GEOGRAPHY

STD. X
CLIMATE OF INDIA

Owing to its vast size and varied topography, the Indian subcontinent has
varied climatic conditions but in general, the climate of India is the tropical
monsoon type.
The Tropic of Cancer passes through the centre of the country and
because of the presence of the Himalayas, temperatures get modified to
the south of the Himalayas, in the Northern Plains, the temperature
becomes warmer.
The monsoon winds control the climate of India. Monsoon winds change
their directions according to seasons - the South-West Monsoon Winds
blow from sea to land in late summer and the North-East Monsoon Winds
are off-shore winds which blow during winter.
The main characteristics of this tropical monsoon climate are
relatively high temperatures in major parts of India and dry winters,
rainfall mostly occur from June to September.
There are great similarities between the monsoon winds and land and sea
breezes. For instance, both are caused due to the differential rate of
heating and cooling of land and water. Both reverse their directions
periodically and derive their names accordingly.
On the other hand, the differences between these two types of winds are:
Land and sea breezes reverse their direction in the course of the day while
monsoon winds do so seasonally.
The sea breezes do not bring rainfall as the period during which they blow
is too short for collecting moisture from the sea, while the monsoon winds
blowing from the sea do bring rainfall as they blow over a sufficient length
of time.

Monsoonal climate is so well developed in the Indian subcontinent because

of the variation in the pressure due to differential rate of heating and
cooling of land and water.
FEATURES OF INDIAN CLIMATE
1. Tropical monsoon type of climate.
2. Diversity in climatic conditions.
3. Monsoon mechanism dominates the climate.
4. Presence of four distinct seasons in the year.
5. Tropical depressions or Bay cyclones in the late rainy season.
6. Westerly depressions / disturbances causing rainfall (precipitation)
during winter in North India.

Regional Variation in:-

Temperature-
Barmer in Rajasthan may record a temperature of around 50o C on a June
day while it hardly reaches around 20o C at Pahalgam or Gulmarg in
Kashmir on the same day.
The temperature touches - 40o C in Kargil (Jammu and Kashmir) in the
month of December whereas Kochi (Kerala) records around 20o C in the
same month.

Malabar Coastal Plains (Kerala) has an equable climate where the annual
range of temperature is about 3o C whereas Punjab Plains experience
continental type of climate with an annual range of temperature around 20o
C.

The daily / diurnal range of temperature in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

and Kerala is hardly 7 or 8 degree C. whereas in the Thar Desert
(Rajasthan) it is between 25 to 30 degree C.

Precipitation-
Snowfall occurs in the Himalayas whereas it only rains over the rest of the
country.

Cherrapunji-Mawsynram in Meghalaya gets about 1100 cm of rain in the

year whereas Jaisalmer in Rajasthan hardly receives less than 10 cm. in a
year.
Most parts of India receive rainfall during June to September but the
Coastal areas of Tamil Nadu get most of its rain in November and
December.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE CLIMATE OF INDIA

1. Latitude - Tropic of Cancer – divides India into two climatic zones -
tropical and temperate zones but due to the presence of the
Himalayas the south of the Himalayas experiences sub-tropical
climate or warm temperate climate - temperature decreases in
general with increase in latitude, from south to north in India.

2. The Himalayas – also called as the climatic divide - the Himalayas

form the climatic barrier separating the Indian subcontinent from the
rest of Asia. They not only prevent the cold Siberian winds from
entering India and also from becoming a cold desert but they also
force the moisture laden South-West Monsoon Winds to shed rainfall
in India, especially over the Northern Plains or else India would be a
dry region.

3. The Monsoon Winds – major parts of India receive rainfall towards

the end of summer from South-West Monsoon Winds and winters are
dry, only Tamil Nadu coast receives winter rain from the North-East
Monsoon Winds after blowing over Bay of Bengal.

4. Varied Relief - monsoonal rain is orographic in nature - windward

slope receives heavy rain but leeward slopes / rain-shadow areas are
dry. Location of hill or mountain ranges with respect to the direction of
the on-shore winds, whether parallel or perpendicular, decides the
amount of rainfall.

