Chapter 4 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 refers to the state of the atmosphere over an area at any point of time.

Weather Climate

Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere over an Climate refers to the sum total of weather conditions and
area at any point of time. variations over a large area for a long period of time
(more than thirty years).

It changes every moment. Climate of an area does not change continuously. It remains stable
over a long period of time.

The elements of weather are the same, i.e. temperature, The elements of climate are the same, i.e. temperature,
atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity and precipitation atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity and precipitation

Eg. Cloudy, wet, dry, windy Eg. Monsoon, equatorial desert, cold

Que: What are the elements of weather and climate?

Ans: 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: Winter, Summer, Rainy Seasons

Que: Why does India have a monsoon type of climate? OR

Do you know what type of climate India has and why it is so?
 The climate of India is described as the ‘monsoon’ type.
 Define monsoon - 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 that brings heavy rainfall to India.
In summer, winds blow from the sea to the land and bring rain. In winter, the direction reverses.
 Why? - The monsoon type of climate is characterized by a distinct seasonal pattern. The weather 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
the rainfall pattern.
 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.

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. The leeward side of mountains remains relatively dry.

Que: What are the controls affecting the climate of India? OR

Que: What are the factors affecting India’s climate?
1. 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.
2. Altitude: India has mountains to the north and 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.
3. Pressure and winds: The climate and weather conditions in India are governed by the following
atmospheric conditions: (i) Pressure and surface winds, (ii) Upper air circulation, (iii) Western cyclonic
disturbances and tropical cyclones.
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.

Que: India should have been an arid land, but it is not so. Why?
Because of point 3 above

Que: What is Coriolis force?

Coriolis force is 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’.

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)

Que: Difference between – Cold weather and Hot weather season

Que: Difference between – Advancing Monsoon and Retreating Monsoon
Que: Give an account of weather conditions and characteristics of the cold 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.
 Frost is common in the north and the higher slopes of the Himalayas experience snowfall.
 Rainfall: 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 because…….
 Winds: In the northern India, a feeble high-pressure region develops, with light winds moving outwards from
this area. The weather is marked by clear sky, low temperatures and low humidity and feeble, variable winds.
 In the northern plains, there is the inflow of cyclonic disturbances from the west and the northwest. 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.
The Hot Weather Season (Summer)

 From March to May, hot weather season is observed in India.

 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.
 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. Sometimes they even continue until late in the
evening. Direct exposure to these winds may even prove to be fatal.
 Dust storms are common in May in northern India and sometimes may bring light rain and cool breeze.
 During summer, sometimes localized thunderstorm along with violent wind, torrential downpours
accompanied by hail occurs. In West Bengal, these storms are known as the ‘Kaal Baisakhi’.
 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)
 During first week of June, low pressure conditions get intensified over the North Indian Plains. These
conditions attract the southeast trade winds which originate from the Southern oceans.
 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.
 These winds blow over the warm oceans and thus bring moisture and rainfall to the country.
 With the exception of the extreme north-west, the monsoon winds cover the country in about a month.
 During the early monsoon season, the places located on the windward side of the Western Ghats receive
heavy rainfall up to 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 northeastern parts of the country receive heavy rainfall. Mawsynram (in Meghalaya) in the southern
ranges of the Khasi Hills receives the highest average rainfall in the world. (Mawsynram, the wettest place
on the earth is also reputed for its stalagmite and stalactite caves.)
 As we go from the east to the west, the rainfall decreases. Rajasthan and Gujarat receive scanty rainfall.
 Que: What do you understand by “break” in monsoon? : A 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.
o These breaks in monsoon are related to the movement of the monsoon trough. The trough and its axis
keep on moving northward or southward and determine the spatial distribution of rainfall.
o 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.
 The frequency and intensity of tropical depressions also determine the amount and duration of monsoon
rains.
 The monsoon is known for its uncertainties. The alternation of dry and wet spells vary 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.

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 southwest monsoon winds become weaker and start retreating from the Northern Plains by the beginning
of October.
 The retreat is indicated by clear skies and an increase in the temperature in the northern plains. 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 increase in temperature is termed
'October heat'. In the second half of October, the mercury begins to fall rapidly in northern India.

 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 in the Coromandel Coast is derived from depressions and cyclones.

Distribution of Rainfall
 Parts of the western coast and northeastern India receive over about 400 cm of rainfall annually.
  Rainfall is less than 60 cm in western Rajasthan and adjoining parts of Gujarat, Haryana and
Punjab.
 Rainfall is 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. 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.

Que: Why is the monsoon considered a unifying bond?

 Agricultural Backbone: It provides essential water for crops, fueling the entire agricultural economy, a
foundation for India.
 Shared Experience: Everyone from north to south eagerly awaits the monsoon, experiencing the relief
from heat and the greening of the landscape together.
 Cultural Connection: Many festivals, celebrated with different names across India (like Diwali, Pongal,
Onam), are tied to the agricultural cycle determined by the monsoon, fostering shared traditions.
 Rhythmic Cycle of seasons: It establishes a common rhythm of seasons, influencing the landscape, plant
life, animal life, and the daily lives of people.
 River Systems: The rainwater fills rivers, connecting river valleys and creating a single, cohesive water
system for the nation.

