CLIMATE

WEATHER Climate refers to the sum

total of weather conditions
The elementsof weather
and climate are the same,
AND and variations over a large
area fora long period of
Weather refers to the state
of the atmosphere over an
i.e.temperature,
atmospheric pressure,
CLIMATE time (more than thirty
years).
area at any point of time.
wind,humidity and
precipitation.
 INDIAN
CLIMATE
• The word monsoon is derived
from the Arabic word
‘Mausam’ which literally
means season.
• ‘Monsoon’ refers to the
seasonal reversal in the wind
direction during a year.
• The climate of India is
described as the ‘monsoon’
type.
 VARIATION IN
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.
Do You Know?
In certain places there is a
wide difference between
day and night temperatures.
In the Thar Desert the day
temperature may rise to
50°C and drop down to near
15°C the same night. On the
other hand, there is hardly
any difference in day and
night temperatures in the
Andaman and Nicobar
islands or in Kerala
 VARIATION IN
PRECIPITATION
• There are variations not only in
the form and types of
precipitation but also in its
amount and the seasonal
distribution.
• While precipitation is mostly in
the form of snowfall in the
upper parts of Himalayas, it
rains over the rest of the
country.
• The annual precipitation varies
from over 400 cm in Meghalaya
to less than 10 cm in Ladakh
and western Rajasthan.
• Most parts of the country
receive rainfall from June to
September. But some parts like
Tamil Nadu coast gets a large
portion of its rain during
October and November.
MONSOON
• 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.
• Why the houses in
Rajasthan have
thick walls and flat
roofs?
• Why is it that the
houses in the Tarai
region and in Goa
and Mangalore
have sloping roofs?
• Why houses in
Assam are built on
stilts?
 CLIMATIC
CONTROLS
LATITUDE - Due to the
curvature of the earth,
the amount of solar
energy received varies
according to latitude. As a
result, air temperature
generally decreases from
the equator towards the
poles.
CLIMATIC CONTROLS

ALTITUDE - As one goes

from the surface of the
earth to higher altitudes,
the atmosphere becomes
less dense and
temperature decreases.
The hills are therefore
cooler during summers.
CLIMATIC CONTROLS

PRESSURE AND WINDS -

The atmosphere becomes
less dense and
temperature decreases.
The hills are therefore
cooler during summers.
The pressure and wind
system of any area depend
on the latitude and altitude
of the place. Thus it
influences the temperature
and rainfall pattern.
 CLIMATIC CONTROLS

DISTANCE FROM THE SEA -

The sea exerts a moderating
influence on climate: As the
distance from the sea
increases, its moderating
influence decreases and the
people experience extreme
weather conditions. This
condition is known as
continentality (i.e. very hot
during summers and very
cold during winters).
CLIMACTIC CONTROLS

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.
 CLIMATIC
CONTROLS
RELIEF - 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.
FACTORS AFFECTING
INDIA’S CLIMATE
LATITUDE - The Tropic of Cancer
passes through the middle of the
country from the Rann of Kutch 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.
 FACTORS
AFFECTING
INDIA’S
Altitude CLIMATE
- India has mountains to the
north, which have an average height of
about 6,000 meters. India also has a
vast coastal area where the maximum
elevation is about 30 meters. 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.
CORIOLIS FORCE

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 ‘Ferrell's
Law’.
JET STREAMS
These are a narrow belt of high
altitude (above 12,000 m)
westerly winds in the
troposphere. Their speed varies
from about 110km/h in summer
to about 184 km/h in winter.
Several separate jet streams
have been identified.
WESTERN CYCLONIC The western cyclonic
DISTURBANCES disturbances are weather
phenomena of the
winter months brought
in by the westerly flow
from the Mediterranean
region. They usually
influence the weather of
the north and north-
western regions of India.
Tropical cyclones occur
during the monsoon as
well as in October –
November and are part
of the easterly flow.
 COLD WEATHER SEASON (WINTER)
SEASON DURATION TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATION WIND DIRECTION SPECIAL FEATURES
AND PRESSURE