5. Altitude -According to normal lapse rate, with increase in height

temperature decreases.

6. Influence of the Surrounding Seas - coastal areas receive more rain

than the interior because on-shore winds bring rain if the hills or
 mountains obstruct the on-shore winds, as the winds proceed to the
interior the winds become dry, amount of rainfall decreases.

7. Distance from the Seas - along the coast equable climate is

experienced due to the moderating influence of the sea and in the
interior the climate is continental.

8. Western Disturbances - temperate cyclones in winter bring light to

moderate rain to the north-western plains and snowfall in the
Himalayan region.

9. Jet Stream - band of high velocity winds in the upper layer of the
troposphere, close to the tropopause, blow from west to east in
general in a meandering course.
There are two types of Jet Streams which affect the climate of India:
● Subtropical Westerly Jet Streams
● Tropical Easterly Jet Streams
In winter, sub-tropical westerly jet streams attract more temperate
cyclones (Western Disturbances) so more western disturbances bring
more precipitation to India.
In summer, tropical easterly jet streams form a series of depressions
over central and south India to attract more on-shore South-West
Monsoon Winds to bring more rainfall.

10. El-Nino Effect - an irregularly recurring flow of unusually warm

surface waters from the Pacific Ocean toward and along the western
coast of South America. Due to El Nino, there is less supply of
moisture-bearing winds to India as the wind system gets disturbed.

SEASONS

Hot Weather Season / Summer Season

● March to May
● The Sun apparently moves from the Equator to the Tropic of Cancer.
● Temperature increases due to high angle of incidence of sun rays
because of northward apparent migration of the Sun and longer
duration of day-time.
● Most of the areas in India temperature ranges between 30o C to 32o
C.
● In North-West India, temperature is around 50o C. because of interior
location, there is absence of moderating influence of sea.
● In South India temperature varies between 26o C and 32o C. because
of the peninsula, the area experiences moderating influence of the
sea.
● Coastal areas receive moderating influence of the sea so summer
temperature gets modified.
● High elevated areas, like hills, plateaus are cooler because with
height temperature decreases according to normal lapse rate.
● Diurnal range of temperature is high in the interior, especially in
desert areas in Rajasthan because of clear skies and absence of
vegetation.
● Extreme high temperature area exists in the north-western parts of
India, in fact, a low pressure belt starts to develop from Thar Desert
to the Chotanagpur Plateau.
● The surrounding seas are cooler and air pressure is relatively higher
because of the differential rate of heating of land and sea.

● Characteristics of this season are: -

High temperature over most of India.

Mostly dry with occasional local storms.

● At this time, an area of slightly high pressure exists over the Deccan
Plateau (since it is relatively cooler compared to the Northern Plains)
which prevents the winds from blowing into India from the Arabian
Sea.
● This season is marked by weak winds and dryness over the area.
 ● However, winds from the regions surrounding the Northern Plains are
drawn into circulation, giving rise to violent local winds / storms.
Occasionally moisture-laden air is drawn in.
● Local winds are formed because of convectional current producing in
the air due to high temperature during this season.
Loo is the hot, dry, dusty winds that blow in the Northern Plains
(Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar). These winds blow during
daytime and are associated with very high temperatures ranging from
45o C to 50o C, these winds are hot enough to cause heat strokes.
Kalbaisakhi (calamity in the month of Baisakh) occurs in West
Bengal and in Assam (local name of Kalbaisakhi in Assam is Bardoli
Chheerha). These are thunderstorms, accompanied with strong
winds and heavy rainfall.

Although Kalbaisakhi is very destructive in nature, but this short

summer rain is good for rice and jute cultivation in west Bengal and
rice and tea in Assam.

Mango Showers occur along the coast of Kerala, this short summer
rain is good for early ripening of mangoes. In Karnataka, this summer
shower is called Cherry Blossom because it is good for the growth of
coffee cherries.

