Climate of India Climate

of India and Regional Variations

India has a tropical monsoon type of climate. This is because India lies in the tropical belt and its climate is
influenced by the monsoon winds which are largely confined to the tropics. Hot summers and dry winters
are characteristic of the monsoon type of climate.
India has many relief features which affect its climate. For example, the Himalayas influence the climate of
India in the following ways:

• It protects northern India from the cold winds which blow from central Asia. Without this range, the Indian
plains would experience extremely cold climate.

• Northern India experiences continental type of climate because of the presence of the Himalayas. Main
characteristics of this type of climate are hot summers, cold winters and little rainfall. The diurnal range
(difference between maximum and minimum temperature) of temperature is also large.

Regional Variations
India has a vast latitudinal and longitudinal extent. Thus, it has vast regional variations. Some of these are
• While Barmer in Rajasthan experiences a temperature of 48–50°C in June, Pahalgam in Kashmir
experiences 22°C in the same month.
• While Kerala enjoys tropical climate with warm and moist air, Punjab experiences continental type of
climate with severe heat during summers and severe cold during winters.(cuz distance from sea)
• While the temperature in Kerala remains at about 20–22°C during winters, in Kargil, the temperature
may drop below −40°C. (altitude difference)
• While the difference between day and night temperatures in Kerala is hardly 7–8°C, the diurnal range
of temperature is extremely high in the Thar desert. The difference between the day and night
temperature is between 25°C and 30°C. (cuz sandy surface)
• Precipitation also differs in the country. While the precipitation is in the form of snowfall over the
Himalayas, it rains over other parts of the country.

• While Mawsynram and Cherrapunji receive about 1100 cm of rainfall in Meghalaya, Jaisalmer in
Rajasthan receives only about 9 cm of rainfall annually.
• Tura in Meghalaya gets an amount of rainfall in a single day which is equal to 10 years of rainfall at
Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.
• The Coromandel Coast remains dry in the months of July and August, whereas the Ganga delta and
the coastal plains of Odisha are hit by strong storms almost every third or fifth day during these months.
• Most parts of India receive rainfall during June to September, but the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu
receive rainfall during winters.

Factors Affecting the Climate of India

The Himalayas
• The Himalayas protect the North Indian Plains from severe cold Siberian winds which blow from Central
Asia during winter.
• The rain-bearing winds blowing from the Arabian Sea bring in rainfall over the northern plains after
striking the Himalayas. Central Asia lies in the rain shadow area of the Himalayas and hence hardly
receives any precipitation from these winds.

The Monsoon Winds

• Monsoon winds bring summer rains to almost all of South Asia. During summer, winds move into
Peninsular India from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. These winds are south-westerly and carry a
lot of moisture. They bring rain to the entire subcontinent.
• Tibet stays dry because it's in the rain-shadow of the Himalayas.

• Retreating monsoon brings rain to the eastern coastal region. In winter, dry North-East Monsoon winds
blow from high-pressure areas (originating in Mongolia)
• By the beginning of October, the winds start to retreat from central India. While crossing the Bay of
Bengal, they pick up moisture. These winds bring winter rain to Tamil Nadu.

Latitude

• The tropic of Cancer divides the country into two parts. The northern part lies in the temperate zone,
while the southern part lies in the tropical zone.
• While the northern part of the country lying in the temperate zone experiences hot summer and cool
winters, the southern parts of the country located in the tropical zone experiences hot climate and
don’t have clear cut winter season.
• Southern zone has the mid day sun almost vertically overhead at least twice every year (cuz its below
tropic of cancer)

Varied Relief
• Relief plays an important role in shaping the climate of India. The areas located in the windward side of
the Western Ghats receive heavy rainfall, while the Deccan region lying on the leeward or rain shadow
area of the Western Ghats receives very little rainfall.
• The southwest monsoon winds blow parallel to the Aravalli Range. The latter is not able to stop the
moisture-laden winds, making Rajasthan a dry state.
• Areas located in southern Assam receive heavy rainfall compared to the regions located to their
north. This is because the hills in Southern Assam block the winds and force them to shed their moisture.
By the time these winds arrive in northern Assam, they are comparatively dry.

Altitude
• Temperature decreases with higher altitude. There is a decrease of 1°C for every 166 m rise in height.
• Thus, the mountains are cooler than the plains. Thus, the temperature at Ooty is lower than that at
Kochi as the former is located at a higher altitude.

Influence of the Surrounding Seas

• India—a peninsular country—is surrounded by seas and oceans on three sides.
• These water bodies affect the climate of the regions which lie close to the sea. These regions experience
moderate, equable and maritime climate.

Western Disturbances
• Because of the shifting of pressure belts in central and west Asia, northern India comes under the
influence of western disturbances.
• These western disturbances cause rainfall over the northern parts of the country and snowfall over
Jammu and Kashmir.

