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The branch of science concerned with the processes and phenomena of the atmosphere, especially as a means of forecasting the weather.

The Indian Ocean and the Himalayan ranges exert a great influence on the climate of India and the origin of monsoons.

India comes in the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). This fact; in association with various other factors, like the El Nino, Jet Stream and Coriolois Force are the reasons for monsoon type of climate in India.

Brazil has vast latitudinal extent because of which it experiences wide climatic variations.

(b) Andhra Pradesh

It lies between the Western Ghats and Arabian Sea. It is a narrow plain, which stretches from Gujarat to Kerala with an average width of 50 – 80 km. It is mainly characterised by sandy beaches, coastal sand, dunes, mud flats, lagoons, estuary, laterite platforms and residual hills.

(b) Do not protect areas of natural habitat.

The term Monsoon is derived from the Arabic word ‘mausim’, meaning season, applied by the Arabs to the seasonal winds of the Arabian Sea. Monsoon winds mean a complete reversal in the direction of wind over a large part of the land, causing seasons.

The seasonal alteration of the wind systems and the associated weather conditions provide a rhythmic cycle of seasons. Even the uncertainties of rain and uneven distribution are very much typical of the monsoons. 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. 

India’s climate is controlled by 

1. Latitude 

2. Altitude 

3. Pressure and winds 

4. Distance from the sea 

5. Ocean Currents 

6. Physiography

Although there are wide variations in weather patterns across India, the monsoon brings some unifying influences on India. The Indian landscape, its flora and fauna, etc. are highly influenced by the monsoon. The entire agricultural calendar in India is governed by the monsoon. Most of the festivals in India are related to agricultural cycle. These festivals may be known by different names in different parts of the country, but their celebration is decided by the monsoon. It is also said that the river valleys which carry the rainwater also unite as a single river valley unit. Due to these reasons, monsoon is often a great unifying factor in India.

India’s climate is controlled by latitude, altitude, pressure and winds, distance from the sea, ocean currents and physiography.

There is great diversity of the climatic conditions in India due to different locations and land relief patterns. But these diversities are subdued by the monsoon, which blow over the whole country. The arrival of the monsoon is welcomed all over the country. 

1. Several festivals are celebrated welcoming the monsoonal rainfall in India. 

2. The monsoonal rainfall provides water for agricultural activities. 

3. Monsoon gives relief from the scorching heat. The entire life of the Indian people revolves around the monsoon.

The monsoon is known for its uncertainties. These are untimely, irregular, unpredictable and unevenly distributed. The alternation of dry and wet spells vary in intensity, frequency and duration. While it causes heavy floods one part, it may be responsible for droughts in the other. It is often irregular in its arrival and its retreat. Hence, it sometimes disturbs the farming schedule of millions of farmers all over the country. 

1. The monsoon is considered the most important season in India because India is an agrarian country and agriculture is dependent on monsoon.

2. The summer in South India is little mild because due to marine influences, proximity, to equator and the height of the plateau, the region does not experience extreme of heat and cold.

3. There is a large difference in the temperature and rainfall in different parts of the country India because as the Tropic of Cancer passes through almost middle of India, the southern part falls in torrid zone and the northern in temperate zone.

In this season due to pressure variation between the Bay of Bengal and main land of India variable winds-cyclones and anti -cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal.

(i) The monsoon rains take place only for a few days at a time. They are interspersed with rainless intervals. The breaks in monsoon are related to the movement of the monsoon trough. When the axis of the monsoon trough lies over the plains, rainfall is good in these parts. 

(ii) On the other hand, whenever the axis shifts closer to the Himalayas, there are longer dry spells in the plains, and widespread rain occur in the mountainous catchment areas of the Himalayan rivers. These heavy rains bring in their wake, devastating floods causing damage to life and property in the plains. The frequency and intensity of tropical depressions too, determine the amount and duration of monsoon rains. 