____________________________________________________________

Season of Advancing South-West Monsoon Winds / Rainy Season

● From June to September.
● The Sun is almost vertical over the Tropic of Cancer.
● Due to the differential rate of heating of land and sea, the land is
warmer than the surrounding sea/ water bodies.
● Over the Northern Plains, a low pressure belt develops (due to
extreme high temperature) and over the surrounding cooler water
bodies air pressure is high. Over the Punjab Plains low pressure
centre develops.
● At the end of May and beginning of June, the low pressure becomes
very intense.
 ● The pressure gradient becomes very strong.
● The intense low pressure over the Northern Plains attracts the winds
from the Indian Ocean, in the Southern Hemisphere.
● The South-East Trade Winds which are the permanent winds in the
Southern Hemisphere are attracted to India.
● When The South-East Trade Winds cross the Equator, they get
deflected towards the right due to the Coriolis Effect and they blow
towards India as the South-West Monsoon Winds.
● The advance of the South-West Monsoon Winds is rapid and caused
due to low pressure over the sub-continent and high pressure over
the Indian Ocean.
● Kanyakumari is the first place and Kerala is the first state to receive
the monsoonal rain and also the last state to see its withdrawal.
● The monsoonal rain brings down the temperature and hence, some
respite from the heat as long as it rains as relative humidity is high.
● Due to the tapering shape of Peninsular India, the South-West
Monsoon Winds divides into two branches:
The Arabian Sea Branch and the Bay of Bengal Branch.

The sudden violent onset of the South-West Monsoon Winds in the first
week of June, along the Coast of Kerala, which brings heavy rainfall
accompanied by thunder and lightning is called the Burst of the
Monsoon.

During the rainy season, if there is a dry period for two or more than two
weeks, it is called the Break of Monsoon.

The Arabian Sea Branch of the South-West Monsoon Winds

The South-West Monsoon Winds which blow over the Arabian Sea further
split into three sub-branches:
The Arabian Sea branch is three times greater than that of the Bay of
Bengal branch.
This branch approaches the south-west coast of India by the first week of
June.
One branch of Arabian Sea Branch of South-West Monsoon Winds is
obstructed by the Western Ghats. These winds go up the slopes of the
Western Ghats, become cool to condense and bring heavy rains on the
windward slopes of the Western Ghats and the Western Coastal
Plains. After crossing the Western Ghats these winds which are already
exhausted descend, get heated up and thereby the winds become
unsaturated. So the eastern slopes receive less rainfall as it is the leeward
slope and the adjoining Deccan Plateau the amount of rainfall further
decreases and it becomes the rain-shadow region.
The winds start to move towards the north along the west coast. When the
winds strike the coast north of Mumbai, then these winds enter through the
estuaries of the rivers Narmada and Tapi and start to move towards the
interior along these river valleys and reach up to the Chotanagpur Plateau.
These winds bring a fair amount of rainfall in Central India and
Chotanagpur Plateau. After that, the winds enter the Ganga Plains and
mingle with the Bay of Bengal Branch of South-West Monsoon Winds.
Further north, a part of these winds passes over Gujarat, western and
south-eastern Rajasthan. The Aravalli range runs almost parallel to the
direction of the Arabian Sea branch of South West Monsoon Winds and
does not form a barrier to intercept the winds and hence there is no rainfall.
The winds go straight to the sub-Himalayan region giving little rainfall to the
foothills of the Western Himalayas, Punjab Plains where the Arabian Sea
branch of South West Monsoon Winds meet the Bay of Bengal branch of
South West Monsoon Winds.

