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English · हिन्दी · తెలుగు · தமிழ் · മലയാളം · मराठी · ಕನ್ನಡ

Quick recap: the climate of India on one page

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿವರಣೆ

Climate of India · Quick recap · Fact-checked on · how we check

Written with AI from the sources listed at the bottom of this page, then fact-checked by a separate AI.

All three parts condensed for quick revision: how the monsoon works; the four seasons, local storms and cyclones; and rainfall, its variability, climatic regions and IMD's forecasts.

Each idea is explained first in Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ), ending with the English and Hindi exam terms, followed by the same point in exam English. UPSC Prelims is in English or Hindi, so understand it in Kannada and revise it in English.

ನಮ್ಮ ವಾಯುಗುಣ ಉಷ್ಣವಲಯದ ಮಾನ್ಸೂನ್ ಪ್ರಕಾರದ್ದು: ಚಳಿಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ನೆಲದಿಂದ ಸಮುದ್ರಕ್ಕೆ, ಬೇಸಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಮುದ್ರದಿಂದ ನೆಲಕ್ಕೆ ಗಾಳಿ ದಿಕ್ಕು ಬದಲಿಸುತ್ತದೆ — ಅದೇ ಮಳೆ ಯಾವಾಗ, ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಎಂದು ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಅಕ್ಷಾಂಶ, ಹಿಮಾಲಯ, ಸಮುದ್ರದಿಂದ ದೂರ, ಭೂಸ್ವರೂಪ ಇದನ್ನು ರೂಪಿಸುತ್ತವೆ. ಹಿಮಾಲಯ ಮನೆಯ ಕಾಂಪೌಂಡ್ ಗೋಡೆಯಂತೆ ತಣ್ಣನೆಯ ಗಾಳಿ ತಡೆದು, ಬೇಸಿಗೆಯ ತೇವದ ಗಾಳಿಯನ್ನು ಒಳಗೇ ಇಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಮೂರು ಭಾಗಗಳು: ಯಂತ್ರ, ನಾಲ್ಕು ಋತುಗಳು, ಮಳೆಯ ಮಾದರಿ–ಮುನ್ಸೂಚನೆ. (→ English: monsoon; tropical monsoon climate · हिन्दी: मानसून; उष्णकटिबंधीय मानसूनी जलवायु)

In exam EnglishIndia has a tropical monsoon climate: a seasonal reversal of winds, from land to sea in winter and from sea to land in summer, decides when and where the country gets its rain. Latitude, the Himalaya, distance from the sea and relief shape it. The Himalaya keep out Central Asian cold in winter and hold the moist winds in during summer, which is why South Asia behaves as one climatic unit. The chapter moves in three steps: how the monsoon works (Part 1), the four seasons it creates (Part 2), and the resulting pattern of rainfall, its reliability and its forecasting (Part 3).

ಭಾಗ 1: ಚಳಿಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಯವ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಧಿಕ ಒತ್ತಡ, ಒಣ ಗಾಳಿ, ಹಿಮಾಲಯದ ದಕ್ಷಿಣಕ್ಕೆ ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಜೆಟ್. ಬೇಸಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಯವ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಒತ್ತಡ; ಅಂತರ ಉಷ್ಣವಲಯ ಸಂಗಮ ವಲಯ ಉತ್ತರಕ್ಕೆ ಸರಿದು ಗಂಗಾ ಬಯಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ತಗ್ಗಾಗಿ; ಆಗ್ನೇಯ ವಾಣಿಜ್ಯ ಮಾರುತಗಳು ಸಮಭಾಜಕ ದಾಟಿ ನೈಋತ್ಯ ಗಾಳಿಯಾಗಿ. ಮೇಲೆ ಜೆಟ್ ಪ್ರವಾಹ ಹಿಮಾಲಯದ ಉತ್ತರಕ್ಕೆ, 15° ಬಳಿ ಪೂರ್ವ ಜೆಟ್, ಕಾದ ಟಿಬೆಟ್. ಕೇರಳಕ್ಕೆ ಜೂನ್ 1, ಇಡೀ ದೇಶಕ್ಕೆ ಜುಲೈ 8; ತಗ್ಗು ತಪ್ಪಲಿಗೆ ಸರಿದರೆ ಬಿಡುವು; ಎಲ್ ನಿನೊ ದುರ್ಬಲಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತದೆ; ಸೆಪ್ಟೆಂಬರ್ 17ರಿಂದ ಅಕ್ಟೋಬರ್ 15ರವರೆಗೆ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗುವಿಕೆ. (→ English: Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone; jet stream; monsoon onset · हिन्दी: अंतःउष्णकटिबंधीय अभिसरण क्षेत्र; जेट धारा; मानसून का आगमन)

