Chapter 7 Climate

Question 1(a)

Name the type of climate prevailing over India. Mention any two factors responsible
for it.

Answer

India has a tropical monsoon type of climate. Two factors responsible for this type
of climate are-

1. The Himalayas
2. Varied Relief

Question 1(b)

State two important characteristic features of the Monsoon rainfall in India.

Answer

Two important characteristic features of the Monsoon rainfall in India are-

1. Reversal of wind system.

2. Uneven distribution of rainfall over the year.

Question 1(c)

Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) Mumbai is warmer than Kanpur in December.

(ii) Punjab gets rain in winter.

(iii) The Indo-Gangetic Plain gets some rainfall in the months of December and
January.

Answer

(i) Mumbai is warmer than Kanpur in December because Mumbai is located near
the sea and hence it experiences moderate climate throughout the year. Kanpur
experiences continental type of climate where summers are extremely hot and
winters are extremely cold.

(ii) Punjab gets rain in winter season due to some weak temperate cyclones from
the Mediterranean Sea.

(iii) The Indo-gangetic plain gets some rainfall in the month of December and
January because of the western disturbances, which originate in West Asia and in
the regions near the Mediterranean sea. These westerly depressions bring winter
rainfall over the Indo-Gangetic Plains.

Question 1(d)

(i) What is 'Monsoon'?

(ii) Name the place in India which receives the heaviest rainfall.
Answer

(i) Monsoon are periodic or seasonal reversing winds. They are divided into two
wind systems — the Summer Monsoon that blow south-west and the Winter
Monsoon that blow north-east.

(ii) Cherrapunji and Mawsynram in Meghalaya receive the heaviest rainfall.

Question 2(a)

Name two factors which affect the climate of a place.

Answer

Two factors which affect the climate of a place are-

1. Distance from sea or ocean

2. Altitude of the place

Question 2(b)

Mention two characteristics of the South-West Monsoon.

Answer

Two characteristics of the South-West Monsoon are-

1. This season lasts from June to September.

2. Winds blow from sea to land and are moisture laden winds.

Question 2(c)

Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) When the Malabar coast is receiving heavy rainfall in July, the Tamil Nadu coast
is comparatively dry.

(ii) The Northern Plains of India have a Continental type of climate.

(iii) Central Maharashtra receives less rainfall than Western Maharashtra.

Answer

(i) When the Malabar coast is receiving heavy rainfall in July, the Tamil Nadu coast
is dry because it lies in the rain shadow region of Arabian sea branch and Bay of
Bengal is parallel to the coast.

(ii) The Northern Plains of India have a continental type of climate because it is
away from the moderating influence of the sea. Thus, the summers are extremely
hot and winters are extremely cold.

(iii) Central Maharashtra lies in the rain shadow region whereas coastal
Maharashtra is on the windward side of Western Ghats. Since places situated in
the rain shadow region receive less rainfall, Central Maharashtra receives less
rainfall than Western Maharashtra.

Question 2(d)
Study the climatic data given below and answer the questions that follow:

J F M A M J J A S O N D
Mon
a e a p a u u u e c o e
th
n b r r y n l g p t v c
Tem 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 2
pera 3 4 6 9 3 2 3 2 0 9 8 6
ture . . . . 2 . . . . . . .
°C 1 8 5 3 8 1 1 5 3 7 1
1 1 1 1 2 1 1
Rain 0 0 1 4 6
5 0 0 0 0 6 9
fall . . . . .
. . . . . . .
cm 3 1 3 5 1
3 1 2 5 1 8 0
(i) Calculate the annual rainfall experienced by the station.

(ii) Suggest a name of this station, giving a reason for your answer.

(iii) Name the season during which rainfall is the heaviest.

Answer

(i) The annual rainfall experienced by the station is 114.3 cm.

(ii) The station is Tamil Nadu as the temperature remains moderate throughout the
year and the rainfall is heaviest during the winter season.

(iii) The season during which rainfall is the heaviest is retreating monsoon.

Question 3(a)

State two points of difference in climate between the northern and the southern
zone of India due to latitude.

