Climate of India

India experiences a variety of climates ranging from tropical in the south to temperate and alpine
in the Himalayan north. The elevated areas receive sustained snowfall during winters. The
Himalayas and the Thar Desert strongly influence the climate of the country. The Himalayas work
as a barrier to the frigid katabatic winds, which blow down from Central Asia. The Tropic of
Cancer passes through the middle of the country, and this makes its climate more tropical. India
is a big tropical country and is famous for its diverse climatic features.

Different Types of Climatic Regions

The climates of India are mainly divided into four different groups. The classification of these
groups is based on the Koppen climate classification system.

1. Tropical Wet (Humid): The tropical wet (humid) climate group in India is divided into two
subparts - tropical monsoon climate or the tropical wet climate, and tropical wet and dry
climate or savannah climate. The Western Ghats, the Malabar Coast, southern Assam,
Lakshadweep and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands have the tropical monsoon climate.
It experiences moderate to high temperature with seasonal but heavy rainfall. The
months from May to November experience the most rainfall and the rain received during
this period is sufficient for vegetation throughout the year. Tropical wet and dry climate or
the savannah climate is most common in the country. It prevails mainly in the inland
peninsular region of the country except for some portion of the Western Ghats. The
summers are scorching and the rainy season extends from June to September.

1.
Tropical Dry: The tropical dry climate group is divided into three subdivisions (a) tropical
semi-arid (steppe) climate, (b) sub-tropical arid (desert) climate and (c) sub-tropical semi-
arid (steppe) climate. Karnataka, central Maharashtra, some parts of Tamil Nadu and
Andhra Pradesh experience the tropical semi-arid (steppe) climate. Rainfall is very
unreliable in this type of climate, and the hot and dry summers are experienced from
March to May. With scanty and erratic rainfall and extreme summers, western Rajasthan
witnesses the sub-tropical arid (desert) climate. The areas of the tropical desert that runs
from the regions of Punjab and Haryana to Kathiawar witness the sub-tropical semi-arid
(steppe) climate. The maximum temperature in summers goes up to 40°C, and the rains
are unreliable and generally take place during summer monsoon season in this climate.

2. Sub-tropical Humid Climate: This climate is witnessed by most of the North and

Northeast India. Summers are scorching, while in winters, the temperature can plunge to
as low as 0°C. Rainfall mainly occurs in summers, but snowfall or occasional rain in
winters is also witnessed in some areas. The hottest months are May, and June and frost
also occur for few months in winters.

3. Mountain Climate: The temperature falls by 0.6°C for every 100 m rise in altitude in the
Himalayas and results in several different climates from tropical to tundra. The trans-
Himalayan belt, which is the northern side of the western Himalayas, is cold, arid and
windswept. There is less rain on the leeward side of the mountains whereas the well-
exposed slopes receive heavy rainfall. Heaviest snowfall occurs between December to
February.

Seasons of India
India generally witnesses four types of seasons. During these seasons, substantial variations in
temperature take place in the country. The different types of seasons experienced in India are as
follows:

1. Winter: Generally, the months of January and February are considered as the start of
the winter season in the country. However, in some parts of north-western India, the
season begins from December. Generally, the average temperature during this season is
about 10-15°C in northwest regions. In the southeast region of mainland India, the
average temperature is about 20-25°C. The western Himalayas, the extreme north-
eastern parts and Kerala and Tamil Nadu, experience rains during this season.

2. Summer/Pre-monsoon/Thunderstorm/Hot Weather:The country experiences this

season from March till June. In the interior peninsular regions, the mean daily
temperature is recorded at 30-35°C. The maximum temperature in the daytime in Central
India crosses 40°C in many areas. In some regions, the temperature is high during
daytime while in the nights, low temperature is recorded. The coastal areas of the country
have mild temperature during this season due to the influence of land and sea breezes.
Thunderstorms with rains and hail influence the weather in the land areas of the country.
These thunderstorms are seen in the north-eastern and eastern parts of Bihar, Assam
and West Bengal. In the plains of northwest India, hot and dry winds, along with dust
winds, are frequently experienced.

3. Rainy/South-west Monsoon (WS Monsoon): The months from July to September are

the most significant. The monsoon torrents supply about 75% of the total rainfall of the
country during this season. The exact period of the SW monsoon in a region depends
upon the onset and withdrawal time of the season. For instance, it remains in west
Rajasthan for about 75 days while it stays for 120 days in the south-western regions of
the country. The SW monsoon reaches in two branches: the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
Bengal branch. The Arabian Sea branch extends towards the low-pressure area over the
Thar Desert and is about three times stronger than the Bay of Bengal branch. The
northern hemispheric temperatures, El Nino, snow cover, sea surface temperature and
many others are some of the local and global phenomena which influence the monsoons
in the country. The SW starts to weaken by September 1 in Rajasthan and from
September 15 in some north-western parts of the country. The monsoons in India are
very important for the economy of the country as it affects agriculture which is the
mainstay of a massive workforce of the nation.

4. Autumn/Post Monsoon/Northeast Monsoon/Retreating SW Monsoon: This season

prevails in the country from October to December. It is a transition season which is
related to the establishment of the north-easterly wind regime over the subcontinent of
the country. A large part of the country experiences cool, dry, and dense Central Asian
air masses. Some parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh receive
about 35% of their total rainfall during this season. A decline in the mean temperature
from 38°C in October to 28°C in November takes place during this season. The
characteristic features of this season include a decrease in humidity level and clear skies
in most parts of the central and northern India.

