Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

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Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

CHAPTER

02 CLIMATE OF PAKISTAN

Climate -Key Points

Candidates should:
• know the distribution of temperature and rainfall, including monsoon, depressions and
convectional rain
• know seasonal and regional variations, and the factors contributing to them, including
depressions, Thunderstorms and cyclones (typhoons)

• understand the causes of the monsoon (knowledge of the causes of other types of rain is not
required)

• describe and explain the characteristics of the climate of the arid, semi-arid, humid and
highland Regions, including seasonal variations

• know the influence of latitude and longitude on day length and climate

• understand the influence of the climate (both the benefits it brings and the problems it causes)
on the

Economy and on the lives of the people:

– the influence of low temperature, ice and snow on the lives of people in the mountains

– the influence of rain storms and flooding on agriculture, industry and communications
– the problems caused by drought and shortage of water supply on agriculture and industry

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Climate: Weather is generalization of the day to day weather conditions over a long period of
time usually thirty years.

Weather: Weather refers to the atmospheric conditions of any place for a short period of time
(temporary changes in the climate)

Rainfall

■ The quantity of water, expressed in inches, precipitated as rain, snow, hail, or sleet in a
specified area and time interval.

■ Only in a few northern areas humid conditions are found. The rainfall in Pakistan is highest
in northern areas decreases towards south.
Humidity: the amount of water vapours in atmosphere.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

WORKSHEET (Class Work Notes)

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

CLIMATIC ZONES IN PAKISTAN

Highland Zone (Northern Areas):
■ Region: Northern, north western and western highlands.
■ Areas: Chitral, Murree, Muzzafarabad, Drosh, Quetta, Kalat, Parachinar, Waziristan
Climatic Features:
These are areas of very high altitude where the mountain tops (above 4000m) are below
freezing in winters and in summers too. as we are moving away from the Tropic of Cancer. So
here Sun’s rays strike at an oblique angle and transfer less of their solar energy in the form of
heat
Winters are longer than the summers. Warm summers (21-32° C) exist and precipitation is
mainly in form of rain in summers. In Northern Mountains rain come from monsoons and
convection in summers while Western Depressions bring rain in winters. Cold winters (0-5°
C) exist and precipitation is mainly in form of snow in both valleys and mountain tops.
Rainfall is normally associated with altitude. Rainfall in Northern Mountain is highest in the
highland zone. It rains throughout the year. Rainfall in the western mountain is less decreasing
from south of Waziristan hills. Gilgit and Chitral are rain shadow areas.
The temperature conditions also vary from north to west depending on the altitude.
Life Style:
■ The growth of tress is retarded because of severe cold winters. At some places rivers and
torrents also freeze and during winter farming is not practiced and people are involved in
indoor activities.
■ Transhumance is also practiced
■ People live there as nomadic herdsman
■ Many northern areas are not accessible due to landslides and heavy snowfall
■ Lack of water supple discourages human settlements
Sources of Rainfall
■ Relief rainfall
■ Monsoon rainfall
■ Thunderstorms
■ Western Depression

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Lowland Zone – Semi Arid To Arid

■ Region: Indus plain except the Coastal areas.
■ Areas: Islamabad, Sialkot, Sarghoda, Multan, Jacobabad, and Sukkur
Climatic Features:
It has arid and extreme climate with hot summers, cool winters and summer monsoon rainfall.
■ Thunderstorms are also common in north and north-west of the Indus plain. The upper Indus
plain and Lower Indus plain there’s less rainfall and spells of very high temperature.
■ Winters are cool-mild because of low angle of sun and continental effect and summers are
hot due to high angle of sun and continental effect.
■ The climate is characterized by hot (32-40° C) summers. Summers are longer than winters.
In Upper Indus Plain thunderstorms form during March-April. Rate of evapotranspiration is
high and hot winds are common during May-June. Rainfall mainly occurs through monsoons
but convectional rainfall also occurs in March and September.
Life and Economic activities:
■ The plain is drained through four tributaries of Indus River, economically; it is the most
productive region of Pakistan. There is a well developed canal system and many crops are
grown there such as millet, wheat, cotton and sugarcane
■ Population is high and there’s moderate rainfall and tolerable temperature.
Sources of rainfall:
■ Convectional rainfall in northern Punjab
■ Western depression in northern Punjab
■ Monsoon rainfall

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

WORKSHEET (Class Work Notes)

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Coastal Zone (Nearby Arabian Sea)