Answer

Two points of difference in climate between the northern and the southern zone of
India due to latitude are —

1. The northern zone has cold winter season and hot summer season while
the southern zone is warmer than the north but does not have a clear-cut
winter season.
2. The northern zone doesn't have the mid day sun almost vertically overhead
during any part of the year, while the southern zone has the mid day sun
almost vertically overhead at least twice a year.

Question 3(b)

State briefly the impact of water bodies on the climate in coastal areas.

Answer

The water bodies have a great impact on the climate in coastal areas. Water bodies
act as a major source of moisture to the summer monsoons and bring heavy rainfall
to the whole area. Such areas experience moderate climate, neither too hot nor too
cold.
Question 3(c)

Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) Variations in the type of climate in different regions of India.

(ii) Most parts of India receive rainfall between June and September.

(iii) South-West Monsoon withdraw from northern India in October.

Answer

(i) India has a varied climate due to the presence of various relief features like
mountains, deserts, presence of seas etc. Further the large latitudinal extent,
altitude, presence of many mountain ranges and nearness to the oceans results in
different climatic conditions in different regions.

(ii) Most parts of India receive rainfall between June and September because the
differential heating of land and sea during summer season causes the monsoon
winds to drift towards the subcontinent.

(iii) South-West Monsoon withdraw from northern India in October because the
monsoon trough of low pressure over the Ganga plains becomes weaker due to the
apparent southward movement of the sun. The low pressure trough is gradually
replaced by high pressure.

Question 3(d)

(i) What are Jet Streams?

(ii) How do they influence the climate of India?

Answer

(i) Jet streams are cold fast blowing winds that develop in the upper layers of the
atmosphere.

(ii) They influence the climate of India as the westerly jet stream prevails over the
North Indian Plains during the winter months, while the easterly jet stream steers
the tropical depression over India. These depressions play a significant role in the
distribution of monsoon rainfall in the subcontinent. The highest rainfall occurs
along the track of these depressions.

Question 4(a)

How does El-Nino affect the climate of India?

Answer

El-Nino increases the surface temperature of the sea and affects the movement of
monsoon winds in the Indian Ocean and causes weak drought-like situation in the
Indian sub continent.

Question 4(b)

State two characteristic features of North-East Monsoon.

Answer
Two characteristic features of North-East Monsoon are-

1. These winds blow from December to February.

2. These winds blow from land to sea.

Question 4(c)

Mention three important features of rainfall in India.

Answer

Three important features of rainfall in India are-

1. There is rainfall over three months and the rest of the year is mostly dry.
Seventy percent of annual rainfall occurs in the rainy season.
2. The rains are mainly of relief type. The windward slopes of the mountains
get more rainfall than the leeward side.
3. Only a small portion of the rainfall is received from sources other than the
monsoon, like cyclonic rainfall and convectional rainfall.

Question 4(d)

Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) Pune receives less rainfall than Mumbai.

(ii) Tropical cyclones bring heavy rainfall but temperate cyclones bring light rainfall.

(iii) Kerala has a tropical climate while Punjab has a continental climate.

Answer

(i) Pune receives less rainfall than Mumbai because Mumbai lies on the windward
side of the Western Ghats while Pune lies on the leeward side. Since places lying
on the leeward side receive less rainfall, Pune receives less rainfall than Mumbai.

(ii) A tropical cyclone is mainly formed due to the development of a low pressure
area over the sea, this results in high humidity and temperature which causes
heavy rainfall. However, in a temperate cyclone wind speed is low and all sectors of
the cyclone have different temperatures which is followed by continuous light
rainfall for many days.

(iii) Kerala has a tropical climate while Punjab has a continental climate because
Kerala is situated near water bodies while Punjab is situated in the interior of the
subcontinent. Influences by the sea, Kerala experiences maritime climate, neither
too hot nor too cold while Punjab experiences continental type of climate, very hot
in summer and very cold in winter.

Question 5(a)

Distinguish between 'Burst of Monsoon' and 'Break of Monsoon'.

Answer
 Burst of
Break of Monsoon
Monsoon
When the South-west
The sudden
monsoon fails to bring
violent onset of
rainfall for two or more
rainfall in the first
weeks and there is a
week of June is
dry period in the rainy
termed as the
season, it is called
burst of monsoon.
break of monsoon.

