GRADE: IX

CLIMATE

GEOGRAPHY

What is the difference between Climate and Weather? List the elements of both.
Climate refers to the sum total of weather conditions and variations over a large area for a long
period of time.
Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere over an area at any point of time.
Elements: The elements of weather and climate are the same:
Temperature
Atmospheric pressure
Wind
Humidity and
Precipitation
Explain the major factors influencing climate in India.
The important factors that influence the climate of India can be identified as follows:
(a) Latitudinal Location.
India lies in the Northern Hemisphere with the Tropic of Cancer (2330N) passing almost through
the middle of India.
Areas to its south have tropical type of climate, while areas to its north have characteristics of subtropical climate.
(b) Altitude and Relief Features.
The mountainous areas to the north of the Himalayas have average altitude of upto 6000 metres.
Stations located here are cool even in summer and receive snowfall during winter.
The lofty Himalayas along the northern borders of India act as a mighty barrier protecting India from
the cold winds from Central Asia in winter. As a result India experiences milder winters as
compared to Central Asia. It also concentrates the monsoon rains within the mainland of India.
(c) Pressure and Winds.
The pressure and wind conditions over India are unique. They result in seasonal reversal of the wind
system and monsoon winds dominate the climate of India.
The bulk of the rainfall in the country is brought by the southwest monsoons. Upper air circulation
and the position of jet streams in upper troposphere influence the monsoons. Western cyclonic
disturbances in winter and tropical cyclones during retreating monsoon season bring rainfall and
affect the climate.
(d) Distance from the sea.
Places at coastal locations, e.g. Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, have maritime or equable climate due to
the moderating influence of the sea.
But places in the interior of the country, far from the sea, experience extreme climate due to
continentality, e.g. Dehli.
What is the Coriolis force?
An apparent force caused by the earths rotation is called the Coriolis force.
The Coriolis force is responsible for deflecting the direction of the winds towards the right in the
Northern Hemisphere and towards the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
This is also known as Ferrels Law.
Western disturbances and there effect on the climate of India

The western cyclonic disturbances are weather phenomena of the winter months brought in by the
westerly flow from the Mediterranean region.
This phenomena usually influence the weather conditions of North and Northwestern regions of
India.
Tropical cyclones occur during October-November as a consequence of this western disturbances.
A characteristic feature of the cold weather season over the northern plains is the inflow of cyclonic
disturbances from the west and the Northwest.
These low pressure systems originate over the Mediterranean Sea and move into India along with the
westerly flow.
Under its influence cause the much needed rainfall over the plains and snowfalls in the mountains.
The total amount of winter rainfall, locally known as Mahawat, is small but they are of immense
value for the cultivation of rabi crops.

Define monsoon. Differentiate between 'Burst of the Monsoon' and 'Break of the Monsoon.
The word 'monsoon' is derived from the Arabic word 'mausim' which means season.
It is basically a seasonal rain bearing winds, lasting for 100 120 days from early June to midSeptember.
At the time of its arrival, the normal rainfall increases suddenly and continues constantly for several
days. This is known as 'burst of the monsoon'. The phenomenon can be distinguished from the premonsoon showers.
Another phenomenon associated with the monsoon is its tendency to have breaks in rainfall. The
monsoon rains take place only for a few days at a time. They are interspersed with rainless intervals.
These breaks in monsoon are related to the movement of the monsoon trough.
Why does India have a monsoon type of climate?
India has a monsoon type of climate because of the following reasons:
The monsoon type of climate is mainly found in south and south-east Asia of which India is a part.
The climate of India is strongly governed by the monsoon winds which are confined to the tropical
lands lying between 20 north and 20 south.
In the Indian sub-continent, the Himalayas guide the flow of the monsoon winds bringing the whole
sub continent under the influence of these winds.
Lastly, monsoons act as a unifying bond around which the cycle of season, most of the agricultural
activities, festivities, etc revolve.
Which part of India does experience the highest diurnal range of temperature and why?
Diurnal range of temperature is the difference between maximum and minimum temperature of a
day which is very glaring in the desert areas.
In India the highest diurnal range of temperature is experienced in the desert regions of Rajasthan
and the interior parts of the Rann of Kachchh.
This is because in these sandy areas the day temperature may rise to 50C and drop down to near
freezing point the same night as the sand absorbs heat very fast during the day and losses heat very
fast at night.
Which winds account for rainfall along the Malabar Coast?
The South-west monsoon winds.
Jet streams and there effect on the climate of India
Jet streams are fast blowing air currents of steady velocity moving in a narrow zone of the
troposphere.

