CLIMATE OF INDIA

The climate of India is described as a Tropical Monsoon climate. Climate includes temperature, rainfall, and atmospheric pressure, as well as the direction and velocity of winds over a long period. Climates are largely influenced by latitudinal extent, relief, and areal distribution of land and water. India is a tropical country although its northern part is situated in the temperature belt. In the south, the Indian coasts have the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal branches of the Indian Ocean which gives a typically tropical monsoon type of climate.

INDIAN MONSOON CLIMATE

The climate of India has many regional variations, expressed in the patterns of winds, temperature and rainfall, rhythm of seasons, and degree of wetness or dryness. These climatic differences are due to the location, altitude, distance from the sea, and relief. The vast size of the country has topographical variations and is responsible for the great diversity of climate in India. The diversities in the Monsoonal unity of the Indian Climate are described as under:
• In June the temperature soared to 48°- 50° at Barmer in Rajasthan while it may hardly reach 22°C at Gulmarg in Kashmir at the same time.
• On a December night, the temperature may dip to -40° at Dras in Kargil in J&K while it may be as high as 20°-22° C at Thiruvananthapuram at the same time.
• Places like Goa, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, and Patna get rains by the first quarter of June while the rains are awaited till the end of June or early July at places like Agra, Delhi, and Chandigarh.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CLIMATE OF INDIA

The climate of India is a complex phenomenon and is influenced by a large number of geographical factors. Some of the important factors are discussed as under:

Location and Latitudinal Extent– The mainland of India extends roughly from 8° N to 37°N and the Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of the country. Areas lying south of the Tropic of Cancer are warmer due to the closer to the equator. The areas to the north of the Tropic of Cancer are experiencing low temperatures. The coastal areas have mild climatic conditions due to the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

 

Distance from the Sea– The areas lying near the coast have a marline climate. On the contrary, interior locations are deprived of the moderating influence of the sea and experience the extreme continental climate.

The Northern Mountain Ranges– The Himalayan Mountain ranges act as an effective physical barrier for rain-bearing southwest monsoon winds to cross the Northern frontiers of India. These mountain ranges protect India from the bitterly cold and dry winds of Central Asia during winter.

Physiography– The physiography of India has a great bearing on major elements of climate such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, direction of winds, and the amount of rainfall. Several Himalayan ranges and Hill stations are much cooler than the places located in the Great Plains of India.

Monsoon Winds– The most dominating factor of the Indian climate is the ‘Monsoon winds’ as a result of which it is often called the monsoon climate. The southwest summer monsoon from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal brings rainfall to the entire country. The north-eastern winter monsoon travel from land to sea and does not cause much rainfall except along the Coromandel coast after getting moisture from the Bay of Bengal.

Upper-Air Circulation– The change in the Upper air circulation over the Indian landmass influences the climate of India to a great extent. Jet streams in the upper air system influence the climate in two ways: westerly jet stream and easterly jet stream.

Tropical Cyclones and Western Disturbances-

Tropical cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea and influence a large part of India. the western disturbance originates from the Mediterranean Sea and travels eastward under the influence of westerly Jet streams.

El-Nino Effect– It is a narrow warm current that occasionally appears off the coast of Peru in December. This current is responsible for widespread floods and drought in the tropical region of the world.
La-Nina– La-Nina effect is the opposition to El Nino. It also marks active hurricane season. But in India, the presence of La-Nina is exceptionally good news.

Southern Oscillation– The meteorological linkage between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean is often observed. It has been noticed that whenever the surface water pressure is low in the Indian Ocean it is high in the Pacific Ocean and vice-versa. This interrelationship between the Indian and Pacific oceans is called Southern Oscillations.

Significance and Peculiarities of the Indian Climate

Indian climate is dominated by the southwest monsoon and is peculiar in many ways. The extremes of temperature, rainfall, and humidity are well known. The monsoon may advance much before its due date or may be considerably delayed.                                                                                                                                  The amount of rainfall may be normal or there may be deficient rains. Some parts of the country face fury floods due to heavy rains while the other parts may have scanty rainfall. the variability of the rainfall plays havoc and shatters the very foundation of the economy in a predominantly agricultural country like India.       Another very important aspect of Indian rainfall is that it is largely controlled by orography. The number of effects of the western ghats on the amount and distribution of rainfall and the inability of the Aravali to cause rainfall.