CLIMATE

1. What is the difference between weather and climate?

Ans: CLIMATE

a) It refers to the sum total of weather conditions and variations over a large area for a long period of time.
b) Climate does not change so frequently
c) Climate is recorded for a longer period of more than 30 years

WEATHER

a) It refers to the state of the atmosphere over an area at any point of time
b) Weather conditions change frequently. It may vary at intervals of a few hours or a few days.
c) Weather data are recorded at a specific time

2. From where is the word monsoon derived?

Ans: The word monsoon is derived from the Arabic word ‘mausim’ which literally means season. Monsoon refers to the
seasonal reversal in the wind direction during a year.

3. Explain the factors affecting India’s climate?

Ans: LATITUDE
The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of the country from the Rann of Kuchchh in west to Mizoram in the east.
The area lying to the south of the Tropic of Cancer belongs to the tropical zone and the area lying to the north of the
Tropic of Cancer belongs to sub- tropical zone. Therefore India’s climate has characteristics of tropical as well as sub-
tropical climates.

ALTITUDE
India has mountains to the north, which have an average height of about 6000 metres. The Himalayas prevent the cold
winds from Central Asia from entering the subcontinent. It is because of these mountains that this subcontinent
experiences milder winters as compared to Central Asia.

PRESSURE AND WINDS

The climate and the weather conditions in India are governed by the following atmospheric conditions:
- Pressure and the surface winds
- Upper air circulation
- Western cyclonic disturbances and tropical cyclones

4. What are the 6 major controls of any place? Explain

Ans: The 6 major controls of climate at any place are

a) LATITUDE
Due to the curvature of earth, the amount of solar energy varies according to latitude. As a result, the
temperature decreases from the equator towards poles.
b) ALTITUDE
As one goes from the surface of earth to higher altitudes, the atmosphere becomes less dense and the
temperature decreases. The hills are therefore cooler during summer.
 c) PRESSURE AND WIND SYSTEM
Pressure and wind system of any area depend on the latitude and altitude of the place. Thus it influences the
temperature and rainfall pattern.
d) DISTANCE FROM SEAS
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 summer and very cold during
winter.
e) 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.
f) RELIEF
It plays an important 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.

5. What variations in the winter conditions gave rise to a variety in the lives of the people?
a) In general, coastal areas experience less contrasts in temperature conditions
b) Seasonal contrasts are more in the interior of the country.
c) There is decrease in rainfall generally from east to west in Northern Plains. These variations have given rise
to variety in lives of people in terms of food they eat, the clothes they wear and also the kind of house they
live in.

6. What type of climate does India have?

a) India has a monsoon type of climate
b) This type of climate is found mainly in South and South East Asia.
c) It is called ‘monsoonal’ since India receives pre-monsoon showers in the month of May, monsoons during the
month of June, July, August and mid-September, winter monsoon due to western disturbances in winter and a
little rainfall when the monsoons retreat.

7. Despite an overall unity in the general pattern, there are perceptible regional variations in climate conditions
within the country. Justify the statement by taking two important elements of climate.

Ans: The two important elements of climate are temperature and precipitation

1. VARIATION IN INDIAN TEMPERATURE

In summer, the mercury occasionally touches 50c in some parts of the Rajasthan desert, whereas it may be
around 20c in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. On a winter night temperature at Drassin Jammu and Kashmir
may be as low as -45c, whereas it is at 22c at Thiruvananthapuram. In certain place there is a wide difference
between day and night temperatures. In the Thar Desert the day temperature may rise to 50c and drop down to
near 15c the same night. On the other hand, there is hardly any difference in day and night temperatures in
Andaman and Nicobar islands in Kerala.

2. VARIATION IN PRECIPITATION
There are variations in the form, types of precipitation, 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 400cms in Meghalaya to less than 10cm in Ladakh and
Western Rajasthan. Most parts of the country receive rainfall from June to September. But some parts like the
Tamil Nadu coast get a large portion of its rainfall during October and November.
 8. Explain Cariolis force?

Ans: It is an apparent force caused by the earth’s rotation. The cariolis 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 ‘ferel’s law’.