The Bay of Bengal Branch of South-West Monsoon Winds

The wind is directed towards the coast of Myanmar and owing to the
presence of the Arakan Hills along the coast of Myanmar, a large part of
the Bay of Bengal branch of South West Monsoon Winds is deflected
towards the Indian subcontinent. The Bay of Bengal branch of South-West
Monsoon winds enter West Bengal and Bangladesh from south-east and
south respectively instead of south-west.
The winds blow over Bangladesh and then first get obstructed by the Garo-
Khasi-Jaintia Hills. The southern slope being located on the windward
slope of these hill ranges, receives heavy rainfall. Cherrapunji and
Mawsynram, located on the windward slope, at the crest of the Khasi
Hills,receive the highest average annual rainfall in the world. Mawsynram
(Meghalaya) is the wettest place in the world. After crossing the Meghalaya
Hills the winds blow towards Assam Valley and a part of the wind gets
deflected to the left / west.
The winds entering through West Bengal get obstructed by the Sub-
Himalayan ranges. There is heavy rainfall on the southern (windward)
slope and the winds get deflected in two directions - to the east / right,
entering into the Assam valley and to the left / west, to the Gangetic Plains.
Assam valley has a funnel shape, surrounded by hills or mountains on all
the sides except on the left, which is open. Moisture-bearing winds get
trapped in this valley.
The winds blow over the Ganga Plains from south-east to west, between
the Himalayas and the Plateau of Peninsular India. The amount of rainfall
progressively decreases towards the west. The amount of annual rainfall at
Kolkata is 120 cm, at Patna 100 cm, at Allahabad it is 90 cm. and in Delhi
the rainfall amount is 50 cm.
The Tamil Nadu coast remains dry during this season because the Tamil
Nadu coast is located parallel to the Bay of Bengal branch of South-West
Monsoon Winds. Further, it is located in the rain-shadow area of the
Western Ghats so the Arabian Sea branch of South-West Monsoon Winds
cannot bring rainfall.
Arabian Sea branch of South-West Bay of Bengal branch of south-
Monsoon Winds West Monsoon Winds
blow over a vast open sea, travel a shorter distance and carry
collecting a lot of moisture. less moisture.
the entire branch blows over India This branch partly enters India, its
only. major part blows over Myanmar and
Thailand.
It hits against the Western Ghats It has to travel a long distance over
as soon as it blows over the land. land before it hits against the
mountains.
The Bay of Bengal branch of South-West Monsoon Winds ultimately meets
with the Arabian Sea branch of South-West Monsoon Winds over the
Punjab Plains and these combined winds bring very less rainfall.
The Bay of Bengal branch of South-West Monsoon Winds get obstructed
by the Aravallis but by the time winds reach to the west of India, the winds
are already exhausted. The western part of Rajasthan is located in the rain-
shadow area of the Aravallis so there is very less rainfall in Western
Rajasthan.

Characteristics of the Rainy Season:

● The bulk of the rainfall is received during this season in almost every
part of India except Tamil Nadu coast.
● The amount of rainfall received depends on the relief of the region.
● The rain is unreliable and there are dry intervals.

SEASON OF THE RETREATING OF SOUTH-WEST MONSOON WINDS

● October to November.
● This is a period of transition between the final withdrawal of the
South-West Monsoon Winds and the regular setting in of the North-
East Monsoon Winds.
● The South-West Monsoon Winds withdraw from the landmass of
India in stages, so it is called Retreating of the South-West
Monsoon Winds.
● With the apparent southward movement of the Sun, the low
pressure centre over the north-western part of India weakens and the
South-West Monsoon Winds start withdrawing gradually from the
sub-continent.
● The pressure gradient becomes weaker because the low pressure
over the Northern Plains becomes weaker and high pressure over the
Indian Ocean starts to become relatively lower.
● By the first week of October, The South-West Monsoon Wind
withdraws from most parts of North India. By mid-October, it
withdraws from Central India and by early November, southern India
sees the last of the retreating monsoon wind.
● Due to weaker pressure gradient, the amount of on-shore South-
West Monsoon wind entering India gradually decreases, so the
amount of rainfall also gradually decreases.
● There is clear sky, low humidity and the weather becomes fresh and
pleasant in the north, where night temperature drops while the air
becomes almost stagnant over the Deccan Plateau.
● The land remains moist. Due to high temperature the rate of
evaporation increases in major parts (central and southern India) of
India.
● The combination of high temperature and humidity gives rise to sultry
and oppressive weather. This is commonly known as ‘October Heat’.
● This is a transition between the rainy season and winter season.
● By November, fine weather conditions prevail all over the
subcontinent. The light winds from north-east to south-east start to
blow as the pressure conditions over land becomes high and over the
sea it is low.
● The retreat of the South-West Monsoon winds is a process much
slower than its arrival.
● The advance of the South-West Monsoon winds is towards the north
and the retreat is towards the south.
● The retreat of monsoon winds does not imply a right about-turn but a
gradual change of comparative pressure position, thus gradually
weakening and reducing the area coverage and influence.
● During this period, due to local variations of heat and moisture,
tropical cyclones are caused which originate over the Bay of Bengal,
in the neighbourhood of the Andaman Islands and they move from
north-east to south-west.
● In this season, the amount of rainfall gradually decreases.
● The season is generally dry except in the coastal areas of Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha (especially Coromandel Coast) where
the bulk of rainfall is derived from the tropical depressions / cyclones.
● The coastal areas experience heavy rainfall, high waves and strong
winds from these cyclones which are often very destructive to life and
property.
 ● Kanyakumari is the last place and Kerala is the last state from where
the winds withdraw.