The subtropical westerly jet streams are responsible for the western cyclonic disturbances
experienced in the north and north-western parts of the country in winter.
The tropical easterly jet stream blowing over peninsular India is responsible for bringing the southwest monsoon winds to India.

Why does the rainfall decrease from the east to the west in Northern Plains? OR Why does Delhi
receive less rainfall than Lucknow? OR Why does Patna receive more rainfall than Lucknow?
The Northern plains receive, most of its rainfall from the Bay of Bengal of the South West. Monsoon
winds.
These winds become progressively dry as they move from east to west in the northern plains and
hence the amount of rainfall decreases from east to west
OR
The Bay of Bengal branch of the S.W. Monsoon winds become progressively dry as it moves from
east to west in the northern plains and hence the amount of rainfall decreases from east to west
Since Delhi is situated to the west of Lucknow, it receives less rainfall.
OR
The Bay of Bengal branch of the S.W. Monsoon winds becomes progressively dry as it moves from
east to west in the northern plains and hence the amount of rainfall decreases from east to west
As Patna is situated to the east of Lucknow, it receives more rainfall.
(Hint: For this type of question you should know which place is situated to the east, that will received
more rain, so know your country/states and cities well)
Give reasons at to why.
a) Seasonal reversal of wind direction takes place over the Indian subcontinent.
The pressure and wind conditions over India are unique.
During winter, the northern parts of India experience a high pressure as compared to the peninsular I
part. Cold dry winds blow from the north towards the low pressure areas over the oceans to the
south. They are north east in direction.
During summer, the northern parts of India experience rising temperatures and falling pressure, this
causes a complete reversal of the direction of winds during the summer.
Warm winds start blowing from the ocean in the south towards the north which are laden with
moisture and they are south-westerly in direction.
b) The bulk of the rainfall in India is concentrated over a few months.
OR
Most of the rainfall in India is received between the months of June-September.
OR
Bulk of the rainfall in India is received from the South-West Monsoon Winds.
This is because, during the months of June-September, the northern parts of India experience rising
temperatures and falling pressure, whereas in the southern parts, the oceans are comparatively cooler
thereby experiencing higher pressure.
The low pressure in the north intensifies gradually and by June is powerful enough to attract the
trade winds of the southern hemisphere which brings abundant rainfall to the sub-continent till the
mid of September.
Warm winds (South-West Monsoon winds) start blowing from the ocean in the south towards the
north. Since they are of oceanic origin they are laden with moisture and cause most of the rainfall in
the country.
Whereas during winter, the winds (North-East Monsoon Winds) blow from land to sea and hence are
dry causing no rainfall except in Tamil Nadu where they reach after gathering moisture from the Bay
of Bengal.

c) The Tamil Nadu coast receives winter rainfall.

During the Cold weather season, the north-east trade winds prevail over the country. They blow
from land to sea and hence for most part of the county it is a dry season.
However, before reaching Tamil Nadu, they gather moisture (as they cross over the Bay of Bengal)
and become moisture laden and the first and only place they strike is Tamil Nadu, hence it receives
winter rainfall.
During the period when the fury of the monsoon is on in most parts of the country it is on the
leeward side so it does not receive much rainfall then.
d) The delta region of the eastern coast is frequently stuck by cyclones.
During the months of October-November the low-pressure conditions, over north-western India, get
transferred to the Bay of Bengal.
This shift is associated with the occurrence of cyclonic depressions which originate over the
Andaman Sea.
These cyclonic depressions generally cross the eastern coasts of India causing heavy widespread
rain, tropical cyclones which are often very destructive to the thickly populated deltas of the
Godavari, Krishna and the Kaveri.
e) Parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the leeward side of the Western Ghats are drought prone.
Parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat are drought prone OR Jodhpur has a desert type of climate because:
The Bay of Bengal branch by the time it reaches Rajasthan which is on the extreme west of
India has shed most of its moisture.
The Arabian Sea branch blows parallel to the Aravalli hills and they are not obstructed by the
hills.
The Arabian Sea branch when it blows over Rajasthan due to the high temperatures there
develops the capacity to retain moisture rather than shedding it.
The leeward side of the Western Ghats is drought prone because
The Arabian Sea branch strikes the windward side of the Western Ghats where it begins to
ascend, thereby cooling and shedding most of its moisture on the windward side.
By the time it reaches on the leeward side it has shed most of its moisture and the winds
begin to descend thereby becoming warmer and gaining the ability to absorb moisture.
f) Thiruvananthapuram and Shillong are rainier in June than in July?
Thiruvananthapuram and Shillong are rainier in June because both of them come under the direct
influence of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal Branches respectively of the South-West Monsoon
winds.
By July the winds go northward and eastwards respectively thus the amount of rainfall decreases in
this month
g) Mumbai is rainier in July than Thiruvananthapuram?
This is because Mumbai receives rainfall from the Arabian Sea branch which strikes
Thiruvananthapuram in June so it receives more rain in June and then the winds proceed northwards
towards Mumbai.
h) Leh has moderate precipitation almost throughout the year.
Leh receives precipitation in the form of rainfall from the South-West Monsoon winds during the
summer months.
It also receives precipitation in the form of snow from the western disturbances during the winter
months.