9. State how the pressure and wind conditions over India are unique?
a) During winter, there is a high pressure area to the north of Himalayas, cold dry winds blow from this region to
the low pressure areas over the oceans to the south.
b) In summer, a low pressure area develops over interior Asia as well as over North Western India. This causes a
complete reversal of the direction of winds during summer. Air moves from high pressure area over the
southern Indian Ocean in a south-easterly direction, crosses the equator, and turns right towards the low
pressure areas over the Indian subcontinent. These are known as the south west monsoon winds.
c) As these wind blows over the warm oceans, they gather moisture and bring widespread rainfall over the
mainland of India.

10. What are jet streams?

Ans: Jet streams are fast blowing winds which move in a narrow belt of troposphere. Their speed varies from about
110km/h in summer to about 184km/h in winter.

SUBTROPHICAL WESTERLY JET STREAMS

These jet streams are located over 27-30 north latitude. These jet streams blow to the south of Himalayas. These jet
streams blow to south of Himalayas throughout the year except summer. These jet streams bring winter rainfall caused
due to western cyclonic disturbances in North Western India.

SUBTROPHICAL EASTERLY JET STREAMS

These jet streams are located over 14N latitude. These jet streams flow over peninsular India during summer months.

11. State the factors which help us understand the mechanism of the monsoons.

Ans: The factors which help us understand the mechanism of the monsoons are:

i. The differential heating and cooling of land and water creates low pressure on the land mass of India while the
seas around experience high pressure.
ii. The shift in the position of inter tropical convergent zone (ITCZ) in summer over the Ganga plain is a trough of
low pressure in the equatorial latitude. This is where the North-East and the South-East trade winds converge.
iii. The presence of the high pressure area, east of Madagascar also affects the Indian monsoon
iv. The Tibetian plateau gets intensely heated during summer, which results in strong vertical air currents and the
formation of low pressure over the plateau
v. The movement of the westerly jet stream to the north of Himalayas and the presence of the tropical easterly jet
stream over the Indian peninsula during summer

12. What do you know about the onset of monsoon in India?

i. During the time of the monsoon the normal rainfall increases suddenly and continues constantly for several
days. This is known as the ‘burst of the monsoon’ and can be distinguished from the pre-monsoon showers.
ii. The monsoon arrives at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula generally by the first week of June.
iii. It is divided into two branches- The Arabian sea branch and The Bay of Bengal branch.
iv. The Arabian Sea branch reaches Mumbai about 10 days later on approximately the 10 th of June. By mid-June
these monsoon winds reaches Saurashtra-Kuchchh and the central part of the country.
v. The Bay of Bengal branch also advances rapidly and arrives in Assam in the first week of June. The lofty
mountains deflect the monsoon winds towards west over the Ganga plains.
vi. The Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal branches of the monsoon merge over north-western parts of the Ganga
plains. Delhi generally receives monsoon showers from Bay of Bengal branch by end of June.
vii. By first week of July western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and eastern Rajasthan experience monsoon. By
mid-July, the monsoon reaches Himachal Pradesh and the rest of the country.

13. How does the process of withdrawal of monsoon take place in India?
a) The withdrawal of monsoon begins in north western states of India by early September.
b) By mid-October it withdraws completely from the northern half of the peninsula
c) By early December. The monsoon withdraws from the rest of the country.

14. State the chief characteristics of cold weather season in India.

a) The cold weather season begins from mid-November in northern India and stays still February.
b) The temperature decreases from south to north.
c) Days are warm and nights are cold. Frost is common in north and higher slopes of Himalayas have snowfall
d) During this season, the north east trade winds prevail over the country. They blow from land to sea and hence,
for most part of the country, it is a dry season. Some amount of rainfall occurs on the Tamil Nadu coast from
these winds as here they blow from sea to land.
e) A character feature of the cold weather season over the northern plain is the inflow of cyclonic disturbances
from the west and the North West. These disturbances which originate in Mediterranean Sea move into India
along with westerly jet streams causing winter rains over the plains and snowfall in the mountains. The winter
rainfall in these regions is known as ‘Mahawat’ and is important for the cultivation of ‘rabi’ crops.

