Classification of climates, (Koppen and

Thornthwaite)
Climatic Regions of India : Koeppen’s Classification

Climate
Climatic Region Annual Rainfall in the Region
Type

Amw over 300 cm

(Monsoon
type with Western coastal region,
shorter dry south of Mumbai
winter
season)

As Coromandel coast = 75 – 100 cm

(Monsoon Coastal Tamil Nadu and [wet winters, dry summers]
type with adjoining areas of
dry season Andhra Pradesh
in high sun
period)

Aw Most parts of the

75 cm
(Tropical peninsular plateau
Savanah barring Coromandel and
type) Malabar coastal strips

Some rain shadow areas

BShw 12 to 25 cm
of Western Ghats, large
(Semi-arid
part of Rajasthan and
Steppe
contiguous areas of
type)
Haryana and Gujarat

BWhw
Most of western less than 12 cm
(Hot desert
Rajasthan
type)
Cwg 100 – 200 cm
Most parts of the Ganga
(Monsoon
Plain, eastern Rajasthan,
type with
Assam and in Malwa
dry
Plateau
winters)

Dfc
(Cold,
Humid Sikkim, Arunachal ~200 cm
winters Pradesh and parts of
type with Assam
shorter
summer)

Et Mountain areas of
(Tundra Uttarakhand Rainfall varies from year to year.
Type) The average temperature varies
from 0 to 10°C

Higher areas of Jammu

E & Kashmir and
(Polar Himachal Pradesh in
Precipitation occurs in the form of snow
Type) which the temperature of
the warmest month
varies from 0° to 10°C

Climatic Regions of India : Trewartha’s Classification

Climate Type Climatic Region Other Cliamatic Condtions

Am 200 cm annual rainfall &

Western coastal region, Sahayadris 18.2 C to 29 C temperature
(Tropical Rain
and parts of Assam
Forest)

Aw
(Tropical Savanna) Peninsular India except the semi arid 150 cm annual rainfall & 18 C-32 C
zone temperature

Aw Most parts of the peninsular plateau

(Tropical barring Coromandel and Malabar 75 cm
Savanah type) coastal strips
BS Runs southwards from central
40-75 cm annual rainfall & 20-32 C
(Semi-arid Maharashtra to Tamilnadu, Andhra
temperature
Steppe type) Pradesh

BSh
(Tropical and Annual temperature 35 C & 30-60
Ranges from Punjab to Kutch
subtropical cm annual rainfall
Steppe)

BWh Western parts of Barmer, Jaiselmer Annual Temperature 35 C & annual

(Tropical Desert) and Bikaner and parts of Kutch rainfall 25 cm

Caw
(Humid Subtropical
Climate with dry It ranges from Punjab to Assam Rainfall from 100-150 cm
winters)

Mountain areas of Himalayas

H (Mountain including Jammu & Kashmir, The average temperature varies from
Climate) Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, 0 to 10°C.
Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh

Global warming

 An increase in the average temperature of Earth’s near surface air

and oceans since the mid-20th century
 4th assessment report of IPCC: global temperature
increased 74+0.18 degree C during the 20th century.
 Caused by greenhouse gases
 Water vapour, Co2, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Ozone, CFCs (in
order of abundance)
 Since the industrial revolution, the burning of fossil fuels has
increased the levels of Co2 in the atmosphere from 280 ppm to
390 ppm.

Climatic changes
  It is the long term change in the statistical distribution of weather
patterns over periods of time
 Though it has been happening naturally for millions of years, in
recent years it has accelerated due to anthropogenic causes and
has been causing global warming.
 UNFCCC defines climate change as – “a change of climate which is
attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the
composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to
natural climate variability observed over comparable time
periods”

Geological and Physiographic divisions of India

Three Geological divisions:
 1. The peninsular block
2. The Himalayas and other Peninsular Mountains
3. Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra Plain

 Peninsualar block is made of gneisses (metamorphic) and granites

(igneous).

Six physiographic divisions:

1. The Northern and North-eastern Mountains

2. The Northern Plain
3. The Peninsular Plateau
4. The Indian Desert
5. The Coastal Plains
6. The Islands

Northern and North-Eastern Mountains

Approximate length of the Great Himalayan range: 2500 KM. Width: 160-
400 KM

It can be divided into five sub-divisions:

1. Kashmir (or Northwestern) Himalayas

2. Himachal and Uttaranchal Himalayas
3. Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas
4. Arunachal Himalayas
5. Eastern Hills and Mountains

Kashmir Himalayas
 Ranges: Karakoram, Ladhakh, Zaskar, Pir Pinjal
 Glaciers: Baltoro, Siachen

 Passes: Zoji La (Great Himalayas), Banihal (Pir Pinjal), Photu La

(Zaskar) and Khardung La (Ladakh)
 Lakes: (freshwater) Dal and Wular; (saltwater) Pangong Tso and Tso
Moriri
 Pilgrimage: Vaishno Devi, Amarnath Cave, Charar-e-Sharif