■ Region: Indus Delta, Karachi and Makran coast
■ Areas: Karachi, Jiwani, Pasni, Ormara and Gwadar
Climatic Fetures:
The climate is dominated by sea breezes throughout the year; the maritime influence keeps the
daily temperature low. There are mild winters and warm summers. The temperature on land
and sea is different; land and water absorb the sun’s heat and water and also radiate it. In
summer the land heats up, while ocean remains cool. In winter the land loses heat quickly and
becomes cold while ocean remains hot.ummers are longer than winters.
Precipitation is in form of rain only and comes from Arabian Sea wing of Monsoons affecting
the Sindh coast. There is a difference of temperature between day and night (this gives
maximum and minimum temperatures in the day). A large daily range of temperature exists.
Also there is a difference in temperature between sun and shade. Temperatures are less hot
than the Indus Plain because of the influence of the sea which counteracts the influence of the
Sun.
The humidity level is usually high, more than 50% from April to September. Means monthly
temperature is 32C◌۫ and May, June and October are the hottest month.
During October the climate is dominated by dry winds from south-eastern desert. Rainfall is
scanty; the rainfall is experienced during monsoon season.
■ Sources of rainfall: Convectional rainfall in northern Punjab. It is interesting to know that
the Monsoon does not affect the coastal areas of Balochistan. This is because the coastal areas
of Makran are preceded by Makran Coastal Range and other ranges, which form the
Balochistan Plateau. Since these ranges have high altitude, the temperature persisting there in
summers is low as compared to interior Sindh and Punjab thus a very low air pressure doesn’t
develop in interior Balochistan and thus monsoon clouds do not affect that area while Western
Depressions coming in from the opposite side do affect the Makran Coast.
■ Western depression in northern Punjab
■ Monsoon rainfall
■ Tropical Cyclone

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Arid Zone
■ Regions: south-eastern desert, and south-western Balochistan
■ Areas: Kharran Desert south-western Balochistan, south-eastern desert.
Climatic Features
■ It is markedly dry and hot. Hot dusty winds prevail continuously from mid –May to mid-
September, rainfall takes place during winter season in south-western Balochistan, in south
eastern desert monsoons bring little rainfall. Extreme heat, dust storms are the main features
of this arid climate due to the high angle of sun and lack of cloud cover.
■ Winters are cool-mild because of low angle of sun, summers are hot because of high angle
of sun. Summers are very hot during the day.
Life and Economic activities
■ The region is deficient of moisture.
■ The temperature is so extreme that it isn’t suitable for habitation or cultivation.
■ The majority of people are nomadic, they move from one place to another with their animals.
■ Because rainfall is very low that’s why unique system of karez is established.
■ Through perennial canals many areas are irrigated.
■ People there wear thick and rough clothes in order to protect them from extreme heat.
■ They move from one place to another in search of water.
Source of Rainfall
● Little rainfall from Western Depression and monsoon winds.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

WORKSHEET (Class Work Notes)

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

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FACTORS AFFECTING TEMPERATURE OF PAKISTAN
 Continental effect:
The areas that are away from the sea are unaffected by maritime influence, consequently;
they are more hot as compared to areas near sea. Winters are extreme and summer
temperatures are quite severe. There is a difference in temperature in summers and winters in
plain areas due to continental effect.
 Maritime Influence: Warm summers and Mild Winters in Coastal areas.

 Altitude and temperature: North and West

■ Location point relative to sea (above sea Level)
■ Air temperature decreases with altitude
■ THE HIGHER YOU GO THE COLDER IT GETS
■ 3.5 Deg F / 100 ft is lost.
 Cloud cover and temperature
In daytime cloud cover reduces the amount of heat by reflecting the heat back to the space
but in night time it traps the outgoing heat and because of this the cloudy nights are warm.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

 Latitude and angle of sun

The sun rays don’t fall at the same angle everywhere.
During summer, the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun and the northern areas of
Pakistan absorb more heat because of high angle of sun, during winter the northern hemisphere
is tilted away from the sun and the northern areas experience sun for shorter duration. As it is
evident the Polar Regions or regions far away from the Equator are generally cooler than the
ones nearer the Equator. This is because for solar radiation to reach the poles and heat them it
has to travel a larger distance in space, thus it loses its intensity (energy).

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

WORKSHEET (Class Work Notes)

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

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SOURCES OF RAINFALL IN PAKISTAN
Monsoon Winds (Rain bearing Winds):
The word monsoon means 'season'. Summer monsoon winds are called south-west monsoons
and winter monsoon winds are called north-east monsoons.
South-west monsoons
South-west monsoons are giant sea breezes which bring heavy rainfall. The rains begin when
summer sun heats tropical continents much faster than the oceans around. Warm air rising over
land creates low pressure, which attracts cool, moist air from the sea, and rain bearing winds
gradually push further inland, bringing heavy rainfall.
North-east monsoons
North-east monsoons blow from the land towards the sea. In winter a high-pressure area is
created over the Tropic of Cancer. Winds blow from land to sea, which is a low-pressure area.
They are mostly dry and bring no significant change because they originate in a dry area.
Sources: Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea

How they developed in Pakistan:

■ South-west monsoon are giant sea breezes which bring rainfall. the rains began when the
ocean are less heated and land is more heated. The air from the land rises developing a low
pressure and it attracts the cool air causing heavy rainfall.