(iii) The monsoon is known for its uncertainties. These are untimely, irregular, unpredictable and unevenly distributed. The alternations of dry and wet spells vary in intensity, frequency and duration. While it causes heavy floods one part, it may be responsible for droughts in the other. It is often irregular in its arrival and its retreat. Hence, it sometimes disturbs the farming schedule of millions of farmers all over the country. 

Towards the close of the summer season, pre-monsoon showers are common especially, in Kerala and Karnataka. They help in the early ripening of mangoes, and are often referred to as ‘mango showers’. 

Kerala and Karnataka

1. The Monsoon rains are pulsating in nature 

2. They can cause heavy rainfall in one part and drought in the other. 

3. They are known for their uncertainties.

The word ‘Monsoon’ is said to be derived from the Arabic word ‘Mausim’ meaning season. Monsoon winds are those seasonal or periodic winds which change their direction with the season.

Coriolis force is an artifact of the earth’s rotation. Once air has been set in motion by the pressure gradient force, it undergoes an apparent deflection from its path, as seen by an observer on the earth. This apparent deflection is called the coriolis force and is a result of the earth’s rotation. As air moves from high to low pressure in the northern hemisphere, it is deflected to the right by the coriolis force. In the southern hemisphere, air moving from high to low pressure is deflected to the left by the coriolis force.

The word monsoon originated from the Arabian word Mausim.

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 ‘Ferrel’s Law’.  

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 ‘Ferrel’s Law

India has mountains to the north, which have an average height of about 6,000 metres. India also has a vast coastal area where the maximum elevation is about 30 metres, that act as a moderating factor. 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.

Himalaya mountain acts as a powerful climatic divide.

The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of the country from the Rann of Kuchchh 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. 

(i) Latitude: Due to the curvature of the earth, the amount of solar energy received varies according to latitude. As a result, air temperature decreases from the equator towards the poles. 

(ii) 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. 

(iii) The pressure and wind system: 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. 

(iv) The 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 peopl experience extreme weather conditions. This condition is known as continentality (i.e. very hot during summers and very cold during winters). 

(v) 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. 

(vi) Relief: Relief too 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 climate and associated weather conditions in India are governed by: 

(i) Latitude: The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of the country from the Rann of Kuchchh 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. 

(ii) Altitude: India has mountains to the north, which have an average height of about 6,000 metres. India also has a vast coastal area where the maximum elevation is about 30 metres. 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. 

(iii) Pressure and Winds: It includes pressure and surface winds, Upper air circulation and western cyclonic disturbances and tropical cyclones. India lies in the region of north easterly winds. These winds originate from the subtropical high-pressure belt of the northern hemisphere. Generally, these winds carry very little moisture as they originate and blow over land. Therefore, they bring little or no rain. Hence, India should have been an arid land, but, it is not so. During winter, there is a high-pressure area north of the Himalayas. Cold dry winds blow from this region to the low-pressure areas over the oceans to the south. In summer, a low-pressure area develops over interior Asia as well as over northwestern India. This causes a complete reversal of the direction of winds during summer. These winds blow over the warm oceans, gather moisture and bring widespread rainfall over the mainland of India. The western cyclonic disturbances experienced in the north and north-western parts of the country are brought in by this westerly flow. 

Correct option is B. Pocharam

B. Mudumalai, Etumagaram, Chandraprabha, Keoladeo

The range is maximum in Delhi. It indicates that Delhi has an extreme climate.

The range is minimum in Mumbai due to its proximity to the sea.

The following similarities can be seen in the temperature curves of Delhi and Kolkata:

• The temperature rises from January to March.
• From March till June high temperatures are experienced.
• The temperature drops till July and remain stable in August and September.
• Thereafter the temperatures decreases.

