suspended particulate matter; precipitation Abstract :The magnitude of precipitation plays an important role in the yield and supply of terrigenous matter into the sea through fluvial supply. The influence of climate on the influx of total suspended matter (TSM) into the continental margin of the SE Arabian Sea has been evaluated from subweekly synoptic variations in TSM and its advection rates, currents and winds during the southwest monsoon (SWM) and postmonsoon season. Our study endorses the high influx of TSM during the SWM (more than 82 mg l sup(-1); advection 26–110 mg m sup(-2) s sup(-1)), albeit that most of it is sequestered into the shallow coastal region. Over the mid-outer shelf, there is uniformly low TSM (12–24 mg l sup(-1)) and a weak TSM advection (9-4 mg m sup(-2) s sup(-1)) throughout the year. This trend is persistent also in areas having upwelling-induced high marine productivity. We therefore surmise that higher fluvial influx and primary production during the SWM do not necessarily enhance the supply of particulate matter into the deeper offshore regions of the SE Arabian Sea. We ascribe a vital role to the prevailing morphodynamic processes.