■ North-east monsoons blow from the land towards the sea in winter seasons.

What is their route?

■ Main monsoon winds blow from Bay of bengal. After crossing Bangladesh and North India
the winds enter Pakistan from North. They start to blow in June and cause heavy rainfall in
July.

■ Some monsoon winds rise from the Arabian Sea but are weak and have little effect.

The Western Depression (December To March From West)

■ Western Depression are the cyclones which originate in Mediterranean Sea, they travel
across Afghanistan and Iran and then reach the western part of Pakistan. The moisture in the
air is evaporated causing rainfall.
■ After striking north west Pak, such as Peshawar and Northern areas, the winds move towards
western and south-western parts where there moist content lost. Quetta receives most rainfall
in winters.
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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Convectional Currents (April To June And October To November In Northern Areas)

■ Hot air rises during summer and when it reaches the high layer of atmosphere, condensation
takes place causing rainfall. Strong winds accompanying the storms may pick up dust with
them
■ Only northern and north western areas of Pakistan like Punjab and NWFP receive rainfall
from Convectional currents. Southern Pakistan despite being more hot then the northern areas
experience less rainfall because of temperature inversion layer.
■ Rawalpindi and peshawar receives convectional current in early summers.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

WORKSHEET (Class Work Notes)

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Relief Rainfall
Relief rainfall is related to the height of land. It occurs where moist unstable air moves up a
mountain edge and it is chilled, heavy condensation takes place and rainfall occurs.
Northern and north western areas of Pakistan like Murree and kakul receives rainfall in almost
all the seasons
Tropical Cyclones
Tropical cyclones bring heavy rainfall for few hours and can cause a lot of destruction. They
originate in Arabian Sea quite often but rarely reach the coast of Pakistan. Therefore, this
source of rainfall is totally unreliable.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Floods
River Water is a vital resource to people for drinking, washing, industrial processes, leisure.
agriculture and transport. However, excessive water in the rivers may cause floods.
The Indus and its tributaries swell, and almost every year overflow their banks. The flooding in most
years is not serious. However, every 7-8 years there are severe floods. Serious floods occurred in
1955.

R
Melting of
N snow during
A summer.

T
E U
R Heavy
monsoon

A
A rainfall.

L
FLOODS

S
Cutting of trees on the
foothills increases
surface run-off

H
O U Failure to strengthen
or heighten
M embankments

N A alongside rivers

N
Dam failure to store

S
extra water due to less
capacity.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

WORKSHEET (Class Work Notes)

