G.S.

HUB CIVIL SERVICES CLASSES

B.P.S.C ( C.S.E) By RITESH ANAND
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM 8287417384
ANJALI JOSHI (4th Rank Holder 68th BPSC)

Climate
What is the Climate? o They bring moisture from the Bay of
Climate refers to the long-term (long-lasting) average Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
pattern of temperature, humidity, pressure, rainfall, o Due to these, heavy rainfall occurs in
etc. in a region. It is a holistic picture of the weather, most parts.
which includes the analysis of average conditions as
well as extreme events (such as storms or droughts). 2. Seasonal and unstable rainfall
Climate refers to the average weather condition of a • 80% of the rainfall in India occurs during the
region that remains constant for years or decades. It
monsoon (June to September).
includes long-term data of elements such as
temperature, precipitation, humidity, air pressure, • The distribution of rainfall is uneven:
wind direction and speed.
o Tura, Meghalaya: The region with the
• Example: The climate in Rajasthan is dry and
highest rainfall in the world.
hot, while in Meghalaya it is humid and rain-
dominated. o Jaisalmer, Rajasthan: The driest
region.
The climate is permanent and long-term, while the
climate is permanent. • Monsoons sometimes fail leading to
Climate of India: droughts or floods.

3. Multiplicity of seasons
There are traditionally six seasons in India:
Season Time Attributes
Pleasant temperature,
Spring March - April
flowering season
Summer May - June Intense heat, drought
Heavy rain, clouds
Rain July - September
India has a predominantly tropical monsoon and humidity
climate, but due to its vast size and diverse October - Clear skies, the
Autumn
geographical locations, it experiences a wide range of November beginning of coolness
climatic conditions — coastal, desert, Himalayan and November - Mild cold, dry
subtropical. Winter
December weather
Highlights:
Child January -
Bitter cold, mist
Winter February
1. Seasonal changes in the direction of winds
• In winter:
The four major seasons recognized by the
o The north-east trade winds blow. Meteorological Department (IMD) in India
1. Winter Season (December - February)
o They are dry, cold and low humidity. • Temperature:

• In the summer: Average temperature 1 0°C-1 5°C in the

Northern Plains (including snowfall on the
o The south-west monsoon winds occur.
mountains), 20°C-25°C in the south.

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 G.S. HUB CIVIL SERVICES CLASSES
B.P.S.C ( C.S.E) By RITESH ANAND
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM 8287417384
ANJALI JOSHI (4th Rank Holder 68th BPSC)

Cold waves: Temperatures may drop to 5°C • Rainfall:

in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana. ~80% of the country's annual rainfall.
• Rainfall: Uneven distribution: Western Ghats,
Dry weather for the most part. Himalayan foothills, maximum in the northeast
Western Disturbances: The cyclonic (>250 cm); Minimum in parts of Rajasthan,
systems originating from the Mediterranean Gujarat.
Sea bring light rain/snow to Punjab, Haryana,
• Winds:
Delhi, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.
Moist south-west monsoon winds (from sea
• Winds: to land).
Dry north-east trade winds (from land to sea). Branches:

• Major Impact: Favourable for • Arabian Sea Branch: Western Ghats,

Rabi crops (wheat, mustard), tourism in hilly influencing central India.
areas.
• Bay of Bengal Branch: Brings rainfall
2. Summer/Summer Pre-Monsoon (March - May) to the northeast and Gangetic plains.
• Temperature:
• Major impacts: Sowing of
Rises rapidly; 40°C-45°C in northern and Kharif crops (paddy, cotton, sugarcane), filling
central India (48°C+ in Rajasthan), 30°C- of reservoirs, possibility of floods.