Despite an overall unity in the general pattern, there are perceptible regional variations in climatic
conditions within the country- Explain / Justify giving relevant examples.
TEMPERATURE: 1. During the summer season, the temperature in some parts of Rajasthan touches
50C and in Jammu and Kashmir it may be around 20C.
2. During winter, the temperature at Drass in Jammu and Kashmir may be as low as 45C and in Thiruvananthapuram it may be around 20C.
PRECIPITATION: There are variation not only in form but also in the amount and season.
1. Precipitation in most parts of India is in the form of rain except in Himalayas where
it is in the form of snow.
2. The annual precipitation varies from over 400 cm in Meghalaya to less than 10 cm
in Ladakh and western Rajasthan.
3. Most part of India receives rainfall from June to September but some parts like
Tamil Nadu get rain during October and November.
HUMIDITY:

1. Coastal areas experience higher degree of humidity, whereas areas in the interior of
the country experience less humidity.

Note: Refer to the text book for features/characteristics of all the four seasons.
Refer to the first two pages of the lesson in the text book
Refer to page 41 and 42 for the graph and table and also the newspaper cuttings on page 38.
Discuss the mechanism of monsoon.
To understand the mechanism of the monsoons, the following facts are important:
(a) The differential heating and cooling of land and water creates low pressure on the landmass of
India while the seas around experience comparatively high pressure.
(b) The shift of the position of Inter Tropical Convergence Zone in summer over the Ganga plain.
(c) The presence of the high-pressure area, east of Madagascar, approximately at 20S over Indian
Ocean. The intensity and position of this high-pressure area affects the Indian Monsoon.
(d) The Tibetan plateau gets intensely heated during summer, which results in strong vertical air
Currents and the formation of low pressure over the plateau at about 9 km above sea level.
(e) The movement of the westerly jet stream to the north of the Himalayas and the presence of the
Tropical easterly jet stream over the Indian peninsula during summer.
What is the loo? How does it affect the weather of a place?
The strong, gusty, hot, dry winds blowing during the day over the north and northwestern India
during summer are known as loo.
The loo is a striking feature of the hot weather season from April to June.
Loo usually occurs during the afternoon but sometimes it even continues until late in the evening.
Direct exposure to these winds may even prove to be fatal. They cause acute dehydration and
sunstroke.
During May and June they sometimes bring dust storms which bring temporary relief as they lower
the temperatures and may bring light rain and cool breeze.
Write a short note on the retreating monsoons.
1. The months of October-November mark a period of transition from hot rainy season to cold dry
winter conditions. This period is known as Retreating Monsoon or Transition season because the
southwest monsoons weaken and withdraw or retreat from India.