Factors Affecting India's Climate

There are certain factors which affect the climate of India:

1. Latitude: The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of India and extends from
Mizoram in the east and Rann of Kutch in the west; and considerably affects the climate
of the country. To the south of the Tropic of Cancer lies the southern part of the country
which belongs to the tropical area and its north lies the northern half of India which
belongs to the sub-tropical zone. Therefore, India experiences both sub-tropical and
tropical climates.

2. Altitude: In the north, India is bounded by mountains with an average height of 6,000
metres and in the south, has a vast coastline with a maximum elevation of about 30
metres. The Himalayas act as a barrier against the cold winds from Central Asia.
Therefore, due to the altitude of these mountains, the Indian subcontinent experiences
milder winters than Central Asia.

3. Monsoon Winds:The 'monsoon winds' is the most dominating factor influencing the
climate of India. It is often called the monsoon climate. A reversal in the monsoon winds
can bring a change in the season of the country, for instance, the extreme summer
season suddenly changing to the rainy or monsoon season. The entire country receives
rainfall due to the south-west summer monsoons from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian
Sea.

4. Western Disturbances and Tropical Cyclones:Large parts of peninsular India get

influenced by the tropical cyclones which originate in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
Bengal. Most of the cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal and influence the climatic
conditions at the time of the south-west monsoon season. The western disturbances
originate over the Mediterranean Sea and influence the weather conditions in the
Western Himalayan region.

Climate Related Calamities

Climate-related calamities are a significant cause of loss to life and property. Some of the natural
disasters that have been experienced in the country are as follows:

1. Landslides and Floods: Floods are the most common natural disaster in India and are
caused due to the inadequate capacity of the river banks to carry high flows which are
brought down from the upper catchment because of the heavy rains. Almost the entire
country is flood-prone, and the precipitation events like torrential rains and flash floods
have become common in central India in the last few decades. But, the regions located in
the Indo-Gangetic plains and northeast India are more prone to floods. Erratic, excess or
untimely monsoon rains can kill thousands of people and also harm the agriculture of the
country.
 2. Droughts: Drought is a situation which arises due to the scarcity of water. In India,
agriculture depends on the rains or the monsoon season as a source of water. But, the
shortage or failure of water supply results in the below-average crop yields. Climatic
factors such as high wind, high temperature and low humidity also add to the severity of
drought in India. Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Odisha, some parts of
Maharashtra and Karnataka are some of the drought-prone areas in the country. India
has witnessed many famines such as Bengal famine of 1770, 1876-77, 1899 and 1943,
which took lives of millions of people.

3. Tropical Cyclones: These are the most devastating natural disasters which result in a
massive loss of life and property. In India, the lives of the coastal habitats are profoundly
affected by the cyclones. The areas near the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean are the
most cyclone-prone regions of the country. Coastal areas of Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil
Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are more exposed to cyclones. During the time of cyclone,
heavy rains, winds with high speed and storm surge are also experienced which also
affect the lives of the people as it becomes difficult for them to get relief and supplies
during this phenomenon. A super cyclone, Cyclone 05B that struck Odisha on October
29, 1999, is considered to be the deadliest cyclone in the country in the past few
decades. It was deemed to be equivalent to Category 5 hurricane.

Climatic regions in India

The various climatic regions of India are given below:

Name of climatic region States or territories

Tropical Rainforest Assam and parts of the Sahyadri Mountain Range

Tropical Savannah Sahyadri Mountain Range and parts of Maharashtra

Tropical and subtropical steppe Parts of Punjab and Gujarat

Tropical Desert Most parts of Rajasthan

Moist subtropical with winter Parts of Punjab, Assam, and Rajasthan

Mountain climate Parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttaranchal

Drought Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Haryana

Tropical semi-arid steppe Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and other parts of South India

Characteristics of rainfall in India

 Type of Rainfall Areas

Areas of very little

Western Rajasthan , northern part of Kashmir, the Deccan Plateau and
rainfall (lower than 50
Punjab.
cm):

Areas of low
Eastern Rajasthan, Upper Ganga basin, Southern plains
precipitation (50-100
of Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
cm):

Areas of comparatively Southern areas of Gujarat, north-eastern Peninsular region, east Tamil
heavy rainfall (100-200 Nadu, eastern Maharashtra, Western Ghats, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, and
cm): the central Gangetic basin.

The western seashores, the Western Ghats, Hills of Meghalaya, and the
Areas of heavy rainfall
Sub-Himalayan range territories in North East. West Bengal, Assam,
(more than 200 cm):
Western Coast, and southern part of east Himalayas.

Where to visit in India during the various seasons

Though the summer can be quite rough and difficult in majority of the areas in the
Where to visit in country, it's the ideal occasion to visit the hill stations and mountains in the
India during the country like Nainital and Manali. If you are a wildlife enthusiast, the summer is also
Summer: the ideal occasion to go to the national parks in India as the creatures become
visible and they look for water in the warmth.

Where to visit in It's hard to take a trip to India at the time of the rainy season since it causes
India during the disturbances in traffic. Nonetheless, the monsoon is the ideal occasion to see the
Monsoon: famous yet secluded Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir in northern India.

The winter season is the ideal occasion to visit the seashores in India. The pristine
and sandy beaches in Goa are the most popular tourist draws during this period.
Where to visit in
The southern parts of India witness more visitors than the northern parts of India
India during the
during this period. The beaches in Kerala are also good places to visit during this
Winter:
time. The months of December to February are excellent times to make a trip to
South India. You can also go to Rajasthan to view its deserts in the winter months.