CLIMATE

 Climate refers to the sum total of weather conditions and variations over
a large area for a long period of time (more than thirty years).

 Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere over an area at any point
of time. The elements of weather and climate are the same, i.e.
temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, and precipitation.

 You may have observed that the weather conditions fluctuate very often
even within a day.

 But there is some common pattern over a few weeks or months, i.e. days
are cool or hot, windy or calm, cloudy or bright, and wet or dry.

 Based on the generalized monthly atmospheric conditions, the year is

divided into seasons such as winter, summer, or rainy seasons.

 The world is divided into a number of climatic regions.

 The climate of India is described as the ‘monsoon’ type.

 In Asia, this type of climate is found mainly in the south and the
southeast.

 Despite an overall unity in the general pattern, there are perceptible

regional variations in climatic conditions within the country.

 Let us take two important elements – temperature and precipitation, and

examine how they vary from place to place and season to season.

 In summer, the mercury occasionally touches 50°C in some parts of the

Rajasthan desert,

 whereas it may be around 20°C in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

 On a winter night, temperature at Drass in Jammu and Kashmir may be as

low as minus 45°C. Thiruvananthapuram, on the other hand, may have a
temperature of 22°C.

 There are variations not only in the form and types of precipitation but
also in its amount and the seasonal distribution.

 While precipitation is mostly in the form of snowfall in the upper parts of

Himalayas, it rains over the rest of the country.

 The annual precipitation varies from over 400 cm in Meghalaya to less

than 10 cm in Ladakh and western Rajasthan.

 Most parts of the country receive rainfall from June to September

  But some parts like the Tamil Nadu coast gets a large portion of its rain
during October and November.

 In general, coastal areas experience less contrasts in temperature

conditions.

 Seasonal contrasts are more in the interior of the country.

 There is decrease in rainfall generally from east to west in the Northern

Plains.

 These variations have given rise to variety in lives of people – in terms of

the food they eat, the clothes they wear and also the kind of houses they
live in.

CLIMATIC CONTROLS --There are six major controls of the climate of any place. They
are: latitude, altitude, pressure and wind system, distance from the sea
(continentality), ocean currents and relief features.

 Due to the curvature of the earth, the amount of solar energy received
varies according to latitude.

 As a result, air temperature generally decreases from the equator towards

the poles. As one goes from the surface of the earth to higher altitudes,
the atmosphere becomes less dense and temperature decreases.

 The hills are therefore cooler during summers. The pressure and wind
system of any area depend on the latitude and altitude of the place. Thus
it influences the temperature and rainfall pattern.

 The sea exerts a moderating influence on climate: As the distance from

the sea increases, its moderating influence decreases and the people
experience extreme weather conditions. This condition is known as
continentality (i.e. very hot during summers and very cold during winters).

 Ocean currents along with onshore winds affect the climate of the
coastal areas, For example, any coastal area with warm or cold currents
flowing past it, will be warmed or cooled if the winds are onshore.

 Finally, relief too plays a major role in determining the climate of a place.
High mountains act as barriers for cold or hot winds; they may also cause
precipitation if they are high enough and lie in the path of rain-bearing
winds.

 The leeward side of mountains remains relatively dry.

FACTORS AFFECTING INDIA’S CLIMATE

Latitude

The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of the country from the Rann of
Kuchchh in the west to Mizoram in the east. Almost half of the country, lying
south of the Tropic of Cancer, belongs to the tropical area. All the remaining
area, north of the Tropic, lies in the sub-tropics. Therefore, India’s climate has
characteristics of tropical as well as subtropical climates.

Altitude

India has mountains to the north, which have an average height of about 6,000
metres. India also has a vast coastal area where the maximum elevation is about
30 metres. The Himalayas prevent the cold winds from Central Asia from
entering the subcontinent. It is because of these mountains that this
subcontinent experiences comparatively milder winters as compared to central
Asia.

Pressure and Winds

The climate and associated weather conditions in India are governed by the
following atmospheric conditions:

 Pressure and surface winds;

 Upper air circulation; and

 Western cyclonic disturbances and

 tropical cyclones.

India lies in the region of north easterly winds. These winds originate from the
subtropical high-pressure belt of the northern hemisphere. They blow
southwards, get deflected to the right due to the Coriolis force, and move
towards the equatorial low-pressure area. Generally, these winds carry little
moisture as they originate and blow over land. Therefore, they bring little or no
rain. Hence, India should have been an arid land, but it is not so.

 The pressure and wind conditions over India are unique. During winter,
there is a high-pressure area north of the Himalayas.

 Cold dry winds blow from this region to the low-pressure areas over the
oceans to the south.

 In summer, a low-pressure area develops over interior Asia, as well as,

over northwestern India.

 This causes a complete reversal of the direction of winds during summer.

 Air moves from the high-pressure area over the southern Indian Ocean, in
a south-easterly direction, crosses the equator, and turns right towards
the low-pressure areas over the Indian subcontinent.
 These are known as the Southwest Monsoon winds. These winds blow over
the warmoceans, gather moisture and bring widespread rainfall over the
mainland of India.

THE SEASONS

 The monsoon type of climate is characterised by a distinct seasonal

pattern.

 The weather conditions greatly change from one season to the other.

 These changes are particularly noticeable in the interior parts of the

country.

 The coastal areas do not experience much variation in temperature

though there isvariation in rainfall pattern

 Four main seasons can be identified in India – the cold weather season,
the hot weather season, the advancing monsoon and the retreating
monsoon with some regional variations.

The Cold Weather Season (Winter)

 The cold weather season begins from mid- November in northern India
and stays till February.

 December and January are the coldest months in the northern part of
India. The temperature decreases from south to the north.

 The average temperature of Chennai, on the eastern coast, is between

24°– 25° Celsius, while in the northern plains, it ranges between 10°C and
15° Celsius.

 Days are warm and nights are cold. Frost is common in the north and the
higher slopes of the Himalayas experience snowfall.

 During this season, the northeast trade winds prevail over the country.
They blow from land to sea and hence, for most part of the country, it is a
dry season.

 Some amount of rainfall occurs on the Tamil Nadu coast from these winds
as, here they blow from sea to land.

 In the northern part of the country, a feeble high-pressure region

develops, with light winds moving outwards from this area.

 Influenced by the relief, these winds blow through the Ganga valley from
the west and the northwest.

 The weather is normally marked by clear sky, low temperatures and low
humidity and feeble, variable winds.
  A characteristic feature of the cold weather season over the northern
plains is the inflow of cyclonic disturbances from the west and the
northwest.

 These low-pressure systems, originate over the Mediterranean Sea and

western Asia and move into India, along with the westerly flow.

 They cause the much-needed winter rains over the plains and snowfall in
the mountains. Although the total amount of winter rainfall locally known
as ‘mahawat’ is small, they are of immense importance for the cultivation
of ‘rabi’ crops.

 The peninsular region does not have a well- defined cold season. There is
hardly any noticeable seasonal change in temperature pattern during
winters due to themoderating influence of the sea.

The Hot Weather Season (Summer)

 Due to the apparent northward movement of the sun, the global heat belt
shifts northwards.

 As such, from March to May, it is hot weather season in India. The

influence of the shifting of the heat belt can be seen clearly from
temperature recordings taken during March- May at different latitudes.

 In March, the highest temperature is about 38° Celsius, recorded on the

Deccan plateau. In April, temperatures in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are
around 42° Celsius.

 In May, temperature of 45° Celsius is common in the northwestern parts of

the country.

 In peninsular India, temperatures remain lower due to the moderating

influence of the oceans.

 The summer months experience rising temperature and falling air

pressure in the northern part of the country.

 Towards the end of May, an elongated low-pressure area develops in the

region extending from the Thar Desert in the northwest to Patna and
Chotanagpur plateau in the east and southeast.

 Circulation of air begins to set in around this trough.

 A striking feature of the hot weather season is the ‘loo’. These are strong,
gusty, hot, dry winds blowing during the day over the north and
northwestern India.

 Sometimes they even continue until late in the evening. Direct exposure
to these winds may even prove to be fatal.

 Dust storms are very common during the month of May in northern India.
  These storms bring temporary relief as they lower the temperature and
may bring light rain and cool breeze.

 This is also the season for localised thunderstorms, associated with

violent winds, torrential downpours, often accompanied by hail.

 In West Bengal, these storms are known as the ‘Kaal Baisakhi’.

 Towards the close of the summer season, pre-monsoon showers are

common especially, in Kerala and Karnataka. They help in the early
ripening of mangoes, and are often referred to as ‘mango showers’.

Advancing Monsoon (The Rainy Season)

 By early June, the low-pressure condition over the northern plains

intensifies. It attracts, the trade winds of the southern hemisphere.

 These south-east trade winds originate over the warm subtropical areas
of the southern oceans.

 They cross the equator and blow in a south- westerly direction entering
the Indian peninsula as the south-west monsoon.

 As these winds blow over warm oceans, they bring abundant moisture to
the subcontinent.

 These winds are strong and blow at an average velocity of 30 km per hour.
With the exception of the extreme north-west, the monsoon winds cover
the country in about a month.

 The inflow of the south-west monsoon into India brings about a total
change in the weather.

 Early in the season, the windward side of the Western Ghats receives very
heavy rainfall, more than 250 cm.

 The Deccan Plateau and parts of Madhya Pradesh also receive some
amount of rain in spite of lying in the rain shadow area.

 The maximum rainfall of this season is received in the north-eastern part

of the country. Mawsynram in the southern ranges of the Khasi Hills
receives the highest average rainfall in the world.

 Rainfall in the Ganga valley decreases from the east to the west.
Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat get scanty rainfall.

 Another phenomenon associated with the monsoon is its tendency to have

‘breaks’ in rainfall.

 Thus, it has wet and dry spells. In other words, the monsoon rains take
place only for a few days at a time.
  They are interspersed with rainless intervals. These breaks in monsoon are
related to the movement of the monsoon trough.

 For various reasons, the trough and its axis keep on moving northward or
southward, which determines the spatial distribution of rainfall.

 When the axis of the monsoon trough lies over the plains, rainfall is good
in these parts.

 On the other hand, whenever the axis shifts closer to the Himalayas, there
are longer dry spells in the plains, and widespread rain occur in the
mountainous catchment areas of the Himalayan rivers.

 These heavy rains bring in their wake, devastating floods causing damage
to life and property in the plains.

 The frequency and intensity of tropical depressions too, determine the

amount and duration of monsoon rains.

 These depressions form at the head of the Bay of Bengal and cross over
to the mainland. The depressions follow the axis of the “monsoon trough
of low pressure”.

 The monsoon is known for its uncertainties. The alternation of dry and wet
spells vary in intensity, frequency and duration.

 While it causes heavy floods in one part, it may be responsible for

droughts in the other. It is often irregular in its arrival and its retreat.

 Hence, it sometimes disturbs the farming schedule of millions of farmers

all over the country.

Retreating/Post Monsoons (The Transition Season)

 During October-November, with the apparent movement of the sun

towards the south, the monsoon trough or the low-pressure trough over
the northern plains becomes weaker.

 This is gradually replaced by a high-pressure system. The south-west

monsoon winds weaken and start withdrawing gradually. By the beginning
of October, the monsoon withdraws from the Northern Plains.

 The months of October-November form a period of transition from hot

rainy season to dry winter conditions.

 The retreat of the monsoon is marked by clear skies and a rise in

temperature. While day temperatures are high, nights are cool and
pleasant.

 The land is still moist. Owing to the conditions of high temperature and
humidity, the weather becomes rather oppressive during the day.
  This is commonly known as ‘October heat’. In the second half of October,
the mercury begins to fall rapidly in northern India

 The low-pressure conditions, over north- western India, get transferred to

the Bay of Bengal by early November.

 This shift is associated with the occurrence of cyclonic depressions, which

originate over the Andaman Sea.

 These cyclones generally cross the eastern coasts of India cause heavy
and widespread rain.

 These tropical cyclones are often very destructive.

 The thickly populated deltas of the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri
are frequently struck by cyclones, which cause great damage to life and
property.

 Sometimes, these cyclones arrive at the coasts of Odisha, West Bengal

and Bangladesh. The bulk of the rainfall of the Coromandel Coast is
derived from depressions andcyclones.

DISTRIBUTION OF RAINFALL

 Parts of western coast and northeastern India receive over about 400 cm
of rainfall annually.

 However, it is less than 60 cm in western Rajasthan and adjoining parts of

Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab.

 Rainfall is equally low in the interior of the Deccan plateau, and east of
the Sahyadris. Why do these regions receive low rainfall?

 A third area of low precipitation is around Leh in Jammu and Kashmir. The
rest of the country receives moderate rainfall.

 Snowfall is restricted to the Himalayan region.

 Owing to the nature of monsoons, the annual rainfall is highly variable

from year to year.

 Variability is high in the regions of low rainfall, such as parts of Rajasthan,

Gujarat and the leeward side of the Western Ghats.

 As such, while areas of high rainfall are liable to be affected by floods,

areas of low rainfall are drought-prone.

MONSOON AS A UNIFYING BOND

 the way the Himalayas protect the subcontinent from extremely cold
winds from central Asia.
 This enables northern India to have uniformly higher temperatures
compared to other areas on the same latitudes.

 Similarly, the Peninsular plateau, under the influence of the sea from three
sides, has moderate temperatures.

 Despite such moderating influences, there are great variations in the

temperature conditions.

 Nevertheless, the unifying influence of the monsoon on the Indian

subcontinent is quite perceptible.

 The seasonal alteration of the wind systems and the associated weather
conditions provide a rhythmic cycle of seasons.

 Even the uncertainties of rain and uneven distribution are very much
typical of the monsoons.

 The Indian landscape, its animal and plant life, its entire agricultural
calendar and the life of the people, including their festivities, revolve
around this phenomenon.

 Year after year, people of India from north to south and from east to west,
eagerly await the arrival of the monsoon.

 These monsoon winds bind the whole country by providing water to set
the agricultural activities in motion.

 The river valleys which carry this water also unite as a single river valley
unit.