CLIMATE

Climate of India:
Climate refers the average weather condition of a larger area
for a longer period of time.
The climate of India - Tropical monsoon. because it lies in the
tropical zone and get the influence of monsoon wind.
- Monsoon these are seasonal winds that blows 6 months
from sea to land and another 6 months from land to sea.
- Pre-monsoon- the period just before the arrival of monsoon
which gives light drizzle
( water droplet size 5mm to 7mm)
Factors affecting Indian climate:
1. Altitude
2. Latitude
3. Distance from sea 4. Relief features
5. Himalayas
6. Jet Stream
7. Prevailing wind
1. Altitude- Temperature decreases with a height from 1
Degree Celsius for 167m height known as the normal lapse
rate.
• Why is Shimla cooler than Delhi?
Because Shimla is situated at a greater height but Delhi is
situated at a lower height. (normal lapse is responsible for it).
2. Latitude:-Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of
India. So, the Northern part of the tropical climate and the
extreme North gets a temperate climate and the extreme
south gets an equatorial climate.
Eg- Kerala gets a hot and wet equatorial climate because it
lies near the equator.
3. Distance from the sea: Places near the sea gets moderate
climate but places away from the sea get extreme climate.
For example- Mumbai gets a moderate climate to Delhi
because Mumbai is a coastal area and is situated near the
Arabian Sea.
4. Relief features- the presence of mountains, plateaus, etc
influences the climate.
Example: - Mumbai is situated on the windward side of the
Western Ghats but Pune is situated at the leeward side of the
Western Ghat thus Mumbai gets more rainfall than Pune
5. Himalayan Mountain- It acts as a climate barrier because
during summer the moisture-carrying winds from the sea
strike against the Himalayas which gives rain and reduces
temperature during winter.
6. Jet stream:- High-velocity winds that blow in the tropical
high-pressure belt are called jet stream, but due to the
presence of Himalayan mountain it divides into the westerly
and easterly jet stream
Seasons in india
1. Summer season- March to mid-June
2. Rainy/ monsoon- June to September
3. Retreating monsoon- October, November 4. Cold/ winter-
December to February
1. Summer season
India lies in the Northern hemisphere, during the season
North Pole is tilted towards the sun and Tropic of Cancer get
the direct rays of sun.
Characteristics :
(i) During this season except the coastal areas and elevated
area, major part of Indian land masses temperature slowly
increases from South to North.
(ii) land area develops low pressure due to high temperature.
(iii) clear Sky
(iv) high temperature/ low pressure
(v) certain local winds also blow during this season like:-Loo
which is a hot dusty wind that blows in Rajasthan, Punjab,
Uttar Pradesh and can cause sunstroke.
Kal Baisakhi:- it is a hot and wet local wind that flows in West
Bengal and is beneficial for jute and rice and in Assam for tea
plants.
Mango showers:- it is a hot and wet local wind that blows in
Kerala and Karnataka that is beneficial for the ripening of
mango.
Cherry blossom:- it is a hot and wet local wind that blows in
Karnataka and is beneficial for coffee plantations.
2. Rainy season
To maintain pressure balance, southeast winds in India forms
Southwest monsoon winds.
As a result Peninsular shape of India, the South-West
monsoon winds divides into two branches:
Division of winds in two branches:
A: Arabian Sea Branch B: Bay of Bengal Branch
A - Arabian Sea Branch:- (i) Southwest monsoon wind strike
against the windward side of Western Ghat gives more
rainfall but the opposite side receives no rainfall/ less rainfall.
(ii) Mumbai receives more rainfall than Pune because it lies
on the windward side of the Western Ghats and Pune lies on
the opposite side of the Western Ghats
(iii) Rainfall amount decreases from West to Central India and
from Central India to the East.
B - Bay of Bengal Branch:
(i) Divides into three parts: -
first part enters Bangladesh, 2nd part enters Myanmar and
3rd part enters India
(ii) Third part enters in India strike against the Khasi Hill which
causes more rainfall in Cherrapunji
Why is Mausynram near Cherrapunji in Meghalaya receive
more rainfall than Shillong?
A: Because it is situated on the windward side of Khasi.
(iii) It gets deflected towards northwest and west while it
strikes against the Himalayas causing rain in Bihar and Uttar
Pradesh.
Characteristics of the rainy season :
(i) Cloudy sky
(ii) High humidity
(iii) Slowly decrease of temperature
(iv) It gives rainfall with lightning and thunderstorm.
(v) Burst of the monsoon- sudden onset of monsoon with
lightning, thunderstorm, and heavy rainfall.
(vi) Break of monsoon: the dry period between rainy days
known as a break of monsoon.
3: Retreating monsoon:
Returning of the Southwest monsoon in a North Eastern
direction during the month of October and November is
known as retreating monsoon.
Characteristics:
(i)At the beginning of October month oppressive weather
condition prevails on the land mass is known as October heat.
(ii) These winds does not give any rainfall as it blows from
land to sea (Offshore wind) but it gives rain in the
southeastern coastal area such as Odisha, Andhra Pradesh,
and Tamil Nadu
(iii) On the Tamil Nadu coast such rainfall is known as tropical
cyclonic rainfall.
(iv) Add the end of November and the beginning of
December slowly temperature decreases at the land.
4. Winter season:
During this season South Pole is tilted towards the sun so
Tropic of Cancer gets slanting rays of Sun and winter season
prevail in India - during this season temperature decreases
from South to North wards.
Characteristics:
(i) High pressure develops in the land masses and low
pressure in water bodies.
(ii) In High altitude areas snowfall takes place.
(iii) As the wind blows from land to sea it does not give any
rain.
(iv) North Western part of India such as Punjab, Haryana, and
Uttar Pradesh get rainfall in this season by temperate
cyclones cyclone which originates in West Asia near the
Mediterranean sea (during Janu, and February) such rainfall is
known as Western disturbances which are beneficial for Rabi
crops cultivation such as wheat, barley,etc