Answer: The retreating monsoon is the period of October and November when the south-west monsoon winds withdraw from India.
- The monsoon begins to retreat from north-west India and the sky becomes clear, but temperature and humidity remain high; this is called ‘October heat’.
- The low pressure belt shifts to the Bay of Bengal, where depressions form and bring cyclones and heavy rain to the east coast, especially the Coromandel coast and Odisha.
- Tamil Nadu receives most of its rain from the north-east monsoon during this season.