6 Climate
"India is home to an
extraordinary variety of
climatic regions, ranging
from tropical in the south to
temperate and alpine in the
Himalayan north, where
elevated regions receive
sustained winter snowfall.
The nation's climate is
strongly influenced by the
Himalayas and the Thar
Desert."
Introduction
In this chapter we will learn about the atmospheric conditions that prevail over our country. Why
do we wear woollens in December or why it is hot and uncomfortable in the month of May, and
why it rains in June - July? The answers to all these questions can be found out by studying about
the climate of India. The word monsoon is derived from the Arabic word ‘mausim’ which literally
means season. ‘Monsoon’ refers to the seasonal reversal in the wind direction during a year.
Weather and Climate
S.N. Weather Climate
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1 It refers to the atmosphere conditions Climate refers to sum total of weather
that exist for a given time in a specific conditions and variations over a large area
area. for a long period of time (more than 30 yrs).
2 It refers to a small area. Climate refers to a large area.
3 It may change at a very short interval of Climate remains unchanged year after year.
time.
4 It is influenced by any one of its It is the collective effect of all its elements.
predominant elements i.e., temperature,
humidity, wind, precipitation etc.
5 Ex. Windy, Sunny etc. Ex. India's climate - Monsoon type
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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 The word monsoon is
derived from the Arabic
an area at any point of time. word ‘mausim’ which
literally means season.
The elements of weather and climate are the same, i.e. ‘Monsoon’ refers to the
temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity and seasonal reversal in the
wind direction during a
precipitation. You may have observed that the weather year.
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.
On the basis of the generalised 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. Do you know what type of climate India
has and why it is so?
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.
Let us now look at precipitation. 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
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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.
In certain places there is a wide difference between day and night temperatures. In the Thar
Desert the day temperature may rise to 50°C, and drop down to near 15°C the same night. On
the other hand, there is hardly any difference in day and night temperatures in the Andaman
and Nicobar islands or in Kerala.
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Climate Controls
There are six major controls of climate of any place. They are
(i) Latitude: 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.
North Pole
90°N
Parallels of Arctic Circle
latitude 66°34'N
Northern Tropic of
Hemisphe Cancer
re 23°26'N
Equator
0°
Tropic of
Southern
Hemisphe Capricon
re 23°26'S
Antarctic
Circle
Meridians of
66°34'S
longitude
South Pole
90°S Latitude
(ii) Altitude: As one goes from the surface of the earth to higher altitudes, the atmosphere is
less dense and temperature decreases. The hills are therefore cooler during summers.
Altitudinal Variations
(iii) The Pressure and Wind System: The pressure and wind system of any area depends on
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the latitude and altitude of the place. Thus, it influences the temperature and rainfall pattern.
Pressure and Winds
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(iv) Distance from the Sea: 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).
(v) Ocean Current: Ocean current 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.
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Ocean Current
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(vi) Relief: It 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.
High mountains
Factors affecting India's Climate
(i) 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.
(ii) 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.
(iii) Pressure and Winds: The climate and associated weather conditions in India are governed
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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.
Coriolis force: An apparent force caused by the earth’s rotation. The Coriolis force is
responsible for deflecting winds towards the right in the northern hemisphere and towards
the left in the southern hemisphere. This is also known as ‘Ferrel’s Law’.
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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 warm oceans, 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
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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 is variation in rainfall pattern.
How many seasons are experienced in your place? 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.
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• 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
the moderating influence of the sea.
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1. Why is monsoon known for its "uncertainties"? SSC060
2. Why most of the world's deserts are located in the western margins of continents in the
subtropics? SSC061
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.
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• 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 north-western 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
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Kerala and Karnataka. They help in the early ripening of mangoes and are often referred to
as ‘Mango Showers’.
1. 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.
2. Sometimes the presence of cold coastal water can contribute to the creation of a desert along
the adjoining shore. This occurs because cold ocean currents tend to stabilise the air over the
coast and inhibit cloud formation. Large western coastal deserts include the Atacama Desert
in Chile and the Namib Desert in Namibia.
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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.
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• 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.
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• The alternation of dry and wet spells varies 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.
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1. Write down the difference between South-West and North-East monsoon. SSC062
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Retreating/Post Monsoons (The Transition Season)
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• 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.
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• The retreat of the monsoon is marked by clear skies and 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 northwestern 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 and cyclones.
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Distribution of Rainfall
• Parts of western coast and north-eastern 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.
• A third area of low precipitation is around Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.
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• 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.
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S. No. South-west Monsoons North-east Monsoons
1 They blow in summer from June to They blow in winter from December to
September. February.
2 They blow from high pressure sea to They blow from high pressure land to low
low pressure land. They are moisture pressure sea.
bearing.
3 They blow in two branches and give These are dry. While crossing the Bay of
bulk of rainfall to India from 75% to Bengal, they pick up moisture and give
90%. rainfall to the Coromandel coast/Tamil Nadu.
4 High temperature, low pressure and Low temperature, high pressure, low
high humidity. humidity.
Monsoon as a Unifying Bond
• We have already known 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.
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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.
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Glossary
1. Precipitation – A form of water (Rain, Snow, etc.)
2. Subtropics – Climatic zones of north and south tropics.
3. Curvature – The state of being curved.
4. Lofty – Elevated
5. October Heat – Rise of temperature across India in the month of October.
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MIND MAP
Indian Climate Climatic controls Factors affecting India’s climate
• Climate refers to the sum of • Latitude • Latitude- Subtropical Climate
weather conditions and • Altitude • Altitude-Himalaya Prevents
variations over a large area for a • Pressure and wind the Cold wind
long period of time (more than system • Pressure and Winds-
thirty years) • Distance from the sea ➢ pressure and surface winds
• Weather refers to the state of the • Ocean currents ➢ Upper air circulation
atmosphere over an area at any • Relief features ➢ Western cyclonic
point of time disturbances and tropical
• The climate of India is described cyclones.
as the 'monsoon' type.
Climate
The Indian monsoon On set -monsoon The Seasons
Mechanism of the monsoons • Two Branches – Arabian • The Cold Weather Season
• The differential heating and Sea and Bay of Bengal (Winter)
cooling of land and water • Burst • The Hot Weather Season
• The shift of ITCZ • Withdrawal (Summer)
• High-pressure -Madagascar • Advancing Monsoon (The
• Tibetan plateau -heated Rainy Season)
• The movement of the westerly jet • Retreating/Post Monsoons
stream to the north of the (The Transition Season)
Himalayas
• Southern Oscillation
• El Nino
• ENSO
Distribution of Rainfall Monsoon as a unifying bond
• Western coast & north-eastern = 400 cm • Bind the whole Country
• It is less than 60 cm in western Rajasthan • Agricultural Activity
and adjoining parts of Gujarat • Moderating influences
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