● Characteristics of the season of the Retreating of South-West

Monsoon Winds are:-

The temperature and humidity are very high. This sultry,
oppressive weather condition is known as the October Heat.

This is the season of transition from a rainy season to winter.

The East Coast receives heavy rain from the tropical cyclones.
____________________________________________________________

COLD WEATHER SEASON / WINTER SEASON

● December to February
● The Sun shines more vertically between the Equator and the Tropic
of Capricorn.
● Due to latitudinal variation, temperature in general decreases from
south to north.
● The average temperature is below 20o C and is very low at high
elevated areas of the north where snow falls.
● January is the coldest month.
● Places in the interior are also comparatively colder because of the
absence of moderating influence of the sea.
● The Dras Valley near Kargil in Kashmir experiences lowest
temperatures.
● The excessive cold in North India, especially towards north-west
which sometimes causes cold-waves is due to –

absence of moderating influence of the sea (continental
climate)

cold winds blowing from the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan

snowfall in the nearby Himalayan ranges

● Weather conditions -
Clear skies, fine cool weather, light northerly winds and low humidity
are characteristics of this season.
● Pressure-
Due to differential rate of cooling, the land cools faster than the sea.
As a result, a high pressure develops over Central Asia and due to
the presence of the Himalayas, a subsidiary high pressure area
develops over the plains in the north-west, i.e. the Punjab Plains
(Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana). The
surrounding seas are relatively warmer and are a region of low
pressure.
● Winds-
Winds start blowing from the high pressure area over the land (over
the Punjab Plains high pressure centre develops) to the low pressure
area over the sea in general from north-east direction.
These are cold off-shore winds and normally do not bring rain to
major parts of India (they are cold and blow from the land to sea).
Due to the topography of India (presence of the plateau to the south
of the Ganga Plains and the Himalayas to the north), the winds blow
from north-west or west over the Ganga Plains, from north over the
Ganga Delta then winds get obstructed by North-East Hills, take bend
towards left (west) and become North-East Monsoon Winds. The
North-East Monsoon Winds blow over the Bay of Bengal from where
they pick up moisture and blow towards Tamil Nadu coast.
In general, the winds are weak and Variable (anti-cyclonic formation
occurs over the Punjab Plains).
● Rainfall -
The North-East Monsoon Winds are off-shore winds so they do not
bring rain to most parts of India. However, Tamil Nadu coast receives
rain from the North-East Monsoon Winds as the winds pick up
moisture while crossing the Bay of Bengal, the rainfall is orographic
rainfall.
Tamil Nadu Coast / South-East Coast / Coromandel Coast receives
winter rainfall, the North-East Monsoon Winds which cross the Bay of
Bengal in November, meet with the damp winds of the retreating
summer monsoon winds. Some moisture is also collected by these
winds when they blow over the Bay of Bengal. These winds blow
directly over the Tamil Nadu Coast and give that region the wettest
 and most disturbed weather of the whole year, mainly in late October
and November.
Heavy rains accompanied by stormy winds sweep over the south-
east coastal region, sometimes causing great damage to the crops
and disrupting the means of transport.