Distance from the Sea

• The regions located far away from the Sea and in the interior of the continent experience a continental
type of climate. Whereas coastal areas have equable or maritime climate.
• The effect of land breeze and sea breeze caused by differential rate of heating and cooling of land and
sea are responsible for moderate climate in coastal areas
• The summers are extremely hot, and the winters are extremely cold.

EL-NINO EFFECT
• El-Nino refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific region.
• It increases the surface temperature of the sea and affects the movement of monsoon winds in the
Indian Ocean.
• It results in drier conditions over the Indian subcontinent and delay in the monsoon

Phenomena and Mechanism of the Monsoons

The monsoon winds are periodic winds caused by the differential heating and cooling of the land
and the sea. They are divided into two systems—summer monsoon and winter monsoon.

Summer Monsoon
• The land heats quickly during summers, and hence, low-pressure conditions develop over the land. As
the sea is relatively cool, high-pressure area develops over the sea.
• Because winds move from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area, winds move from the sea to the
land. This is called summer monsoon.
• In May, June and July, the plains of the Indian subcontinent receive vertical rays of the Sun. While a low-
pressure area develops over the land, a high-pressure area develops over the sea.
• Thus, winds blow from the Indian Ocean northwards and north-westwards into Asia. Because they blow
from the southwest, they are known as the southwest summer monsoon.

Winter Monsoon
• During the winter, oceans tend to become warm and the land cools down. A high-pressure area develops
over the land and a low-pressure area develops over the Indian Ocean.
• The winds move from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area. Thus, the winds which blow from the
land to the sea are dry and are devoid of any moisture. They bring cold weather and do not produce any
rainfall.
• When these winds blow over adjoining oceans, they pick up moisture and bring rainfall over the southern
Coromandel Coast (coastal Tamil Nadu) and over the southern tip of Andhra Pradesh.
• Because these winds blow from the northeastern parts of the country, they are also known as northeast
monsoon winds.

Features of Rainfall in India

• Rainfall in India is mainly concentrated to the months of July, August and September.
• In India, the rainfall is mainly orographic in nature. The places located on the windward side receive
more rainfall than the places located on the leeward side.
• Only a small amount of rainfall is received from cyclones and convectional rainfall.
• Monsoon in India is erratic, uneven and unpredictable. While there are floods in some regions, the other
regions experience drought.

Seasons in India

The southern monsoon winds have distinct seasonal patterns. In the monsoon type of climate, a year is
divided into four seasons.

Hot Dry Summer

• Summer in India begins from March and continues till May.
• The highest temperature is recorded in the northwestern parts where the highest temperature may reach
up to 48°C. South India does not experience intense heat because it experiences moderating influence
of the sea.
• Large diurnal variation in the western interior is due to dry climate, clear skies, and absence of sea’s
moderating influence.

• During the summer, a local hot wind called loo blows in the northern parts of the country. Direct
exposure to the wind may prove fatal cuz winds tempo is between 45-50C.
• During this season, thunderstorms known as kalbaisakhi hit West Bengal. These are also known as
Bardoli Chheerha. These thunderstorms are accompanied by heavy rainfall. It also rains in coastal
Kerala and Karnataka. These showers are known as mango showers as they help in the early ripening
of mangoes. They are also known as cherry blossoms in Karnataka.
Southwest Monsoon
• The southwest monsoon begins in June
and lasts till September. During
summers, a low-pressure area is created
over the northwestern part of the Indian
Ocean. This attracts the southeast trade
winds. These winds get deflected to their
right because of the Coriolis force after
crossing the equator.

• They reach the west coast as the

southwest monsoon. They bring heavy
rainfall accompanied by violent thunder
and lightning. This violent onset of the
monsoon is termed the Burst of the
monsoon.

• when the South-West Monsoon fails to

bring rainfall for two or more weeks and
there is a dry period in the rainy season
it is called the Break of Monsoon. The first
State to receive the monsoon showers is
Kerala and also the last to see its
withdrawal
• The monsoon winds get divided into the
Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch.

Arabian Sea Branch

• One branch of these winds causes heavy rainfall on the areas which lie on the windward
side of the Western Ghats and the Western Coastal Plains. The areas located on the leeward
side of the Western Ghats hardly receive any rainfall.

• The second branch of the Arabian Sea monsoon winds strikes the northern coast of Mumbai. It further
moves along the river valleys of Narmada and Tapti and cause rainfall in central India. It then mingles
with the Bay of Bengal branch after entering the Ganga plains.

• The third branch strikes the Saurashtra Peninsula and the Kachchh. It then travels to western
Rajasthan and runs parallel to the Aravalli Range. Hence, western Rajasthan gets scanty rainfall.
• The Arabian Sea branch joins the Bay of Bengal branch causing rainfall in the western Himalayas.