35°C on the coasts. 4. Post-Monsoon Season Autumn (October –

November)
Heatwave: Hot, dry and dusty winds blow
• Speciality:
in North India.
Withdrawal phase of Southwest Monsoon.
• Rainfall:
• Temperature:
Short duration rainfall with intense
thunderstorms over West Bengal, Assam, Gradually decreasing (pleasant weather in the
Odisha. Northern Plains).
Tamil Nadu coast: Moderate rainfall (pre-
• Rainfall:
monsoon short monsoon).
Cyclonic Rainfall on East Coast: Cyclones
• Pressure System: (like Hudhud, Titli) originating in the Bay of
A deep low-pressure area ("monsoon Bengal bring heavy rainfall/ devastation in
trough") develops over the Thar Desert. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha.
West Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab: Light
• Major impacts: winter rains onset.
Water crisis, drying up of dams, waiting for
• Weather:
monsoon.
clear skies, low humidity, light winds
3. South-West Monsoon Season (June - September) ("October heat" – warm days, cold nights).
• Arrival:
First week of June on Kerala coast, reaches
North India by July.

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 G.S. HUB CIVIL SERVICES CLASSES
B.P.S.C ( C.S.E) By RITESH ANAND
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM 8287417384
ANJALI JOSHI (4th Rank Holder 68th BPSC)

• Major Impacts: • Obstructive Effect of the Himalayan

Preparation of Rabi crops, tourist season, Mountains:
damage from cyclones.
• Protection against cold winds:
Prevents the harsh cold winds (cold
4. Unity of Climate
• The Himalayas: waves) of Central Asia, which leads to
a tropical climate in the northern
o This mountain range prevents cold plains.
winds from coming to India.
• Trapping of Monsoon: The
o The monsoon forces the winds to hit southwest monsoon forces the winds
and release moisture. to release moisture into India, bringing
• This has a uniform effect of the monsoon rainfall to most of the country.
climate across the country, especially in • Distance from the sea:
North India.
• Coastal Areas: Low difference in
5. Diversity of climate
temperature (even climate), high
The climate in India varies according to
topography, altitude, distance from the sea, etc. humidity due to the equalizing effect of
Field
Climate
speciality the sea. (Ex: Mumbai, Chennai).
Type
Extreme temperatures in • Inland Region: More difference in
Rajasthan Arid Desert
summer temperature due to being away from
Himalayan Snowfall and extreme maritime influence (heterogeneous
Temprate
Region cold climate). (Ex: Delhi, Jaipur).
Northeast Highly
Excessive rainfall • Height:
India Humid
Coastal Coastal Low temperature • The temperature decreases with
region Climate difference, humid weather increasing altitude (decreasing air
pressure).
6. Factors Influencing Climate of India
1. Physical/Geographical Factors • The result: temperate or alpine climate
• Latitudinal Position: in high mountain regions such as the
• The Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) divides Himalayas and the Western Ghats. (Ex:
India into two parts. Shimla, Ooty).

• Northern India: Subtropical and • Groundwater Distribution:

temperate influences (high temperature • Water heats up and cools slower than
heterogeneity). on land.
• Southern India: Tropical influence • This variation creates a difference in
(high temperature throughout the year, air pressure between summer and
low annual range of temperature). winter, which is the main reason for
reversing the direction of monsoon
winds.

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 G.S. HUB CIVIL SERVICES CLASSES
B.P.S.C ( C.S.E) By RITESH ANAND
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM 8287417384
ANJALI JOSHI (4th Rank Holder 68th BPSC)

• Topography: • Jet Stream:

• The direction and slope of the • Winter westerly jet stream: Flows
mountains affect the winds and rainfall. south of the Himalayas, aiding in the
arrival of western disturbances. Its shift
• Rain Shadow: Less rainfall on the
north of the Himalayas signals the onset
windward slope of the mountains. (Ex:
of summer.
Bangalore to the east of the Western
Ghats), Ladakh in the north of the • Tropical East Jet Stream: Forms
Himalayas). over the Indian Ocean in summers and
is associated with the activation of the
• Wind Facing Slope: More rainfall
southwest monsoon.
along the windward slope. (Ex:
Western slope of the Western Ghats), 3. Other Geographical Factors
the southern slope of the Himalayas). • Status of Nearby Areas:

