Q. What causes rainfall in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu at the beginning of winter season?
(A) North-east rainy season (monsoon)
(B) Local air circulation
(C) Temperate cyclone
(D) South-west rainy season (monsoon)
Answer: A
The northeastern monsoon causes rainfall on the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu at the beginning of winters. Rainfall in Tamil Nadu is caused by North-East monsoon winds. These winds blow over the Bay of Bengal before hitting the coast of Coromandel, Tamil Nadu. These winds are gathering moisture from the Bay of Bengal and causing Tamil Nadu to flood.
In Tamil Nadu, rainfall is also caused by cyclones developing over the Bay of Bengal. During the monsoons, Tamil Nadu gets rain because of the southwest monsoon winds that blow into the northern hemisphere. Due to the northeast trade winds, it receives rainfall in the winters. While most of the country receives precipitation during summers, Tamil Nadu’s coastal areas receive precipitation during winters. This is because of the monsoon that is retreating, which ranges from mid-September to mid-November. Cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal during this time, which makes the weather intolerable, causing high humidity. After picking up moisture from the Indian Ocean and causing rainfall, these cyclones struck the Tamil Nadu coast.