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Benefits of Floods
Although flooding can be devastating to an unprepared community, it is a natural event with a
purpose.
 Floods return nutrients to the land and contribute to the health of wetlands as in the Indus delta
Wetlands allow floods to spread over a large area and cause little or no damage.
 Floods distribute rich sediment and refresh streams. Floods spread a layer of alluvium, which
increases the fertility of the land. A flooded field can be used for rice cultivation. Over the
centuries farmers the Indus Plains have made a careful selection of the most appropriate rice
varieties to enable them to face the seasonal floods.
 The relatively high level of fish production in the Arabian Sea is attributed to the nutrient-rich
delta of the Indus river system.
 The reproduction, breeding and multiplication of inland freshwater fish and prawn species is
finely tuned and adjusted to the monsoon flooding.
 Floods also recharge ground water supplies.
What Can Be Done to Reduce the Flood Risk? or Solutions
Preventative and curative measures:
 Planting trees on foothills to check the flow of running water.
 Enlarging the river channel so that it can hold more water.
 Building embankments on either side of the channel to prevent the spread of floodwater.
 Building extra channels to take floodwater away from towns
 Building reservoirs on the river to store water and control peak discharge
 Preventing building in areas where flooding is most likely.
 Publicising flood warnings through radio, television, newspapers and the internet.
 Evacuation of flooded areas and providing necessary facilities for rehabilitation.
Storms
Thunderstorms are common in northern and north-western Pakistan. In the summer (April to June)
and the post-monsoon season (Sept-Oct), the atmospheric pressure falls and convectional currents
cause sporadic and localized rainfall in the extreme north and the Safed Koh Mountains. This is
accompanied by strong winds from 60-80 km per hour. Stormy rainfall and hail also occur as a result
of these winds, which cause the destruction of apples, pears and other crops grown there.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Drought in Pakistan
Drought is a hazard of nature and one that can present a very big threat to those who live off the land.
Lack of rainfall results in severe water shortages, which can destroy crops. In the world’s poor
countries drought brings famine, disease and death on a massive scale.
Types of Drought
There are four different ways of categorizing drought:
 Permanent drought exists when crop cultivation is not possible without irrigation, e.g. Thal, Cholistan,
Chagai (Western Balochistan).
 Seasonal drought occurs in areas with well defined, rainy and dry seasons e.g. Potwar Plateau,
southern Punjab.
 Invisible drought is the result of a water deficiency that reduces crop yields but is not severe
enough to destroy them.
 Unpredictable drought is the result of abnormally low rainfall and occurs in areas which have
humid climates.
Causes of Drought in Pakistan
Natural Factors that can lead to drought Pakistan are:
 Unreliability of monsoon winds may lead to seasonal drought in Punjab and Sindh.
 Hot, dry winds can reduce moisture content of sandy soil by lowering the level of humidity in the
air.
 Global climate is constantly changing, leading to changes in Pakistan's climate.
Human Factors that may lead to drought conditions in Pakistan are:
 Deforestation on the foothills of mountains increases soil erosion and reduces rainfall.
 Mismanagement of water resources through seepage of unlined canals etc.
 The disputed and unfair distribution of water between the provinces may lead to a drought situation
in the province which is deprived of its fair share of water.
 Overgrazing of land leads to soil erosion and reduces soil fertility.
 Global warming leads to climate change.
Effects of drought on the physical environment:
 Desertification (The process of turning the land into a desert)
 Exposed soil leading to soil erosion. dust storms, extension of desert areas, rise in temperature,
loss of vegetation, and extinction of species.
 Drying up of rivers, lakes and streams.
 Harm to fisheries and other aquatic life. growth of algae in shallow water bodies, unsafe
drinking water.
 Drop in water table
 Less water available to plants and humans from ground water sources.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

WORKSHEET (Class Work Notes)

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Drought Management or Solutions

Drought can be managed in three ways:

1) Water-storage schemes
Water can be stored in water-storage schemes such as the reservoirs of dams and traditional water tanks for
irrigating crops and forest areas. This helps to limit the losses caused by seasonal drought in the affected areas.
The areas that only receive monsoon rainfall in heavy showers during July and August can utilise that extra
water throughout the year by a perennial canal system. More such projects are required to meet the water
demands of the growing population.

2) The use of new technology such as:

a) the use of sea water through a desalination process (the removal of salt)
b) the conversion of waste water into clean water through filtration and chemical treatment.
c) planting drought-resistant crop varieties which consume less water.
3) The lining of canals to avoid wastage and uneconomical use of existing water resources. In Pakistan,
large amounts of canal water are wasted due to seepage from unlined canals causing waterlogging and
salinity. These waterlogged areas, which have stagnant water and patches of salt on the surface, cannot be
used for cultivation. Such problems should be addressed promptly by taking the preventive and curative
measures discussed in Unit 3.
4) Planning and management of water resources
Furthermore, the government should ensure that high priority is given to the allocation of water resources for
the basic needs of the people and of the economy, i.e. for agricultural and industrial uses.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

Q-Box- 6 marks
The Thar Desert is a water deficient area and it can be reclaimed by constructing seasonal/flood
canals from the sukkur Barrage to increase production of food.
The Thar Desert is rich in mineral resources such as coal and oil. It is more feasible to invest
in the setting up of coal fired thermal power plants than to use the land for forming.
Which statement do you agree with more? Give reasons for your answer and refer to
places or examples you have studied in Pakistan to support your answer.

The Thar Desert is in the south east of Pakistan It is a dry sandy desert of about 22,000 square
kilometers, of which about 20% is cultivated. Crops of guar, millet, mung bean, kidney bean, sesame,
watermelons and castor seeds are grown on about 80% of this cultivated land and fodder crops on the
rest. The crops depend on rainfall except in a few canal-irrigated areas in the west.
Cash crops like chillies, onion, garlic, brinjal and wheat are grown using well water in the south. The
soil is sandy but also contains fine particles of clay and silt which make it fertile. The rain is collected
in the traditional style in ponds and tanks and also by building mud bunds on small temporary rivers
to hold up the flow Rainfall is the only source of fresh surface and groundwater. The low rainfall
occurs during the monsoon season from July to September in a few, scattered but heavy showers. The
irregular rainfall periods are followed by long spells of drought, which may last from three to five
years. The high temperatures result in a high rate of evaporation. More water is evaporated than is
supplied by rainfall, thus the land remains dry and little water seeps underground.

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 Pakistan Studies Notes Geography: Chapter II

WORKSHEET (Class Work Notes)

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