2. Air Pressure and Wind Factors • East Africa: Changes in temperature

• Pressure Systems and Temperature Range: there can affect the intensity of
monsoon in India.
• Summer: Intense heat over the Thar
Desert creates a low-pressure area • Tibetan Plateau: Intense warming and
(monsoon trough). There is relatively low pressure formation in summers
high pressure over the Indian Ocean. contribute to attracting monsoon
This pressure gradient attracts the winds.
south-west monsoon.
• Central Asia/Iran/Afghanistan: Cold
• Winter: High pressure over North or hot winds from these regions can
India, relatively low pressure over the affect the local weather.
Indian Ocean. Winds blow from land to
• Ocean Conditions:
sea (north-east to south-west).
• Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) & El
• Wind Systems:
Nino: Changes in sea surface
• Monsoon Winds: The most prominent temperature may disrupt the normalcy
winds that determine the Indian of the monsoon (El Nino to drought,
climate. Their direction is reversed positive IOD to good rainfall
twice a year. probability).
• Western Disturbances: Cyclonic • Low Pressure Areas in Bay of
winds originating from the Bengal and Arabian Sea: Formation
Mediterranean Sea and reaching India of cyclones, which bring heavy rainfall
in winter bring winter rainfall and devastation to coastal areas.
(including snowfall) to northwest
Result: Climate diversity
India. The combination of all these complex factors leads to
• Local winds: Heat waves, amazing climatic diversity in India:
• Temperature Variety: From Western
thunderstorms, sea/terrestrial breeze,
Rajasthan (55°C+) to Ladakh (-45°C).
etc. affect the local weather.

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 G.S. HUB CIVIL SERVICES CLASSES
B.P.S.C ( C.S.E) By RITESH ANAND
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM 8287417384
ANJALI JOSHI (4th Rank Holder 68th BPSC)

• Variability in rainfall: from Meghalaya • BSh: Hot semi-arid (e.g.

(11,000+ mm) to Thar Desert (<150 mm). Gujarat).
• Different Climate Types: Tropical Humid • BSk : Cold semi-arid (e.g. Leh).
(Kerala), Tropical Arid (Rajasthan),
3. C : Temperate Climate
Subtropical (Northern Plains), Mountain
(Himalayas), Semi-Arid (Deccan Plateau). • Characteristic: Cold month average
• Seasonal variations: clear seasonal changes temperature between -3°C to 18°C .
(winter, summer, rain, autumn).
• Subtypes:
Köppen climate classification • Cfa: Humid subtropical
It is the most widely accepted system of (summer rainfall, e.g. Kolkata).
classifying the world's climates based on
temperature, precipitation, and their seasonal • Cwa : Manic-temperate (heavy
patterns. It was proposed by German climatologist rainfall in summer, dry winter,
Vladimir Köppen in 1884 and later revised. e.g. Bihar, Delhi).
Main Classification (5 Major Groups):
• Cwb : Temperate highlands
Each group is represented by a capital letter in
English: (e.g. Shillong).
1. A : Tropical Climate 4. D : Continental/Cold Climate
• Specialty: Average temperature for all
• Specialty: Average < -3°C for the
12 months ≥ 18°C.
coldest month, 1 0°C for the ≥ of the
• Subtypes:
warmest month.
• Af: Tropical rainforests (equal
rainfall throughout the year, • In India: Only the very high altitude
e.g. Kerala). areas of the Himalayas (e.g. Dwb:
High altitudes of Himachal Pradesh).
• Am : Mansaniya (short dry
season, e.g. Goa). 5. E : Polar/Extreme Cold Climate

• Aw/As : Savannah (long dry • Specialty: Average < 1 0°C for the
season, e.g. Mumbai).
warmest month.
2. B : Dry Climate
• Subtypes: ET (tundra, e.g. Siachen),
• Characteristic: Evaporation > EF (glaciated).
precipitation.
Major Köppen Types of India:
• Subtypes: Climate
field Attributes
• BWh: Hot deserts (e.g. Thar, Type
Rajasthan). Peninsular
Summer rains,
Aw Plateau,
• BWk: Cold deserts (e.g. dry winters
Gujarat
Ladakh).