1. Considering the isotherms of Brazil, the average range of temperature of Brazil is 10°C (28°C-18°C).

2. It rains more in the northern and central part of Brazil. E.g., Amazon Valley.

3. The winds are blowing from North East and South East directions.

4. These are permanent trade winds which blow from high pressure belt to the equatorial low pressure belt. Brazil being in the tropical zone, a low pressure area is created and wind start blowing from the ocean to the land.

5. The Escarpment acts as obstruction in the way of the South East Trade Winds coming from the sea.

6. Orographic rainfall will occur because of these winds.

7. The escarpments act as an obstruction to the winds blowing from the sea and cause an orographic type of rainfall in the coastal region. Beyond the Highlands, the effect of these winds gets reduced. As a result, the rainfall is minimal.

1. Identify the rain-shadow area in Brazil. Describe its climatic characteristics.

2. The north-eastern part of the Brazilian highlands is a rain shadow region. Beyond the highlands, the effect of the South East Trade Winds gets reduced and the rainfall is minimal. Also, the temperature here is quite high. This rain shadow region is referred to as the ’Drought Quadrilateral’.

3. The northern part of Brazil has higher temperature.

4. The southern part of Brazil lying below 23 V4°S latitude (Tropic of Capricorn) experiences temperate climate.

5. The winds blowing between 0° to 5° N and S zones move in the vertical direction leading to convectional type of rain. The North East and South East Trade winds are very weak in this region.

6. The Isopleth method has been used to show distribution in this map.

Weather refers to the condition of the atmosphere like, temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity and precipitation over an area at any point of time. Climate refers to the sum total of weather conditions and variations over a large area for a long period of time (more than thirty years).

(b) Western Cyclone

The north plains of India receive winter rainfall ranging between 20 and 50 mm. This rainfall is caused due to the invasion of westerm disturbances (Cyclones). These cyclones originate in West Asia and the Mediterranean Sea. The westerly jet streams steers these cyclones into India during winter. The north west plains get rainfall and the hilly areas get snowfall. In the sameway Tamil Nadu also gets winter rainfall due to retreating monsoon and by the North East monsoon during the winter.

Indian rainfall is irregular and uncertain. 

It will be clear by the given ahead points :

1. Summer monsoon is the rain-bringer in India. The weather in S.W. monsoons is highly variable. It does not rain continuously throughout the period of summer monsoons. There are frequent ‘breaks’ or spells of dry weather, some of them lasting several days. This breaks the continuity of rain by S.W. monsoons.

2. The summer monsoons do not have great amount of moisture to give heavy rainfall. The amount of rainfall is increased by tropical depressions, convectional system, and jet stream. These cyclones are irregular and have a fluctuating pattern. The frequency of these cyclones determines the height of rainy season. The absence of these leads to a dry spell.

3. The number of rainy days sometimes increase and sometimes decrease. Some years, it is heavy rainfall, but some years get light rainfall. The start and end of monsoons is early or late. Some areas get high rainfall some areas remain dry.

1. Wind Vane. A wind vane is an instrument for showing the direction of the wind. A typical wind vane has a pointer in front and fins in back. When the wind is blowing, the wind vane points into the wind. Reading the wind vane is easy. Whichever direction the fin is pointing will indicate where the wind is coming from.

2. Anemometer. An anemometer is a device used for measuring the speed of wind; and is also a common weather station instrument. It consists of four hemispherical cups mounted on horizontal arms, which are mounted on a vertical shaft. The air flow’past the cups in any horizontal direction turns the shaft at a rate that is roughly proportional to the wind speed. So, counting the turns of the shaft over a set time period produced a value proportional to the average wind spreed for a wide range of speeds.

India has “Tropical Monsoon” type of climate.

The word ‘Monsoon’ is derived from Arabic word ‘Mousim’ meaning season.

In summer the western Rajasthan records more’than 55°C of temperature.

The summer or hot weather Season from March to End of May.

The.Malabar Coast of Kerala receives ‘Monsoon outburst’.

Agumbe of Karnataka is called ‘Mawsynram of South India.’