In exam EnglishPart 1, how the monsoon works: in winter, high pressure over north-west India sends dry winds off the land while the westerly jet flows south of the Himalaya. In summer a strong low forms over the north-west, the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone is pulled north into the monsoon trough over the Ganga plain, and the south-east trades cross the equator and are turned into south-westerlies by the Coriolis force, helped by the Somali jet. Aloft, the westerly jet stream shifts north of the Himalaya, a tropical easterly jet appears near 15°N, and the heated Tibetan plateau strengthens the circulation. The monsoon reaches Kerala about 1 June and covers India by about 8 July (2020 normal dates); breaks come when the trough moves to the foothills; El Niño tends to weaken it and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole to help; withdrawal runs from about 17 September to 15 October.

ಭಾಗ 2: ಚಳಿಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಉತ್ತರದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಿಮ, ಮಂಜು, ಶೀತ ಅಲೆ; ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಪ್ರಕ್ಷುಬ್ಧತೆ ಗೋಧಿಯಂತಹ ರಬಿ ಬೆಳೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಮಳೆ, ಹಿಮ ಕೊಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಬೇಸಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಸಿಯ ಪಟ್ಟಿ ಡೆಕ್ಕನ್‌ನಿಂದ ವಾಯವ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ; ಬಿಸಿಗಾಳಿ, ಧೂಳಿನ ಬಿರುಗಾಳಿ; ಸಮಾಧಾನವಾಗಿ ಬಂಗಾಳ–ಅಸ್ಸಾಂ–ಒಡಿಶಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಲಬೈಶಾಖಿ, ಕೇರಳ–ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಕರಾವಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾವಿನ ಮಳೆ, ಕಾಫಿ ತೋಟಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಹೂಮಳೆ. ನೈಋತ್ಯ ಋತುವಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಅರಬ್ಬಿ ಶಾಖೆ ಘಟ್ಟಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಪರ್ವತ ಮಳೆ, ಡೆಕ್ಕನ್ ಮಳೆನೆರಳಿನಲ್ಲಿ; ಕೊಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಖೆ ಮೇಘಾಲಯವನ್ನು ತೋಯಿಸಿ ಕೋಲ್ಕತ್ತಾದಿಂದ ದೆಹಲಿಯತ್ತ ದುರ್ಬಲವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. (→ English: western disturbance; kalbaisakhi (nor'wester); orographic rainfall · हिन्दी: पश्चिमी विक्षोभ; काल बैसाखी; पर्वतीय वर्षा)

In exam EnglishPart 2, the seasons: the cold season (December to February) brings frost, fog and cold waves to the north, while each western disturbance, steered from the Mediterranean region by the westerly jet, gives rain and snow valuable for rabi crops. The hot season (March to May) moves the heat belt from the Deccan to the north-west and brings the loo and dust storms; local storms give relief: kalbaisakhi (nor'wester) in West Bengal, Assam and Odisha ('bardoli chheerha' in Assam), mango showers on the Kerala and Karnataka coasts and blossom showers in the coffee areas. In the south-west monsoon season (June to September) the Arabian Sea branch drops orographic rain on the Western Ghats and leaves the Deccan in rain shadow; the Bay of Bengal branch drenches Meghalaya and then weakens westward along the Ganga plain, from Kolkata to Delhi.

ಜೂನ್–ಸೆಪ್ಟೆಂಬರ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ತಮಿಳುನಾಡು ಕರಾವಳಿ ಸುಮಾರು ಒಣ — ಘಟ್ಟಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ, ಕೊಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಖೆಗೆ ಸಮಾನಾಂತರ. ಹಿಂದಿರುಗುವ ಮಾನ್ಸೂನ್ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಒತ್