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CBSE Class 9 Geography - Climate Notes

The document discusses the concepts of climate and weather, highlighting their differences and the factors that influence climate, such as latitude, altitude, and ocean currents. It specifically addresses the climate of India, detailing its four main seasons and the impact of monsoons on agricultural activities. The document emphasizes the significance of monsoons as a unifying element across the Indian subcontinent, affecting both weather patterns and agricultural practices.

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Sarthak Goyal
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
30 views5 pages

CBSE Class 9 Geography - Climate Notes

The document discusses the concepts of climate and weather, highlighting their differences and the factors that influence climate, such as latitude, altitude, and ocean currents. It specifically addresses the climate of India, detailing its four main seasons and the impact of monsoons on agricultural activities. The document emphasizes the significance of monsoons as a unifying element across the Indian subcontinent, affecting both weather patterns and agricultural practices.

Uploaded by

Sarthak Goyal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Geography

Chapter 4 – Climate

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
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. On the basis of the
monthly atmospheric conditions, the year is divided into seasons such as:
(i) Winter
(ii) Summer
(iii)Rainy Seasons

Climatic Controls
The climate of any place depends on the following factors:
1) Latitude
The amount of solar energy received varies according to latitude due to the
curvature of the earth. That’s why air temperature generally decreases from
the equator towards the poles.
2) Altitude
The atmosphere becomes less dense and temperature decreases when we
go to the higher altitude from the earth surface. This is the reason why hills
are cooler during summers.
3) Pressure and wind system
The pressure and wind system of any area depends on the latitude and
altitude of the place. It influences the temperature and rainfall pattern.
4) Distance from the sea
The sea exerts a moderating influence on the climate. As the distance from
the sea increases, its moderating influence decreases and people experience
extreme weather conditions. This condition is known as continentality i.e.
very hot during summers and very cold during winters.
5) Ocean currents
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.
6) Relief features
Relief 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. Precipitation is any form of moisture which falls to the earth. It
includes rain, snow, hail and sleet.

Factors Affecting India’s Climate


Latitude
The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of the country from the
Rann of Kutch in the west to Mizoram in the east. India’s climate has
characteristics of tropical as well as subtropical climates.
Altitude
India has mountains to the north and also has a vast coastal area where the
maximum elevation is about 30 meters. Owing to the mountains,
subcontinent experiences comparatively milder winters as compared to
central Asia.
Pressure and Winds
The climate and weather conditions in India are governed by the
following atmospheric conditions:

 Pressure and surface winds


 Upper air circulation
 Western cyclonic disturbances and tropical cyclones

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 warm oceans,
gather moisture and bring widespread rainfall over the territories of India.

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The Seasons
4 main seasons can be identified in India:

1. The Cold weather season (Winter)


2. The Hot weather season (Summer)
3. The Advancing monsoon (Rainy Season)
4. The Retreating monsoon with some regional variations (Transition
Season)

The Cold Weather Season (Winter)


Winter 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.
 Days are warm and nights are cold.
 The weather is marked by clear sky, low temperatures and low
humidity and feeble, variable winds.
 This season is extremely important for the cultivation of ‘Rabi’ crops.
The Hot Weather Season (Summer)
From March to May, hot weather season is observed in India. The summer
months experience rising temperature and falling air pressure in the
northern part of the country. A striking feature of the hot weather season is
the ‘loo’.
Loo is the strong, gusty, hot, dry winds blowing during the day over the
north and northwestern India.
Towards the close of the summer season, pre-monsoon showers come
which help in the early ripening of mangoes, and are often referred to as
‘mango showers’.

Advancing Monsoon (The Rainy Season)


South-east trade winds originate over the warm subtropical areas of the
southern oceans. They cross the equator and blow in a southwesterly
direction entering the Indian peninsula as the south-west monsoon. The
monsoon winds cover the country in about a month.
Mawsynram in the southern ranges of the Khasi Hills receives the
highest average rainfall in the world.

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A phenomenon associated with the monsoon is its tendency to have ‘breaks’
in rainfall. These breaks in monsoon are related to the movement of the
monsoon through.
The through and its axis keep on moving northward or southward and
determine the spatial distribution of rainfall.
The frequency and intensity of tropical depressions also determine the
amount and duration of monsoon rains. The monsoon is known for its
uncertainties. The alternations of dry and wet spells vary in intensity,
frequency and duration.

Retreating/Post Monsoons (The Transition Season)


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

Distribution of Rainfall

1. Parts of the western coast and northeastern India receive over about
400 cm of rainfall annually.
2. Rainfall is less than 60 cm in western Rajasthan and adjoining
parts of Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab.
3. Rainfall is low in the interior of the Deccan plateau, and east of the
Western Ghats.
4. Snowfall is restricted to the Himalayan region.
5. The annual rainfall is highly variable from year to year.

Monsoon as a Unifying Bond

The unifying influence of the monsoon on the Indian subcontinent is quite


noticeable.

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

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