CLIMATE OF INDIA

Indian experiences a TROPICAL MONSOON CLIMATE as it is situated in the

tropics / tropical belt that is influenced by monsoon winds largely confined to
Tropics .
FACTORS THAT EFFECT THE CLIMATE OF INDIA :-
1.Himalayas :-
a. Obstruct the cold bearing winds from Central Asia from blowing into North
India and freezing them
b. Obstruct the rain bearing winds forcing them to shed their moisture .
2. Monsoon Winds :-
Monsoon: “rain bearing winds”/land and sea breeeze
a. Reversal of wind direction :- 6 months ON SHORE
6 months OFF SHORE winds :-
b. During SUMMERS LP DEVELOP OVER LAND AND HP PREVAILS
OVER SEA. Winds blow from Sea to Land ; HP to LP. Carry a lot of moisture
hence bring heavy rainfall
c. DURING WINTERS HP DEVELOPS OVER LAND AND LP
PREVAILS OVER SEA . Winds blow from land to sea; dry in nature bring no
rainfall [EXCEPT CORAMANDEL COAST]
3.Latitude :-
a. Tropic of Cancer divided into 2 equal halves . northern India have a
Continental/Temperate climate( very hot or very cold ); Southern have a Sub-
Tropical climate . HILL STATION THE SOUTH DO NOT EXPERIENCE
SNOWFALL AS THEY AE CLOSER TO THE EQUATOR .
4. Varied Relief :-
*Western side of western ghats gets heavy rainfall whereas the leeward side
(Deccan plateau ) receives very little rain .
*Rajasthan receives no rainfall as the monsoons go parallel to the Aravallis and
does not have height to stop these winds.
*The Meghalaya plateau gets heavy rainfall but shilling that lies in the rain
shadow region remains dry .
5. Altitude :-
* For every 166m of rise we have a 1 degree Celsius fall in temperature;
therefore as we go higher it gets colder as the air is thinner and can not trap
heat. So, mountains are cooler than plains .
6.Influence of seas :-
* During monsoon the areas near to the seas get heavy rainfall as they are a
great source of moisture.
*Areas near the seas have a moderate type of climate .
6. Western Disturbances :-
Cyclonic depression in the Mediterranean sea causes winds to blow into the
western part of India bringing moderate rainfall and snowfall (Jammu &
Kashmir )

7. Jet Streams :-
*Air currents that determine the arrival and departure of monsoon
(Westerly jet streams prevail over north India during Winter; Easterly jet
streams steers tropical depression over India )
8. Distance from the Sea :-
Coastal regions have a maritime or equable climate , due to the influence of
land and sea breeze caused due to differential heating and cooling of land and
sea
9. El Nino
Warm currents that effect the movement of monsoon winds in the Indian ocean
and causes a weak drought like situation in the Indian sub continent.

MONSOONS
➢ are Periodic winds
➢ are caused by reversal of wind direction
➢ winds blow 6 month ON SHORE [towards the land from sea] and 6
months OFF SHORE [ Away from the land ]
 MONSOON
Summer Monsoon Winter monsoon
SUMMER MONSOONS:-
North west part of India gets rapidly heated due to the vertical rays of the sun.
Due to this an intense LOW PRESSURE area develops over LAND while a
HIGH PRESSURE area prevails in the adjoining SEAS. This causes the
WINDS TO BLOW FROM SEA TO LAND .
Since it enters from the SW side of it is known as “SOUTH WEST Summer
Monsoons”

WINTER MONSOONS :-
HIGH PRESSURE over LAND develops over Central Asia upto NW Indian
plains .
A LOW PRESSURE area develops in the INDIAN OCEAN .
WINDS BLOWS FROM LAND TO SEA , dry winds incapable of producing
rains. However when they blow over seas they collect moisture and while
passing over land sheds rain. .These winds blow from NE therefore are known
as “NORTH EAST Winter Monsoons”.