15. State the chief characteristics of hot weather season in India.

a) India experiences hot weather season from the month of March to May.
b) In March, the highest temperature is about 38c in Deccan plateau. In April, temperatures in Gujarat and Madhya
Pradesh are around 48c. In May, the temperature is 45c in the north western parts of the country.
c) The summer months experience rising temperature and falling air pressure in northern part of the country.
Towards end of May, an elongated low pressure area develops in the region extending from Thar Dessert in the
North West to Patna and Chota Nagar plateau in the east and south east.
d) A striking feature of the hot weather season if the ‘loo’. These are strong, gusty, hot, dry winds blowing during
the day over the north and north western India. Direct exposure to these winds may even prove to be fatal.
e) Dust storms are very common during the month of May in northern India. These storms bring temporary relief
as they lower the temperature and may bring light rain and cool breeze.
f) This is also the season for thunderstorms, associated with violent winds and torrential rainfall. In West Bengal,
these storms are known as the ‘ kaalbaisakhi’
g) Towards the close of the summer season, pre-monsoon showers are commonly especially in Kerala and
Karnataka which are called ‘mango showers’. These showers help in the early ripening of mangoes.

16. What do you understand by the phenomenon of ENSO?

a) Normally when the tropical eastern South Pacific Ocean experience high pressure, the tropical eastern Indian
Ocean experiences low pressure. But in certain years there is a reversal in the pressure conditions and the
 eastern Pacific has lower pressure in comparison to the eastern Indian Ocean. This periodic change in pressure
conditions is known as the Southern Oscillation or SO.
b) The difference in the pressure over Tahiti (Pacific Ocean) and Darwin in northern Australia (Indian Ocean) is
calculated to predict the intensity of the monsoon. If the pressure difference is negative, it would mean below
average and late monsoons. If the pressure difference is positive, it would mean above average and early
monsoons.
c) A feature connected with SO is the El Nino phenomenon in which a warm ocean current that flows past the
Peruvian coast, in place of the cod Peruvian current, every 2 to 5 years. The changes in pressure conditions are
connected to the El Nino. Hence the phenomenon is referred to as ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillations).

17. Give a brief account of how monsoons advance into India.

a) By early June, the low pressure condition over the northern plains increases. It attracts the South East trade
winds of the Southern Hemisphere.
b) The South East trade winds cross the equator and blow in a south westerly direction entering the Indian
peninsular as the South west monsoon.
c) As these winds blow over warm oceans, they bring abundant moisture to the country.
d) The windward side of the Western Ghats receives very heavy rainfall, more than 250cm. the Deccan plateau and
parts of Madhya Pradesh also receive some amount of rain inspite of lying in rain shadow area.
e) The maximum rainfall of this season is received in the north-eastern part of the country. Mawsynram in the
southern ranges of the khasi hills receives the highest average rainfall in the world.
f) Rainfall in the Ganga valley decreases from the east to the west. Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat get scanty
rainfall.

18. What do you understand by the phenomenon of breaks in the rainfall?

a) The Indian monsoon has wet and dry spells. In other words, the monsoon rains take place only for a few days at
a time. They are interspersed with rainless intervals.
b) These breaks in monsoon are related to the movement of the monsoon trough.
c) The trough and its axis keep on moving northward or southward, which determines the spatial distribution of
rainfall.
d) When the axis of the monsoon trough lies over the plains, rainfall is good in these parts. On the other hand,
whenever the axis shifts closer to the Himalayas, there are longer dry spells in the plains and widespread rain
occurs in the mountains catchment of the Himalayan Rivers.
e) These heavy rains bring in their wake, devastating floods causing damage to life and property in the plains.

19. Give a brief account on the condition and characteristics of retreating monsoon.
a) During October-November with the apparent movement of the sun towards the South the monsoon trough or
the low pressure trough over the northern plains becomes weaker. This is gradually replaced by a high pressure
system.
b) The south west monsoon winds weaken and start withdrawing gradually. By the beginning of October the
monsoon withdraws from the northern plains.
c) The month of October-November form a period of transition from hot rainy season to dry winter conditions.
d) While day temperatures are high, nights are cool and pleasant. The land is still moist. Owing to the conditions of
high temperature and humidity, the weather becomes oppressive during the day. This is commonly known as
‘October heat’.
e) The low pressure conditions over the north western India get transferred to the Bay of Bengal by early
November. This shift is associated with the occurrence of cyclonic depressions, which originate over the
 Andaman Sea. These cyclones generally cross the eastern coasts of India cause heavy and widespread rain.
These tropical cyclones are often very destructive.