Que: Which part of India experience the highest diurnal range of temperature and why?
Ans: The north-western part of India, especially the Thar Desert and inland regions of Rajasthan, experiences the
highest diurnal (day-night) temperature range. These areas have dry climate, very low humidity and little
vegetation, so they heat up quickly during the day and cool down rapidly at night. Also, they are distant from the
ocean.
In the Thar Desert the day temperature may rise to 50°C and drop down to near 15°C the same night.

NOTE: The diurnal range of temperature is the difference between the day's highest (maximum) and lowest
(minimum) temperatures in a 24-hour period.

Que: Which part of India experience the low diurnal range of temperature?
 South India. E.g. Kerala, Chennai
 Andaman and Nicobar islands

Que: Which winds account for rainfall along the Malabar coast?
Southwest monsoon winds, particularly the Arabian sea branch, are responsible for heavy rainfall along the
Malabar Coast.

Que: Why does the rainfall decrease from the east to the west in Northern India? OR
Que: There’s heavier rain in eastern states like Bihar and West Bengal. But Punjab and Haryana in the
west (or Rajasthan and Gujarat) receive scanty rainfall. Why?
1. Moisture Loss: The Southwest monsoon winds start with abundant moisture from the Bay of Bengal. As
they move west, they continuously release rain, depleting their moisture content progressively.
2. Distance from Source/ Sea: The eastern parts are closer to the moisture source (Bay of Bengal), while
the western parts are farther away, leading to less rain.

Que: Seasonal reversal of wind direction takes place over the Indian subcontinent. Why?

 Seasonal reversal of wind direction occurs due to the differential heating of land and water.
 During summer, the land heats up faster than the ocean, creating low pressure over the land and high
pressure over the ocean, causing winds to blow from the ocean to the land.
 In winter, the opposite occurs. 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, reversing the flow of wind direction.

Que: The bulk of rainfall in India is concentrated over a few months. Why?

 The bulk of rainfall in India is concentrated over a few months due to the southwest monsoon, which typically
 lasts from June to September.
 Intense summer heat creates low pressure over the land, drawing moist southwest winds from the ocean;
these moisture-laden winds, forced upward by mountains like the Western Ghats and Himalayas, cool and
release heavy rainfall.
 The system reverses in winter when dry land winds blow out to sea, resulting in a dry season.

Que: The Tamil Nadu coast receives winter rainfall. Why?

Winter rains in Tamil Nadu are caused by north-east trade winds, also known as the retreating monsoon, which
occurs from October to December. During this time, the winds blow from the land to the sea, but pick up
significant moisture as they cross the Bay of Bengal, bringing heavy, rain-bearing winds to the eastern coast
(Coromandel Coast) including Tamil Nadu during October-December.

Que: The delta region of the eastern coast is frequently struck by cyclones. Why?

With the onset of winter season, there is a shift in low pressure conditions from the northwestern plains to the Bay
of Bengal. During the middle of November, this shift results in the occurrence of cyclones which originate over the
Andaman Sea. The deltas of Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rivers are frequently struck by cyclones, which cause
great damage to life and property.

Que: Parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the leeward side of the Western Ghats are drought-prone. Why?

 they fall in rain shadow areas, where moisture-laden monsoon winds lose most of their rain on the windward
side (Western Ghats), leaving little moisture for these regions,
 they are far from the sea and obstructed by hills like the Aravalli

Que: Describe the regional variations in the climatic conditions of India with the help of suitable examples.

 There are significant regional variations in climatic conditions within the country. Let us take two important
elements of climate – temperature and precipitation, and examine how they vary from place to place and
season to season.
 Temperature: 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.
 Precipitation: There are variations not only in the form and types of precipitation but also in its amount and
the seasonal distribution.
o Form/ type: While precipitation is mostly in the form of snowfall in the upper parts of Himalayas, it rains
over the rest of the country.
o Amount: The annual precipitation varies from over 400 cm in Meghalaya to less than 10 cm in Ladakh and
western Rajasthan.
o Timing: 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.

Que: Which place receives the highest rainfall in the world? – Mawsynram
Que: The wind blowing in the northern plains in summers is known as – Loo
Que: Monsoon arrives in India approximately in: early June
Que: Which one of the following characterises the cold weather season in India? Warm days and cold nights

Que: Why the houses in Rajasthan have thick walls and flat roofs?
Thick walls provide excellent insulation against extreme heat (staying cool in summer, warm in winter), while flat roofs, with
minimal rain, allow for water collection and storage, plus a cool surface for evening relaxation.

Que: Why is it that the houses in the Tarai region and in Goa and Mangalore have sloping roofs?
Houses in the Tarai region, Goa, and Mangalore have sloping roofs primarily because these areas experience heavy monsoon
rainfall, and the slope allows rainwater to flow off quickly, preventing accumulation, leakage, and structural damage.

Que: Why houses in Assam are built on stilts? Houses in Assam are built on stilts primarily to protect against severe monsoon
flooding from heavy rains and keeping homes dry and safe. This elevated design also helps guard against pests like termites.