LOCAL WINDS
➢ LOO :- Strong, dry , dusty winds .
❖ Blow in north and NW parts of India {RAJASTHAN}
❖ CAUSE heat strokes .
➢ KALBAISAKHI :- Also called ‘NORWESTERS’ because they usually
blow from the NORTH WEST direction.
❖ strong winds accompanied by heavy rainfall , West Bengal and
Assam
❖ Good for Jute and Rice
 ➢ MANGO SHOWERS :- Thunderstorms ; Kerala and Karnataka ;
❖ Good for Tea, Coffee and Mango
❖ also known as cherry blossoms in Karnataka
❖

REASON WHY MONSOONS ENTER FROM THE SW CORNER OF

INDIA [KERALA]

❑ Due to the intense heating of the land area over India a LOW
PRESSURE gradient is created .
❑ This in turn attracts South East trade winds which upon crossing the
EQUATOR are pushed to the RIGHT due to the CORIOLIS FORCE and
reach the west coast as SW Monsoons.

SOUTHWEST MONSOON:-
Arabian Sea branch Bay of Bengal branch

ARABIAN SEA BRANCH:-

*Enters through the Malabar Coast (Kerala)
*Obstructed by the Western Ghats, shed heavy rainfall on the windward side of
western ghats .
* Shed minimal rainfall on the leeward side (Deccan plateau region)
*Rajasthan gets less than 25cms of rainfall due to the Aravallis. The monsoon
winds go parallel to the Aravallis and Aravallis does not have the altitude to
block these winds.
* Ends its journey in Punjab shed the remaining moisture.
BAY OF BENGAL BRANCH :-
*Enters through Myanmar , Enters the India and is blocked by North eastern
hills
(Garo, Kasi , Jaintia ), sheds heavy rain in the Meghalaya plateau , Shillong
that lies in the rain shadow region remains dry .
MAWSYNRAM gets the heaviest rainfall because the hills are funnel shaped,
that traps the moisture bearing winds for longer periods of time . Hence it gets
heavy rainfall.
*It moves northwards but can not cross Himalayas due to its Altitude therefore
its deflected towards the West and sheds rain along the foothills of Himalayas
Rainfall decreases as the winds go up the Ganga plains . Therefore station
that come first such as Patna gets more rain than stations that come later
like Delhi

*Ends its journey in Punjab

Note :-
1.Punjab gets rainfall during Summer and Winter . Summer from SW monsoon
, Winter from Western Disturbances.
2.Kerela is the state that witnesses both the arrival and departure of monsoon .
3. Coramandel coast (Tamil Nadu ) does not get any rain from the SW monsoon
because the Bay of Bengal branch goes parallel to TN coast and in respect to
Arabian sea branch TN lies in the rainshadow region .

NORTH EAST MONSOON :-

*Winds blow from land to sea. Dry winds do not carry any moisture.
* However when they blow over Bay of Bengal collect moisture and meet
Coramandel coast on the way out and shed heavy rainfall , while remaining of
India remains dry
WESTERN DISTURBANCES :-
*Cyclonic depression in the Mediterranean Sea causes winds to blow outward
towards the Western part of India ( Punjab , Haryana) . They bring light rainfall
and are very beneficial to Rabi crops (Wheat)

THE FOUR MAIN SEASONS ALONG WITH THE MONTHS THEY

OCCUR :-
*Hot and Dry Season / Summer – March –May
*Rainy Season / South West Monsoon – June-September
*Retreating Season / North East Monsoon – Oct-Nov
*Cold Season /Winter – Dec – Feb

CHARECTERISTICS OF INDIAN MONSOON:-

*Orographic in Nature [Influenced by a mountain ]
*Indian agriculture is dependent on it .
*Erratic in nature
*Uneven in nature

CHARACTERISTICS OF HOT WEATHER :-

*Dry climate with high temperature .
*Low pressure develops between Thar Desert and Chotanagpur Plateau .
*Local winds LOO,KALBAISAKHI occur during summer .