Distribution of Temperature, Topic-1

Distribution of Temperature,
Rainfall and Winds in Rainfall and Winds in Summer
Topic-1 Summer and Winter and Winter
Page No. 40
Concepts Covered  Different Types of Climates Topic-2
 Range of Temperatures  Rain-shadow Areas  Loo
Factors Affecting Climate and
 Kalbaisakhi  Mango Showers
Seasons, Monsoon and its
Mechanism
Page No. 45

Revision Notes
Introduction or Climatographs show average monthly values
¾ Climate is referred to as the sum total of weather of maximum temperature, Scan to know more
conditions and variations over a large area for a long minimum temperature and about this topic
period of time (more than thirty years). Weather
rainfall for a given place.
refers to the state of the atmosphere over an area at
any point of time. ¾ The northern part of India which
¾ The world is divided into different climatic regions. lies beyond the Tropic of Cancer
India, being one of the Asian countries, has a tropical (23½° N) experiences continental Climate of India
monsoon type of climate. type of climate, i.e., the weather
¾ The temperature and precipitation vary from region which is too hot in summer and too cold in winter.
to region and season to season due to the vastness of ¾ The extremity of this climate is due to its distance
the country and topographical differences. from the sea. The northern part of the country is
¾ The difference between the highest and the lowest situated far away from the influence of the sea.
temperature in a year is the annual range of
¾ The southern part of India lying in the tropical region
temperature.
¾ The elements of weather and climate are same. They between 8°-N and 23½°-N experiences moderate
are as follows: temperature. The regions lying close to the coasts
(i) Temperature (ii) Atmospheric pressure experience equable climate.
(iii) Wind (iv) Humidity (v) Precipitation ¾ Due to the proximity of the sea, the southern coastal
¾ The elements for a place can be shown using pictures regions experience equable, or maritime, or oceanic
called climographs or climatographs. Climographs type of climate.
¾¾ There are noticeable variations on the type of rainfall is accompanied with thunderstorms and heavy
but also in its amount received by the region. rainfall.
¾¾ The rainfall is mainly relief or orographic in nature in ¾¾ This rain is beneficial for the growth of tea in Assam
the northern part of India. It is due to the presence of and rice and jute in West Bengal.
mountain ranges. When it is mostly in a solid form ¾¾ Mango Showers or Cherry Blossoms are also the local
as a snowfall in the upper parts of the Himalayas. it winds which blow in Kerala during summers in June.
is in a liquid form as a rain in the rest of the country. This wind helps in the growth of mango, coffee and
¾¾ The moisture laden winds in summer blow from tea.
sea to land and strike the windward side of the ¾¾ In winter, the winds blow from land to sea from the
mountain causing heavy rainfall while the other side north-east direction. These winds are cold and dry
of the mountain called the leeward side receives and slow in process.
scanty rainfall.
¾¾ Rainfall is erratic, uncertain and unpredictable due
to its variation from time to time. Thus, sometimes it
causes floods or droughts.
¾¾ In India, rainfall occurs mainly in summer.
¾¾ During summer, the moisture laden winds blow
from the Arabian Sea and bring heavy rainfall to the
western, the central and the northern regions due
to the presence of the Western Ghats and the lofty
Himalayas.
¾¾ The eastern coastal region receives scanty rainfall in
summer but heavy rainfall in winters due to the NE
monsoons.
¾¾ Besides the summer monsoon, the North-Western
region also receives rain in winter due to the Western
Disturbances that originate over the Mediterranean
Sea and blow towards India.
¾¾ The rainfall is also unevenly distributed. Some regions
like Rajasthan receives less than 50 cm of rainfall,
the central part and the Deccan Plateau receive low
rainfall of about 80 cms while places like Mawsynram
near Cherrapunji receives around 2500 cm of rainfall.
¾¾ The distribution of rainfall depends on the relief of
the land, direction of the winds from the sea and the
path of the cyclonic winds.
¾¾ Due to increasing temperature in summer, the winds
become hot and dry and affect local areas strongly.
Loo is a local wind that blows in the northern part of
the country in the month of May and June and causes
heat strokes. It is a gusty, hot and dry wind.
¾¾ Similarly, Kalbaisakhi is a local wind that blows in
West Bengal and Assam in the month of April, which
 Factors Affecting Climate and Seasons, Monsoon
Topic-2 and its Mechanism
Concepts Covered  October Heat  Western Disturbances  Jet Streams  El Nino
 Seasons of India  Features of rainfall in India