Bay of Bengal Branch

• The Bay of Bengal branch approaches towards Myanmar and southeast Bangladesh. Because of the
presence of the Arakan Hills, they are deflected towards the Indian subcontinent. The monsoon thus
enters West Bengal from south and southeast instead of the south-westerly direction.
• This branch then divides into two—one running along the Ganga plains and the other along the
Brahmaputra valley.
• These branches cause heavy rainfall in the Ganga plains, Brahmaputra valley and Garo and Khasi Hills
of Meghalaya. Mawsynram and Cherrapunji, which are located on the southern part of the Khasi
Range, receive the highest average rainfall in the world.

The rainfall received from the southwest monsoon winds are largely affected by topography. This can be
borne by the following examples:
• Mahabaleshwar located on the windward side of the Western Ghats receives heavy rainfall (250 cm).
Pune, on the other hand, located on the leeward side gets less than 70 cm of rainfall annually.
• It rains heavily in the northeastern parts of the country because of the presence of the mountain ranges.
• There is a decrease in rainfall as one goes from the east to the west because the winds become dry as
they shed their moisture in the course of their journey. Thus, Kolkata receives 120 cm of rainfall, Patna
receives 102 cm, Allahabad receives 91 cm and Delhi gets 56 cm of rainfall.
• The coast of Tamil Nadu does not get rainfall during this season. It is because this coast is parallel to
the Bay of Bengal branch of the southwest monsoon winds. It also lies in the rain shadow area of the
Arabian Sea branch of the southwest monsoon.

Retreating Monsoon
• During October and November, the southwest monsoon winds become weaker and start retreating. 
This season is marked by clear skies and an increased temperature in the northern plains.
• The retreat of monsoon is at a marked level. This increase in temperature is termed October heat.
• At this time, the low-pressure conditions shift to the Bay of Bengal giving rise to cyclonic depressions.
These cyclonic depressions often result in the destruction of life and property generally on the eastern
coast and the southern coast. Most of the rainfall of the Coromandel Coast is derived from depressions
and cyclones.

Tropical Cyclones
• Tropical depressions originating in the Bay of Bengal are caused by local variation of heat and
moisture. They result in tropical cyclones in November and December.
• They generally originate in the neighbourhood of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands between 12°N and
17°N and travel eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal. They result in heavy downpour and cause great
loss of life and property.

October Heat
• The month of October is marked by clear cloudless sky, high temperature and high humidity. This is
called October heat.
• The month is also a period of transition between the hot rainy season and the cold dry season.

Cold Season
• The cold weather season in India begins during mid-November in northern India and stays till February.
December and January are the coldest months.
• The temperature decreases from the south to the north. The places in the North Indian Plains experience
cold climate. Thus, while the mean temperature during January at Thiruvananthapuram is as high as
31°C, it is only 16°C in Varanasi.
• The excessive cold in north India during the winter is due to the following reasons:
o Cold winds blow from the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan over the northwestern parts of India during
February.
o Places such as Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are far away from the moderating influence of the
sea and hence experience continental type of climate.
 o The snowfall in the nearby Himalayan ranges creates a cold wave situation. o There are high-
pressure conditions over the northwestern parts of the country. o The northeast trade winds blow
from the land to the sea during this season, and hence, they are dry. They pick up moisture when
they blow over the adjoining oceans and thus bring rainfall over the Coromandel Coast.
o Western disturbances are experienced in the northern parts of the country during the cold season.
Rainfall
Most parts of the country do not receive rainfall during the winter. Some areas which receive rainfall during
the winters are
• Central and northern parts of the country get occasional rainfall during winter.
• Weak temperate cyclones cause rainfall in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh. This
rainfall is beneficial for rabi crops.
• Northeastern parts of the country also receive winter rainfall.
• In October and November, northeast monsoon picks up moisture while blowing over the Bay of Bengal
and cause torrential rainfall over the coast of Tamil Nadu and the southern tip of Andhra Pradesh.

Distribution of Rainfall

Factors determining
the distribu on of
rainfall

Direc on of Direc on of relief

moisture-laden features
winds
Pressure
Cyclonic depression
condi ons
determined by
pressure gradient

Distribution of Rainfall in India

Regions receiving heavy rainfall (more than 200 cm)
• Slopes of the Western Ghats and the Western Coastal Plains
• Meghalaya Hills (Garo, Khasi and Jaintia), the southern slopes of the Eastern Himalayas, Assam,
Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal
Regions receiving moderate rainfall (100–200 cm)
• The southern parts of Tamil Nadu and the northern parts of Andhra Pradesh
• Middle Ganga Valley, some parts of the Western Ghats, Eastern Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and
Odisha
Regions receiving low rainfall (50–100 cm)
• Parts of the Deccan plateau comprising the regions of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
• Eastern Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Kashmir
Regions receiving scanty rainfall (100–200 cm)
• Northern parts of Kashmir, southern Punjab and western Rajasthan
• The rain shadow regions of the Western Ghats lying in the Deccan Plateau