{"id":86977,"date":"2026-10-17T18:18:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T12:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=86977"},"modified":"2026-10-17T18:19:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T12:49:54","slug":"low-pressure-systems-india-monsoon-rainfall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/17-10-2026\/low-pressure-systems-india-monsoon-rainfall","title":{"rendered":"How Low-Pressure Systems are Reshaping India\u2019s Rainfall?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/ Geography<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, an analysis highlights how prolonged low-pressure system (LPS) activity is concentrating monsoon rainfall over particular regions, contributing to extreme rainfall events even when the country records an overall rainfall deficit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Low-Pressure Systems<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A low-pressure system is a region where the <strong>atmospheric pressure is lower<\/strong> than that of the areas around it.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This causes<strong> air to concentrate and ascend<\/strong>, leading to the<strong> formation of clouds and sometimes rain<\/strong>, if there is enough moisture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Low-pressure systems emerge in the <strong>Bay of Bengal<\/strong> and migrate inland over the Indian subcontinent, bringing moisture and altering the pattern of<strong> southwest monsoon rainfall.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Their rainfall depends on factors such as moisture availability, atmospheric instability, wind patterns, the system\u2019s movement and interaction with geographical features such as mountains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"b3d5e4\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"888\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-124.png\" alt=\"low-pressure systems\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-86978\" style=\"--dominant-color: #b3d5e4; aspect-ratio:1.9734233903531313;width:674px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-124.png 888w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-124-300x152.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-124-768x389.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 888px) 100vw, 888px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\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<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Monsoon<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The monsoon is a<strong> seasonal reversal of winds<\/strong> because of <strong>differential heating and the resulting pressure differences<\/strong> between land and sea.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Onset and Retreat:<\/strong> The monsoon season in India <strong>starts in early June and lasts until September.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The arrival of the southwest monsoon winds, which bring moisture-laden air from the Indian Ocean, marks the onset of the monsoon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The withdrawal or retreat of the monsoon typically <strong>begins in October.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The northeast monsoon, <\/strong>occurring from October to December, brings rainfall to parts of southern India.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The northeast monsoon is key for<strong> Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Karaikal, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, and Yanam<\/strong> in southern India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/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\"><strong>Factors Influencing Low-Pressure Systems<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Monsoon circulation: <\/strong>The moisture of the southwest monsoon is carried from the Indian Ocean to the subcontinent.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The monsoon circulation determines the position of <strong>low-pressure systems, <\/strong>their path and the amount of rainfall they bring.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>El Ni\u00f1o\u2013Southern Oscillation (ENSO):<\/strong> El Ni\u00f1o is a cyclical warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, which might impair the Indian summer monsoon circulation.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, the effects are variable over years and areas and do not predict rainfall results on their own.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD): <\/strong>A positive IOD, characterised by relatively warmer sea-surface temperatures in the western Indian Ocean than in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean, can sometimes offset the adverse influence of El Ni\u00f1o on Indian monsoon rainfall.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Madden\u2013Julian Oscillation (MJO):<\/strong> This eastward-moving pattern of tropical atmospheric convection influences active and break phases of the monsoon, affecting conditions favourable for rainfall-producing systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Somali Jet: <\/strong>This strong cross-equatorial low-level wind current transports moisture towards the Arabian Sea and the Indian subcontinent, thereby supporting monsoon circulation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Western Disturbances:<\/strong> These eastward-moving extratropical weather systems can interact with monsoon circulation and influence rainfall over northwestern India, particularly during the monsoon withdrawal period.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Impact of Prolonged Low-Pressure System (LPS)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Rainfall concentration:<\/strong> Persistent systems can repeatedly bring moisture to the same geographical corridor, producing heavy rainfall in some regions while leaving areas outside their tracks relatively dry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Agricultural productivity:<\/strong> Delayed rainfall can disrupt sowing and crop establishment, while concentrated heavy rainfall can cause waterlogging, soil erosion and crop damage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Food security:<\/strong> Uneven rainfall can affect crop yields, agricultural prices and farm incomes, particularly in regions dependent on rain-fed agriculture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disruption of Hydropower and Reservoir Operations:<\/strong> Sudden inflows and increased sedimentation can complicate dam operations, increase pressure on reservoir management and affect hydropower generation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Interaction with the Himalayas: <\/strong>When moisture-laden systems move towards the Himalayan foothills, the forced ascent of air over mountain slopes can intensify rainfall and increase the risk of landslides and flash floods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concluding remarks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s monsoon resilience depends not only on the total rainfall received but also on its timing, geographical distribution and intensity.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improved understanding of low-pressure systems, combined with better forecasting and region-specific water and agricultural planning, is essential to manage the risks associated with an increasingly uneven rainfall pattern.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/climate-change\/intimate-takeover-how-low-pressure-systems-are-reshaping-indias-rainfall\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>DTE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Recently, an analysis highlights how prolonged low-pressure system (LPS) activity is concentrating monsoon rainfall over particular regions, contributing to extreme rainfall events even when the country records an overall rainfall deficit. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About Low-Pressure Systems <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> A low-pressure system is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of the areas around it. <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> This causes air to concentrate and ascend, leading to the formation of clouds and sometimes rain, if there is enough moisture. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/17-10-2026\/low-pressure-systems-india-monsoon-rainfall \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86977"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86977\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86982,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86977\/revisions\/86982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}