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 G.S. HUB CIVIL SERVICES CLASSES
B.P.S.C ( C.S.E) By RITESH ANAND
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM 8287417384
ANJALI JOSHI (4th Rank Holder 68th BPSC)

Climate • Summer: Temperature reaches 40-45°C in

field Attributes
Type
May (hottest in Gaya).
Very low
Western rainfall (<200 • Winter: Average temperature in January is
BWh
Rajasthan mm), extreme 10-15°C, but sometimes drops to 5°C.
temperature
• Reason: Lack of oceanic temperate due to
Gangetic Monsoon rains
Cwa Plain (Bihar, in summer, dry topographically continental influence
UP, Punjab) winters (Himalayas in the north, Chotanagpur plateau
in the south).
Western Scanty dry
Am Ghats, season, high 2. Irregularity of Monsoon Rainfall
Andaman annual rainfall • Annual rainfall: 1 ,000-1 ,200 mm on
Temperate, average, but up to 1,800 mm in eastern
Hills of the
even rainfall Bihar (Purnea, Kishanganj), while 900-1 ,000
CWB North East
throughout the
(Meghalaya) mm in western Bihar (Gaya, Aurangabad).
year
Variety by • Impact of Continental Monsoon:
Himalayas
H height (ET,
(Kashmir to • The Bay of Bengal branch brings more
(Mountain)* Cwb, Dwb
Arunachal) rainfall to the eastern parts.
etc.)
*H (Highland) is not the official category of • The western part is relatively dry
Köppen, but is used to denote the diversity of because the moisture from the Arabian
mountain regions. Sea branch is consumed in the Western
Classification of Bihar (Cwa):
Ghats itself.
• C : Temperate climate (winter minimum > -
3°C). 3. Northwest Storm (Kal Baisakhi)
• Time: In April-May, pre-monsoon season.
• w : Dry winter (rainfall in winter < 1 /1 0th of
the wettest month of summer). • Nature: Thunderstorms accompanied by
strong winds and heavy rain.
• a : Hot summers (average temperature in
• Significance:
summer > 22°C).
• Helps in harvesting of rabi crops
Thus, the Cwa classification accurately reflects
Bihar's extreme heat, pronounced dry winter, and (wheat, gram) by relieving heat.
monsoon-based rainfall.
• Maintains soil moisture and creates
favourable conditions for kharif crops
(paddy).

Climate of Bihar • Cause: Cyclonic winds generated by the

1. Presence of extreme temperatures thermal low pressure area formed in the Bay
of Bengal.

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 G.S. HUB CIVIL SERVICES CLASSES
B.P.S.C ( C.S.E) By RITESH ANAND
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM 8287417384
ANJALI JOSHI (4th Rank Holder 68th BPSC)

4. Seasonal variation
• Dry months: April is the driest month (10 mm
< rainfall).
• Rainy Season: June to September (southwest
monsoon), which gives 85% of the annual
rainfall.
• Winter Rainfall: Light rainfall from western
disturbances in December-January.

5. Temperature and humidity

• Summer humidity: Humidity up to 80% in
May-June, causing an outbreak of "heatwave".

• Winter fog: Dense fog in December-January,

especially over the Indo-Gangetic plains.
6. Conclusional Impact of Continental Monsoon
• North-South Contrast: Due to the proximity
of Himalayas, north Bihar (Champaran,
Sitamarhi) is colder than south (Gaya,
Nawada).
• East-westerly rainfall difference: East Bihar
(near Bay of Bengal) receives twice as much
rainfall as western Bihar.
• Determination of Agricultural Cycle: Due
to the continental monsoon, three
agricultural seasons (Kharif, Rabi, Zayed)
are possible in Bihar.

• Bihar's humid subtropical climate (Cwa) is

a product of the continental monsoon, which
causes extreme weather absurdities (extreme
summers, harsh winters, irregular rainfall).
This is the reason why Bihar is called the
"Monsoon Laboratory", where the direct
impact of climate change is seen on agriculture
and water resources.

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