North-West India - Parts of Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir,

Himachal Pradesh, northern Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and western
Uttar Pradesh receive light-to-moderate and at times heavy rainfall
(under the influence of Sub-tropical Westerly Jet Streams which
attract more Western Disturbances)) due to the Westerly Depression
(temperate cyclones), coming from the Mediterranean Sea. These,
however, are cyclonic rains and beneficial to rabi crops, especially
wheat and barley.
The Himalayas receive a considerable amount of snowfall in winter.
The North-East India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh) receives rainfall
from the Western Disturbances.

● Characteristics-

Very pleasant season with low temperatures.

Clear skies with low humidity.

Rainless for most parts of India, except the east coast and
north-west of the country.

Tropical Cyclones Temperate Cyclones

Tropical cyclones are of thermal origin, Temperate cyclones are of frontal
associated with high temperature. origin because of the meeting of warm
and cold winds.
They are generally smaller in size and They are bigger in size than the
their shape is more or less circular. tropical cyclones and are oval in
shape.
They bring heavy rainfall with strong They bring light to moderate rainfall in
winds over the Coromandel Coast of the North-Western part of India under
India. the influence of westerly jet streams.

SOURCES OF RAINFALL
1. Punjab Plains (Punjab, Haryana) - Western Disturbances, Arabian
Sea Branch of South-West Monsoon Winds and Bay of Bengal
Branch of South-West Monsoon Winds.
2. The Tamil Nadu / Coromandel Coast - mainly from two sources,
North-East Monsoon Winds and Tropical Cyclones.
CHARACTERICS OF:-
1. Monsoonal climate has a prominent dry winter season and clear cut
rainy season, from June to September.
2. Monsoon winds which are seasonal winds, change their directions
according to season.
3. Monsoonal rainfall (Monsoon) -

Seasonal rainfall, rainfall occurs at the end of summer months
from June to September.

Monsoon rains are orographic in nature.

Monsoons are erratic in nature.

Monsoons are unevenly distributed and sporadic.

(Some of the rain in India occurs due to tropical depressions.

Monsoonal rain determines the economic state of the country by controlling
the agricultural prosperity)

Season of Retreating South-West Season of North-East Monsoon

Monsoon Winds Winds
October to November December to February
Transition season between the rainy Cold weather season.
season and winter season.
Oppressive, sultry weather conditions Pleasant season with low
in major parts of India, called ‘October temperatures, low humidity, clear
Heat’ is experienced. skies.
Winds blow from south-west but are Winds blow from the north-east
not strong enough to blow right into the direction from land to sea.
Northern Plains. Towards the end of
the season the winds start to blow from
north-east to south-west.
The South-West Monsoon winds The North-East Monsoon Winds do not
withdraw in stages which results in give rain to major areas in India but
decreasing rain. only after blowing over the Bay of
Bengal, the winds pick up moisture and
bring rain to Coromandel Coastal
Pains

South-West Monsoon Retreating South-West North-East Monsoon

Winds Monsoon Winds Winds
These winds blow from These winds blow during These Winds blow from
June to September. October and November. December to February.
The direction of these The direction of these The direction of these
winds is from south-west. winds is from south-west, winds is from the north-
in November the winds east.
reverse their directions
and start blowing from
north-east to south-west.
The winds blow from sea The winds blow from sea The winds blow from land
to land, on-shore / to land but gradually to sea, off-shore winds.
moisture laden winds. become weaker and
towards the end of the
season North-East
Monsoon Winds start to
blow.
The winds bring heavy The amount of rainfall Clear skies, pleasant
rainfall, they blow in the gradually decreases as weather with low
season of high the pressure gradient temperature and low
temperature and high becomes weaker. humidity prevails over
humidity. Temperature changes India.
 but temperature and
humidity remain high in
major parts of India.
There is rainfall almost The coastal areas of The winds while blowing
everywhere in India. Tamil Nadu receive over the Bay of Bengal
rainfall mainly from pick up moisture and
tropical cyclones. bring rainfall to the
Coromandel Coast.

Rainfall over the Country

As the rainfall is of orographic type, the amount of rainfall depends upon
the location of a place, i.e. whether it is located near the coast or in the
interior and whether it is on the leeward side or windward side of the relief
features (hills or mountains). The direction of the mountain ranges is also of
great significance.