Revision Notes
¾¾ India has diverse climatic conditions. withdraws and retreats, it picks up moisture from the
¾¾ There are a number of factors responsible which Bay of Bengal and sheds good amount of rainfall on
influence the climate of India- the eastern coastal plain of India. The winds blowing
(i) Monsoon Winds (ii) Latitude over the land are cold and dry.
(iii) Relief (iv) Altitude ¾¾ The important line of latitude, the Tropic of Cancer,
(v) Western disturbances (vi) Distance from sea passes through the middle of India dividing it into
(vii) Air Currents (viii) Ocean Currents two zones: the Temperate Zone (northern part) and
¾¾ The Himalayas acts as a climatic barrier. They the Tropical Zone (southern part). The southern
prevents the south-west moisture laden winds from tropical zone remains warm throughout the year and
crossing over it which results in heavy rainfall in the practically has no winter season.
entire Indian Sub-Continent. It also protects from the ¾¾ The regions in the north of the Tropic of Cancer
cold Siberian winds from entering the Indian region. never experience overhead sun while all the places
¾¾ The monsoon winds bring summer rainfall over the in its South experience overhead sun twice a day.
whole of South Asia. The southwest monsoon winds ¾¾ Relief is also an important factor in affecting the
move from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal climate of India. The Western Ghats stand as a
to the low pressure areas of north and north-west barrier in the way of the southwest monsoon winds
India. that blow from the Arabian Sea. This results in heavy
¾¾ These winds bring heavy rainfall during Summers rain on the Western Coastal Plains, which lie on the
from June to September. In October, when it Windward Side.
¾ The Himalayas in the extreme north prevent the ¾ The rainy season begins in June and continues till
moisture-laden winds from crossing them, heavy September. The differential heating and cooling of
rainfall in the major portion of the Indian Sub- land and sea develops intense low pressure over the
Continent. The Aravalli Range in the west runs large landmass and intense high pressure over the
parallel to the southwest monsoon winds and thus sea.
don’t shed any rainfall in that region. ¾ The moisture-laden monsoon winds enter the Indian
¾ Higher the altitude, lower the temperature. It is due mainland from the south-west direction and bring
to normal Lapse Rate, i.e., for every rise of 166 metres heavy rainfall accompanied by thundering and
there is a decrease of 1 °C of temperature. Thus, the lightning.
mountains are cooler than the plains. ¾ The sudden violent onset of rainfall in the first week
¾ The three major seas surrounding the Indian sub- of June is termed as the Burst of the Monsoon.
continent: the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and ¾ Kerala is the first state to receive the monsoon
the Bay of Bengal have a great influence and impact showers and the last to see it retreat.
on the climate. They are the major source of rain in ¾ The southwest monsoon is divided into two
India and also due to its proximity; the coastal places branches:
have moderate climatic conditions. (i) The Arabian Sea Branch
¾ During the winter season, due to the Western (ii) The Bay of Bengal Branch
Disturbances over the Mediterranean Sea, the ¾ After the monsoon, in the month of October,
Westerly Cyclonic Winds blow towards India the Southwest Monsoon begins to retreat from
and bring the North-West part of India under its the northern part of India and is thus called the
influence. These cyclonic winds bring rain to the Retreating Monsoon.
North-Western part of India. ¾ During this period, due to the apparent movement
¾ Due to the distance from the sea, the areas far away of the Sun, the low pressure trough is gradually
from the influence of the sea experience Continental replaced by high pressure.
Type of Climate, i.e.. too hot in summers and too cold ¾ The Retreating Winds are dry and slow in their
in winters. The coastal places, on the other hand, process. The combination of high temperature and
experience equable or maritime climate due to the humidity gives rise to an oppressive (head to bear)
nearness of sea. The land breeze and sea breeze are weather, termed as October Heat.
caused due to the differential heating and cooling of ¾ Due to local variations of heat and moisture, tropical
land and sea. depressions originate in the Bay of Bengal which
¾ Air currents which determine the arrival and leads to Tropical Cyclones.
departure of the monsoons are known as Jet Streams. ¾ By the end of November the winter season begins
The Westerly Jet Streams prevail over the Northern and continues till March. The temperature decreases
Plains while the Easterly Jet Streams steers the from South to North. January is the coldest month.
Tropical Depression over India.
¾ The North-east winds prevail over the country
¾ El-Nino is a warm ocean current which increases during the winter season and blow from land to sea.
the surface temperature of the sea and affects the When a part of these winds blow over the Bay of
Monsoon winds in the Indian Ocean. It causes weak Bengal, they pick up moisture from there and strike
drought-like situation in the Indian Sub-Continent. the Eastern Ghats, thereby, shedding heavy rainfall
¾ Monsoons are periodic seasonal winds and are along the Coastal Plains.
caused due to differential heating and cooling of land ¾ A characteristic feature of the winter season is the
and sea. inflow of Cyclonic Winds coming Scan to know more
¾ Monsoons are divided into two wind systems: from the West. These Cyclonic about this topic
(i) The Summer Monsoon Wind System Winds, caused due to low
(ii) The Winter Monsoon Wind System pressure systems, originate over
¾ In India, on the basis of monsoon the Mediterranean Sea and are
variations, the year may be called the Western Disturbances.
Indian Seasons
categorised into four main ¾ These winds bring rainfall over
seasons. They are: the plains of the North-west part
(i) The Hot Summer Season (March to May) of India in the winter season.
(ii) The Hot and Wet or Rainy Season (June to September) ¾ The distribution of rainfall is determined by the
(iii) The Retreating Southwest Monsoon (October– following situations:
November) (i) The pressure conditions
(iv) The Cold and Dry Winter Season (December– (ii) The direction of relief features
February) (iii) The direction of the moisture bearing wind
¾ The hot summer season begins in March when the (iv) Cyclonic depression
sun starts moving northwards and shines vertically ¾ Main features of rainfall in India are as follows:
over the Tropic of Cancer. During this period, the (i) Rainfall occurs only for three months during the
temperature rises and goes up to 48 °C. rainy season.
¾ Due to the moderating influence of the sea, the (ii) The rains are mainly of relief type i.e., the windward
heat is not so intense in the southern part of India. side of the mountain receives more rainfall than the
Plateaus and hills are also cool due to their elevation. leeward side of the mountain.
(iii) Less rainfall is received from the other sources like
the convectional rainfall and the cyclonic rainfall.
(iv) Rainfall is mainly erratic in nature.
(v)  India being an agrarian country is dependent on
rainfall which affects its economy.