Question 5(b)

Define:
(i) Western Disturbances
(ii) Mango Showers

Answer

(i) Western Disturbances — A characteristic feature of the cold weather season is

the inflow of depressions from the west and the north-west. These low pressure
systems are called western disturbances. They originate in West Asia and the
regions near the Mediterranean Sea. They travel eastwards across Iran and
Pakistan and reach India during the winter season. They bring the much needed
winter rains over the plains and snowfall in the mountains.

(ii) Mango Showers — Mango showers are the pre-monsoon showers in the Indian
states of Karnataka, Kerala, Konkan and Goa that help in the ripening of mangoes.
These showers are also important for tea and coffee plants.

Question 5(c)

Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) The monsoon rain is unevenly distributed over India.

(ii) Excessive cold in north India during winter season.

(iii) Most of the India remains dry during the North-East Monsoon season.

Answer

(i) The monsoon rain is unevenly distributed over India because most parts of India
receive relief rainfall, therefore windward sides always receive more rainfall than
the leeward side. Some places like Aravali and Coromandel coast lie parallel to
south west monsoon winds, hence, are not able to obstruct these wind and receive
very little rainfall.

(ii) Excessive cold in north India during winter season because north India is far
from the sea and the equator. Hence, it experiences continental type of climate —
cold winters and hot summers.

(iii) Most of the India remains dry during the North-East Monsoon season because
north-east trade winds blow from land to sea and hence, do not carry moisture
necessary for rainfall.

Question 5(d)
(i) Name two regions which get very little rain from the Summer Monsoon.

(ii) Name any two local winds which blow in India during the summer season.

Answer

(i) Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan get very little rain from the Summer Monsoon.

(ii) Two local winds which blow in India during the summer season are Loo and
Kalbaisakhi.

Question 6(a)

What is meant by the season of 'Retreating Monsoon'?

Answer

During the months of October-November, the south-west monsoon winds become

weaker and start to retreat from the skies of North India. This phase of the
monsoon is known as the retreating monsoon.

Question 6(b)

Name the months in which Retreating Monsoon rain is experienced.

Answer

Retreating Monsoon rain is experienced in the months of October and November.

Question 6(c)

Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) The northern plains of India do not freeze in winter.

(ii) In spite of Aravali Range, Rajasthan receives scanty rainfall.

(iii) Patna receives heavier rain than Delhi.

Answer

(i) The northern plains of India do not freeze in winter because the Himalayas form
a climatic barrier separating the Indian subcontinent from the rest of Asia. They
prevent the cold Siberian winds from entering India.

(ii) The state of Rajasthan receive scanty rainfall because it lies in the rain-shadow
region of the Aravali Mountains. The Aravali Hills run parallel to the Arabian Sea
branch, and thus do not form any barrier to intercept the winds. The winds thus
passes through Rajasthan without causing any rainfall.

(iii) Patna receives heavier rain than Delhi because Patna is on the eastern side as
compared to Delhi and places situated on the eastern side receive heavier rainfall
than the places situated on the western side of the country.

Question 6(d)

(i) Name the seasons during which the North-East Trade Winds dominate.

(ii) How do these winds affect the climate of India?

Answer

(i) The North-East Trade Winds dominate during the winter season.

(ii) North-east trade winds blow from land to sea, hence, most parts of the country
remain dry. These winds may cause some amount of rainfall on the Coromandel
coast. The nights are extremely cold while the days are pleasantly warm.

Question 7(a)

Mention the different sources of rain in Punjab and Tamil Nadu during the winter
season.

Answer

During the winter season, Punjab receives rainfall from temperate cyclones that
originate from the Mediterranean Sea. These cyclones are not of great intensity.
Tamil Nadu receives rainfall from the north east monsoon winds that blow over the
Bay of Bengal and bring winter rainfall to the state.

Question 7(b)

What is meant by 'rainshadow area'? Give an example and state the mountains
which are responsible for the rainshadow area.

Answer

A rain shadow area is an area of dry land that lies on the leeward side of a
mountain. High mountains act as barriers for cold if they are high enough and lie in
the path of rain – bearing winds. The leeward side of the mountains remains dry.