20. Explain the distribution of rainfall in India.

a) The western coast and north eastern India receive over about 400cm of rainfall annually.
b) It is less than 60cm in western Rajasthan and adjoining parts of Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab.
c) Rainfall is equally low in the interior of the Deccan plateau
d) Low precipitation is around Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.
e) The rest of the country receives moderate rainfall. Snowfall is restricted to the Himalayan region.

21. Explain why monsoon is considered as a unifying bond?

a) The Himalayas protect the subcontinent from extremely cold winds from Central Asia. This enables northern
India to have uniformly higher temperature when compared to other areas on the same latitude. Similarly the
peninsular plateau under the influence of the sea from three sides has moderate temperatures.
b) The unifying influence of the monsoon on Indian subcontinent is quite understandable. The seasonal alteration
of the wind systems and the associated weather conditions provide a rhythmic cycle of seasons.
c) Even the uncertainties of rain and uneven distribution are very much typical of the monsoon
d) The Indian landscape its animal and plant life its entire agriculture calendar and the life of the people including
their festivities, revolve around this phenomenon.
e) These monsoon winds bind the whole country by providing water to set the agricultural activities in motion. The
river valleys which carry this water also unite as a single river valley unit.

22. Give reasons

a) Rainfall decrease from east to west in northern India?
i. Bay of Bengal branch of South West monsoon winds strike the north hills of the country and give heavy
rainfall to the states of Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal
ii. On reaching the eastern Himalayas, these winds are deflected over the Ganga plains
iii. These winds then start moving from east to west. Hence the rainfall goes on decreasing from east to west in
the northern plains.

b) Seasonal reversal of wind direction takes place over the Indian subcontinent.
i. During winter, there is a high pressure area to the north of Himalayas, whereas there is low pressure area
over the ocean to the south. So cold dry winds blow from the Himalayan region towards the ocean.
ii. During summer, a low pressure area develops over the interior Asia as well as north western India. This
causes a complete reversal of wind direction during summer.
iii. Most parts of India receive rainfall from the south west monsoons between June to September.
iv. The eastern coast of India that is Tamil Nadu receives rainfall from the north east monsoon winds during the
winter season.
c) The delta region of the eastern coast is frequently struck by cyclones.
i. It is because during the season of retreating monsoon, the low pressure conditions which one prevailed over
north western India gets transferred to the Bay of Bengal by early November.
ii. This shift is associated with cyclonic depression which originates over the Andaman Sea.
iii. These cyclonic depressions give rise to tropical cyclones which causes heavy and widespread rains in the
deltas of Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.

d) Parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the leeward side of the Western Ghats are drought prone.
 i. During the season of advancing monsoon, the Arabian Sea branch of monsoon winds shed most of their
moisture on the windward side of the Western Ghats and when they reach the other side of the Western
Ghats (leeward side) they are generally dry and cause drought conditions.
ii. In Rajasthan, there are Aravali ranges but these ranges are parallel to the monsoon winds. Hence these
regions are drought prone.
iii. The Bay of Bengal branch of monsoon winds, strike the north eastern hills out heavy rainfall. These winds re
deflected towards the east and the rainfall go on decreasing and by the time these winds reach Rajasthan
and Gujarat they are dry.

23. How are south-west monsoon winds different from the north east monsoon winds?

Ans:

SOUTH WEST MONSOON NORTH EAST MONSOON

 They blow during June-September  They blow during November-February.

 They blow from high pressure sea to low  They blow from high pressure land to low
pressure land. They are moisture laden. Pressure Sea. They are dry.

 These monsoon winds bring rainfall to a  These monsoon winds bring rainfall only to
greater part of India. Tamil Nadu coast.

 The monsoon winds blow into two branches-  These monsoon winds blow in one branch that
Arabian seas branch and Bay of Bengal branch is North east monsoon winds.
of monsoon winds.

i.