2. The retreat of monsoon is marked by clear skies and rise in temperature. While days are warm,
nights are cool and pleasant. Owing to high temperature and high humidity, weather becomes
oppressive.
3. This phenomenon is known as October heat.
4. With the shift of low pressure centre to the Bay of Bengal in early November, cyclonic depressions
originating over the Andaman Sea move over the Eastern Coast.
5. The Coromandel Coast receives bulk of its rainfall from the retreating monsoons. These tropical
cyclones cause heavy destruction and torrential rains in thickly populated deltaic regions of Tamil
Nadu , Andhra Pradesh and Orissa..
Give an account of the weather condition and characteristics of the cold season.
The period between mid-November to February is the cold weather season in India. December and January
are the coldest months in the northern part of India. The cold weather season is characterized by the
following features :
(a) A high pressure region develops in the northern part of the country with the apparent movement of the
sun southwards.
(b) The northeast trade winds prevail over the country. As they blow from land to sea, for most parts of the
country it is a dry season.
(c) Light winds move outwards from the high pressure area. Under the influence of relief, these winds blow
from the west and northwest in the Ganga Valley.
(d) Days are warm and nights are cool during the season. Weather is marked by clear sky, low temperature
and low humidity and feeble variable winds mainly in the north.
(e) Temperature is lower in the northern parts, ranging between 10 to 15C. Temperature is higher in
southern India, between 24 to 25C, as in Chennai.
(f) Frost is common in northern parts.
(g) The higher slopes of the Himalayas, e.g. places like Srinagar, Leh and Shimla, experience snowfall.
(h) The western cyclonic disturbances are characteristic weather phenomena of the winter months. Their
inflow from the west and northwest is brought in by the westerly flow from the Mediterranean Sea region.
They cause the much needed winter rains over the plains and snowfall in the mountains in the northwestern
India.
(i) The peninsular region does not have a well-defined cold season due to moderating influence of the sea.
Rainfall occurs on Tamil Nadu coast during winter because the northeast winds blow from sea to land here.
Give a brief account of the hot weather season in India.
The period between April to June is the hot weather season or summer in India. The characteristic features
of the hot weather season are as follows:
(a) The global heat belt shifts northward due to the apparent northward movement of the sun.
(b) The temperature recordings taken during April to June of stations at different latitudes, show the
influence of the shifting of the heat belts. In April, temperatures in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat are around
42C. In May, temperature of 45C is common in northwestern India. Peninsular India has moderate
temperature due to influence of sea.
(c) The rising temperatures lead to fall in air pressure in the northern parts. Toward the end of May, an
elongated low pressure area develops in the north extending from the Thar Desert in the northwest to Patna
and Chhota Nagpur Plateau in the east.
(d) Strong, gusty, hot, dry winds, locally called loo blow during the afternoon over north and northwestern
India. They may continue till late evening.
(e) Dust storms are common during May in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Eastern Rajasthan and Western Uttar
Pradesh. Sometimes they bring light rain and pleasant cool breeze that provide temporary relief from the
heat.
(f) High temperature during the day causes violent, localized thunderstorms by the evening. These
thunderstorms are associated with violent winds and torrential downpour, often accompanied with rain.
They are known as Kal Baisakhi or calamity of the month of Baisakh in West Bengal.

(g) In late May pre-monsoon showers occur, especially in Karnataka and Kerala. They are known as mango
showers as they help in the early ripening of mangoes.
Why is the monsoon considered as a unifying bond?
Monsoon is considered as a unifying bond because:
The seasonal alteration of the wind systems and the associated weather conditions provide a
rhythmic cycle of seasons,
The uncertainties of rain and uneven distribution of rainfall are very much typical of the monsoons.
The Indian landscape, its plant and animal life, the entire agricultural calendar, life of the people,
their festivities, etc revolve around the monsoons.
The monsoon winds bind the whole country by providing water to set the agricultural activities in
motion.
What is meant by Southern Oscillation? State an important feature of it.
(HOTS)
1) Usually while the tropical eastern South Pacific Ocean experiences 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.
2) An important feature connected with the Southern Oscillation (SO) is the El Nino, a warm ocean
current that flows past the Peruvian Coast, in place of the cold 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 Sothern Oscillation).
What values are associated with the Indian monsoon? (Value Based Question)
There is great diversity of climatic conditions in India due to different location and land relief
patterns.
But these diversities are subdued by the monsoon, which blow over the whole country.
The Indian landscape, its animal and plant life, its entire agricultural calendar and the life of the
people, including their festivities, revolve around monsoon phenomenon.
The arrival of the monsoon is most welcome all over the country.
The seasonal alteration of the wind systems and the associated weather conditions provide a
rhythmic cycle of seasons that binds the entire country.