Thar, situated in western Rajasthan, is comparatively low-lying area and is

a desert as there is very little summer rain, less than 25 cm annually. The
reasons are:
1. The Arabian Sea branch of South-west Monsoon Winds do not give
much rainfall as the Aravallis which are parallel to these winds do not
form barriers to intercept the winds.
2. The Bay of Bengal branch of South-West Monsoon Winds have little
or no moisture left by the time the winds reach Rajasthan, after
traversing the Ganga Valley. A little rain falls on the windward side of
the Aravallis but no rain in Thar, as it is in the rain-shadow areas of
the Aravallis.

Distribution of Rainfall
Areas receiving heavy rainfall, more than 200 cm a year:
1. The western slopes of the Western Ghats and the Western Coastal
Plains of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.
The moisture-laden Arabian Sea branch of the South-West
Monsoon Winds are forced to rise very high because of the
 Western Ghats. Heavy rainfall takes place on the windward side
of the Western Ghats.
After shedding heavy rainfall, the winds descend on the leeward
slope. By this time very little moisture is left and as the winds
descend so become warmer. Therefore, low rainfall is experienced on
the leeward slope of the Western Ghats (in Pune, Hyderabad,
Bengaluru, Chennai).
2. The southern slopes of the Eastern Himalayas, particularly the Garo,
Khasi, Jaintia, Patkai, Naga, Lushai hills, commonly referred to as the
‘Assam Hills’.
Moisture-laden South-West Monsoon Winds of Bay of Bengal
branch enter India and Bangladesh and blow over land but not much
moisture is lost as it is a humid delta region. The high Himalayas and
Assam Hills force them to rise very high, resulting in heavy rainfall.
Cherrapunji-Mawsynram, situated on the windward slopes of the
Khasi-Jaintia range whereas Shillong on the leeward slope of the
Meghalaya Hills.
The Bay of Bengal branch of South-West Monsoon Winds give heavy
rainfall to the Assam region.
The high Himalayas cause rainfall which gradually decreases towards
Jammu and Kashmir.

Desert and semi-desert regions, areas receiving less than 50 cm. Of

annual rainfall:
The northern parts of Kashmir and Ladakh (rain-shadow area of the
Himalayas so the South-West Monsoon Winds cannot bring rainfall),
southern Punjab, parts of Haryana, western Rajasthan (Thar), the Kutch
Peninsula and the rain-shadow regions of the Western Ghats (Deccan
Plateau).
In the north-west of India, both the branches join but receives less rain
because the winds are already exhausted by then.
Interpretation of Climatic Data
1. Calculation of annual range of temperature =
Temperature of the hottest month of the year - Temperature of the
coldest month of that year
Note:-
If the annual range of temperature is low, the place or station
experiences equable climate because of moderating influence of the
sea.
If the annual range of temperature is high, the place or station
experiences continental climate because of absence of moderating
influence of sea, temperature variations are extremes.
2. Calculation of Mean Annual Temperature / Average Annual
Temperature = To add temperature data of all 12 months / 12
3. Calculation of Annual Rainfall / Total Rainfall = To add rainfall data
for all 12 months
(Calculation of total rainfall in rainy season / season of summer
monsoon winds = To add rainfall data from June to September)
4. Identification of Winds and Location:-
First to check annual range of temperature, if annual range of
temperature is low, the location is along the coast. If maximum
rainfall is from June to September, the winds are Arabian Sea
branch of South-West Monsoon Winds and the location is the
West Coast, station is Kochi / Mangalore / Mumbai.
If annual range of temperature is low, the location is along the coast.
If maximum rainfall is from November to January, the winds are
Tropical Cyclones and North-East Monsoon Winds after blowing
over the Bay of Bengal bring rainfall and the location is the East
Coast, station is Chennai.
If the annual range of temperature is high, the location is in the
interior, in the Northern Plains / Ganga Plains, Station is Delhi.
The winds which bring rainfall are the South-West Monsoon Winds.
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