The western ghats in India are an example of mountains causing rain shadow area.
The moisture laden winds from the Arabian Sea branch shed most of its moisture
on the western slopes of the western ghats due to which by the time they reach the
eastern slopes of western ghats the winds have less moisture and this side
receives very less rainfall. For example, Mahabaleshwar situated on the Western
side of western ghats, receives 250 cm of rainfall whereas Pune, only a few km
away, receives less than 70 cm of rainfall.

Question 7(c)

State the benefits that are derived from the local winds that blow in summer in the
following areas:

(i) Kerala

(ii) West Bengal

Answer

(i) During the summer season, the local hot winds blowing in Kerala are called
Mango Showers. They bring rainfall which is very important for the ripening of the
mangoes grown there.

(ii) During the summer season, the local winds blowing in West Bengal are called
Kalbaisakhi. They bring rainfall which is important for jute and rice crops.

Question 7(d)
Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) Western Rajasthan receives no rain from the Arabian Sea branch of the South-
West Monsoon winds.

(ii) Mangalore is not cold even in the month of December.

(iii) Even in summer Shimla is cooler than Delhi.

Answer

(i) Western Rajasthan receives no rain from the Arabian Sea branch of the South-
West Monsoon winds because the Arabian Sea branch of the South west monsoon
blows parallel to the Aravali hills. Since the moisture-bearing winds do not strike the
mountains, they do not cause any rainfall in Western Rajasthan.

(ii) Mangalore is situated along the Western Coast of India. Therefore, it

experiences moderate impact of land breezes and sea breezes all through the year.
This keeps the weather of Mangalore moderate i.e. neither too hot nor too cool.
Hence, it is not cold even in the month of December.

(iii) Shimla is cooler than Delhi in summer because it is located at a higher altitude
than Delhi and the temperature decreases with the height at a rate of 1°C for every
165 m of ascend.

Question 8(a)

Give two points of difference between the Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of
Bengal branch of South-West Monsoon Winds.

Answer

Bay of Bengal
Arabian Sea branch
branch of South-
of South-West
West Monsoon
Monsoon Winds
Winds
It enters Indian
landmass after blowing It travels a shorter
over a vast open sea. distance and
During this period, it carries less
collects a lot of moisture.
moisture.
It has to travel a
It hits against the
long distance over
Western Ghats as
land before it hits
soon as it blows over
against the
the land.
mountains.

Question 8(b)

Name any two states that receive rain in January-February from North-East
Monsoons.

Answer
The eastern coast of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh receives much rainfall during
the winter season through north-east monsoons.

Question 8(c)

Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) Western part of Rajasthan is a desert region.

(ii) Kochi has a lower annual range of temperature than Agra.

(iii) The Northern plains and Punjab receive winter cyclonic rain in winter.

Answer

(i) The western part of Rajasthan is a desert because the Aravali range lies parallel
to the moisture laden winds coming from the Arabian Sea. Since they do not
obstruct the winds, it does not rain in western Rajasthan.

(ii) Kochi has a coastal location while Agra is located away from the sea. Due to the
influence of the moist winds from the sea, Kochi experiences a moderate climatic
condition throughout the year whereas Agra has extreme temperature conditions
resulting in high annual range of temperature than Kochi.

(iii) The Northern plains and Punjab receive winter cyclonic rain in winter due to the
western disturbances entering the Indian sub-continent from the North-west.

Question 8(d)

(i) What causes the winter rain along Coromandel coast?

(ii) Name a state which gets sufficient rainfall from the winter monsoon.

Answer

(i) North East Trade winds cause the winter rain along Coromandel coast.

(ii) Tamil Nadu gets sufficient rainfall from the winter monsoon.

Question 9(a)

Give two points of difference between Tropical Cyclones and Temperate Cyclones.

