aspects<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>South-West Monsoon&nbsp;<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>North-East Monsoon<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Season<\/td><td>June to September<\/td><td>October to December<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Wind Direction&nbsp;<\/td><td>Southwest to Northeast (SW -&gt; NE)<\/td><td>Northeast to Southwest (NE -&gt; SW)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Source of Moisture&nbsp;<\/td><td>Indian Ocean&nbsp;<\/td><td>Bay of Bengal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Regions Affected&nbsp;<\/td><td>Most of India&nbsp;<\/td><td>South Eastern Coast of India, esp. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Type of Rainfall&nbsp;<\/td><td>Heavy Rainfall&nbsp;<\/td><td>Moderate Rainfall<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Northeast Monsoon<\/strong>, occurring from October to December, significantly affects southeastern India by bringing crucial rainfall and cooler temperatures. While it helps replenish water resources, it also introduces variability and can cause cyclonic depressions with heavy rains. Understanding this monsoon is essential for effective management and preparation, particularly in regions impacted by its unpredictable nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-706806b106654ab864580dc0ed948bbe\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs_about_North_East_Monsoon_in_India\"><\/span><strong>FAQs about North East Monsoon in India<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1722340139362\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Retreating_Monsoon\"><\/span><strong>What is Retreating Monsoon?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The Retreating Monsoon, also known as the Northeast Monsoon, occurs from October to December when the southwest monsoon winds retreat, and the winds change direction to blow from the northeast.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1722340147017\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_state_in_India_receives_retreating_monsoon\"><\/span><strong>Which state in India receives retreating monsoon?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The state in India that primarily receives rainfall from the retreating monsoon is Tamil Nadu. Additionally, parts of Andhra Pradesh also receive significant rainfall during this period.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The North East Monsoon is a key climatic feature influencing southeastern India from October to December..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":9849,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67,832],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9843","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-geography","category-indian-geography"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9843","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9843"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9843\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26689,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9843\/revisions\/26689"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9849"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}