India: Climate
I ndia is a large country and different parts of the country
experience varied climatic conditions. The climate of a
country influences the lives of the people- the crops they
grow, the houses they live in and the type of clothes they wear. It is also directly
responsible for the type of natural vegetation and wildlife found in different regions.
India has a tropical monsoon type of climate. Its characteristic features are- high
temperatures almost throughout the year, dry winters in most parts of the country and
the seasonal reversal of wind direction during the year. Despite of an overall unity in
the general pattern, there are great variations in climatic conditions within the
country. This is due to the vast latitudinal extent of the country and the varied
landform features. Some places are very hot, while some places are very cold. Coastal
areas have a moderate climate, there is little difference between summer and winter.
Factors Affecting
Climatic Conditions
The factors affecting climatic conditions are: -
Latitude – The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of India dividing the
country into two halves. The southern half lies in the tropical zone and the
northern half lies in the temperate zone. The northern half experiences hot
summers and cold winters while the southern half being close to the equator
has less seasonal variations.
Altitude – Temperature decreases with increase in height. For every increase in
166m of height there is a decrease of 1°C. this is known as the normal lapse
rate. Therefore, hill stations like Mussoorie and Shimla are colder than the
places in the plains as they are located at high altitudes. Even in peninsular
India, hill stations like Kodaikanal and Ooty are also cool than the plains even
though they are located quite close to the equator.
Distance from the sea – India has a long coastline. The Arabian Sea and the
Bay of Bengal have a moderating influence on the climate of the coastal areas.
The interior parts of the country which are situated away from the sea have
extreme climate.
Himalayas – The Himalayas act as a climatic divide separating the Indian sub-
continent from the rest of Asia. The Himalayas act as a barrier to the bitterly
cold winds coming from the Arctic region and prevent them from entering
India. They also obstruct the monsoon winds and force them to shed their
moisture, thereby causing rainfall.
The monsoon winds – These winds are seasonal winds that are responsible for
causing rain in India. The south-west monsoon winds bring rain to almost all
parts of the country from June to September. The north-east winds bring rain
to the coastal parts of Tamil Nadu in winter.
Relief features – The varied relief features also greatly influence the climate of
India. The western slopes of the western ghats receive heavy rainfall while the
eastern slopes receive low rainfall as they lie in the rain-shadow region.
Western Rajasthan receives scanty rainfall as the Aravallis lie parallel to the
direction of the winds and does not obstruct them.
Winter Season
Winter in India starts from early December and continues till the end of February.
January is the coldest month. The average temperature of peninsular India during the
winter season is 25°C and in the northern plains it is around 10°C and 15°C. during
this season, due to low temperature a high-pressure area develops over the northern
plains. Light, offshore winds blow from the plains. Since these winds blow from the
land, they are dry. Thus, the skies are clear, the sun is bright and the humidity is low.
In northern India, however, there is little rainfall in winter. This is caused by the
cyclonic storms that develop in the Mediterranean Sea and travel towards India.
These winds are called western disturbances. They cause heavy snowfall in the upper
reaches of the Himalayas and sometimes result in a cold wave in northern India.
Punjab and Haryana receive rainfall from the western disturbances, which helps in the
cultivation of wheat in this region. The Coromandel coast also gets rain in winter
brought by the north-east monsoon winds. These are the prevailing north-east trade
winds which pick up moisture while blowing over the Bay of Bengal. When they strike
against the coastal Tamil Nadu, they shed their moisture causing heavy rainfall. This
rain is very important for growing rice in this region. Thus, the winter monsoon
causes
Summer Season
Summer in India starts from March and continues till May and in some places till
June. The northern plains record the highest temperature the average being 35°C to
40°C. It is a region of low pressure. The deccan plateau is comparatively cooler due to
its altitude and influence of the sea. Winds blow onshore during this season. During
the summer season several local storms occur in different parts of India. Hot, dry and
dusty winds called the loo blow over the northern plains. Kalbaisakhi occurs in west
Bengal and Assam. These are thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rainfall. Mango
shower occur along coastal Kerala and Karnataka. They help in the early ripening of
mangoes.
Monsoon Season
This season starts from June and continues till the end of September. By the end of
May, the northern and the north-western parts of India become very hot. As a result,
the low-pressure zone over this region becomes very strong. High-pressure areas
exist over the seas which are relatively cool. The south-east trade winds of the
southern hemisphere are attracted towards this low-pressure zone. They cross the
equator and are deflected right towards the Indian peninsula and Myanmar. Blowing
over the Indian ocean, they become moisture-laden. Since these winds enter India
from the south-east, they are called the south-west monsoon. The Indian peninsula
divides the south-west monsoon into two parts: -
The Arabian Sea Branch of South-West Monsoon
The Bay of Bengal Branch of South-West Monsoon
The Arabian Sea branch strikes the west coast of India and Kerala is the first state to
experience the onset of Indian monsoon. Further, the western slopes of the western
ghats receive very heavy rainfall and the eastern slopes of the ghats and the deccan
plateau receive very little rainfall from this branch as they lie in the rain-shadow
region. These winds move further to central and northern India where it rains.
Rajasthan does not get much rainfall as the Aravalli lies parallel to the monsoon
winds and does not obstruct them. Finally, these winds merge with the Bay of Bengal
branch.
The Bay of Bengal Branch first strikes the west coast of Myanmar. Here it is checked
by the Arakan Mountains and then it takes a turn towards the Ganga-Brahmaputra
delta. A part of the monsoon is trapped between the narrow hills of Garo and Khasi
hills and causes very heavy rainfall in this region. Maysynram which is located on the
windward side of the plateau records the highest rainfall of about 1200cm. the
monsoon is then deflected westwards by the Himalayas and it travels up through the
ganga plain causing rainfall along its path. West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern
Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh receive rainfall from this branch.
The Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch cover almost the entire country
except Tamil Nadu. These winds are responsible for most of the annual rainfall in
India. However, even in the monsoon season it does not rain continuously. Heavy
rainfall is accompanied by dry intervals. The amount of rainfall also varies from place
to place.
Climate in India
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The climate of India may be defined as that of the tropical monsoon type. It is
characterized by hot summers and moderately cold winters. A complete reversal of
the direction of monsoon winds takes place over the course of the year. The winds
that blow onshore during the summer season blow offshore dry winds during the
winter season.