Cold Mid N - 10⁰C to 15⁰C • Rainfall in Tamil Nadu, • Northeast Trade • Low temperature, clear dry season.
Weather November to S - 20⁰C to 25⁰C North and North Winds • Winter rainfall is locally known as “Mahawat”.
Season February High Pressure on Western parts of India. • Winds blow from • Inflow of western cyclonic disturbances due to
(Winter) Land and Low on • Snowfall in Himalayas. NE to SW westerly jet streams.
Sea
 HOT WEATHER SEASON (SUMMER)
SEASON DURATION TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATION WIND DIRECTION SPECIAL FEATURES
AND PRESSURE

Hot March to May N - 35⁰C to 40⁰C • Dry season with local • Northeast Trade • Hot and Dry Season.
Weather S - 30⁰C to 35⁰C thunderstorms. Winds • Kaalbaisakhi, violent winds are common in
Season Low Pressure on • Local wind “Loo” West Bengal.
(Summer) Land and High on in Northern • Mango Showers, pre – monsoon showers in
Sea Plains. Karnataka and Kerala coast.
• Dust storms are
common.
 ADVANCING MONSOON SEASON (RAINY)
SEASON DURATION TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATION WIND DIRECTION SPECIAL FEATURES
AND PRESSURE

Advancing June to 30⁰C to 35⁰C • Heavy rainfalls in • The whole • Sudden approach of monsoon winds common,
Monsoon September Low Pressure on North, NE and SW country is called ‘burst or monsoon’.
Season Land and High on coast of India. affected by SW • The rainfall interval is ‘break’ in monsoon.
(Rainy) the Sea monsoon winds, • Monsoon are uncertain and irregular in
arrival.
 RETREATING MONSOON SEASON
SEASON DURATION TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATION WIND DIRECTION SPECIAL FEATURES
AND PRESSURE

Retreating October to Moderate • Rainfall in SE coast of • Monsoon winds • Clear sky with pleasant day and nights.
Monsoon November Temperatures. India. are retreating in • Weather is oppressive during October, called
Low pressure this season. ‘October Heat’.
gradually replaced • Tropical cyclones strike SE coast and cause
by High Pressure heavy rainfall and destruction.
 SEASON DURATION TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATION WIND DIRECTION SPECIAL FEATURES
AND PRESSURE

Cold Mid N - 10⁰C to 15⁰C • Rainfall in Tamil Nadu, • Northeast Trade • Low temperature, clear dry season.
Weather November to S - 20⁰C to 25⁰C North and North Winds • Winter rainfall is locally known as “Mahawat”.
Season February High Pressure on Western parts of India. • Winds blow from • Inflow of western cyclonic disturbances due to
Land and Low on • Snowfall in Himalayas. NE to SW westerly jet streams.
Sea

Hot March to May N - 35⁰C to 40⁰C • Dry season with local • Northeast Trade • Hot and Dry Season.
Weather S - 30⁰C to 35⁰C thunderstorms. Winds • Kaalbaisakhi, violent winds are common in
Season Low Pressure on • Local wind “Loo” West Bengal.
Land and High on in Northern • Mango Showers, pre – monsoon showers in
Sea Plains. Karnataka and Kerala coast.
• Dust storms are
common.

Advancing June to 30⁰C to 35⁰C • Heavy rainfalls in • The whole • Sudden approach of monsoon winds common,
Monsoon September Low Pressure on North, NE and SW country is called ‘burst or monsoon’.
Season Land and High on coast of India. affected by SW • The rainfall interval is ‘break’ in monsoon.
(Rainy) the Sea monsoon winds, • Monsoon are uncertain and irregular in
arrival.

Retreating October to Moderate • Rainfall in SE coast of • Monsoon winds • Clear sky with pleasant day and nights.
Monsoon November Temperatures. India. are retreating in • Weather is oppressive during October, called
Low pressure this season. ‘October Heat’.
gradually replaced • Tropical cyclones strike SE coast and cause
by High Pressure heavy rainfall and destruction.
 • The seasonal alteration of the wind
systems and the associated weather
conditions provide arhythmic cycle of
seasons.
• The Indian landscape, its animal and
plant life, its entire agricultural
calendar and the life of the people,
including their festivities, revolve
around this phenomenon.
• Year after year, people of India from
north to south and from east to west,
eagerly await the arrival of the
monsoon.
• These monsoon winds bind the whole
MONSOON AS A country by providing water to set the
agricultural activities in motion.

UNIFYING BOND