Answer

Temperate
Tropical Cyclones
Cyclones
These are tropical
These low pressure
depressions
systems originate in
originating in the Bay
West Asia and the
of Bengal caused by
regions near the
the local variations of
Mediterranean Sea.
heat and moisture.
They are active in They are active
November and between December
December. and February.
Question 9(b)

An Inter-School Football Match at Visakhapatnam from November 1 to 3 had to be

cancelled because of bad weather. Give an explanation for this happening. Your
explanation should provide the technical name of this season in India, as well as
the pressure conditions over the Bay of Bengal.

Answer

An interschool Football Match at Vishakapatnam from November 1 to 3 had to be

cancelled because of the cyclones. This is a season of retreating monsoon. During
this season the low pressure conditions of the land are transferred to the centre of
the Bay of Bengal that gives rise to cyclonic depressions.

Question 9(c)

Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) Kanyakumari experiences an equable climate.

(ii) Chennai has a lower annual range of temperature than Lucknow.

(iii) Mangalore experiences more rainfall than Mysore.

Answer

(i) Kanyakumari experiences equable climate because it is located near the coast,
and there is not much difference between the temperatures during the summer and
winter.

(ii) Chennai is located at lower latitude and is closer to the equator as compared to
Lucknow. Besides Chennai is close to the sea so it experiences moderate climate
whereas Lucknow is located away from the sea and hence it experiences
continental type of climate. Therefore, Chennai has a lower annual range of
temperature than Lucknow.

(iii) Mangalore lies on the windward side of Western Ghats and Mysore lies on the
leeward side of the Western Ghats. Since areas located on the windward side
receive more rainfall than the areas located on the leeward side, Mangalore
experiences more rainfall than Mysore.

Question 9(d)

(i) Name one region which gets rainfall from the Retreating Monsoon.

(ii) Name two areas which get more than 200 cm of rainfall in India.

Answer

(i) Tamil Nadu gets rainfall from the Retreating Monsoon.

(ii) Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh get more than 200 cm of rainfall in India.

Question 10(a)

From where does the winter showers in Western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab
originate?

Answer
Winter showers in Western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab originate from the weak
temperate cyclones from the Mediterranean Sea.

Question 10(b)

State the economic importance of Kalbaisakhis in West Bengal and Assam.

Answer

Kalbaisakhis are of economic importance in West Bengal and Assam because they
bring rainfall in these regions. This rainfall is quite beneficial for growing jute and
rice in West Bengal and tea in Assam.

Question 10(c)

Give a geographical reason for each of the following:

(i) Chennai receives less rain than Thiruvananthapuram although it has more rainy
days.

(ii) Shillong gets less than 200 cm of rainfall in a year while Cherrapunji receives
more than 1250 cm of rainfall.

(iii) Jaipur has a higher annual range of temperature than Mumbai.

Answer

(i) Since Thiruvananthapuram lies on windward side of Western ghats therefore it

receives heavy rainfall from South West monsoon while Chennai lies on the
leeward side and gets rainfall from North East monsoon which is not as strong.
Thiruvananthapuram also gets some rain from the retreating Monsoon.

(ii) Cherrapunji lies on the crest of the southern range of Khasi hills. It receives rain
from the South West Monsoon Bay of Bengal Branch as it is in the pathway of
these winds. Hence, it receives heavy rainfall. Shillong is located on the upper
(leeward) side of the Garo-Khasi-Jaintia hills, which is a rain shadow area and
hence, receives less than 200 cm of rainfall in a year.

(iii) Jaipur has a higher annual range of temperature than Mumbai because Jaipur
is situated in the northern part of India, away from the sea. Hence, Jaipur
experiences continental type of climate, too hot in summer and too cold in winter.
Mumbai, on the other hand, is situated near the sea so it has a moderate type of
climate, neither too hot nor too cold.

Question 10(d)

Briefly explain the role of the Himalayas in determining the climate of India during:

(i) the hot weather season

(ii) the southwest monsoon season

Answer

(i) The Himalayas form a climatic barrier separating the Indian subcontinent from
the rest of Asia. They prevent the cold Siberian winds from entering the Indian
region and from India becoming a cold desert.
(ii) During the South West Monsoon season, the Himalayas play an important role
in determining the amount of rainfall received by several places in the country.
They act as a barrier to the South West Monsoon winds coming from the Indian
Ocean. These winds when strike the mountains bring rainfall to the northern plains.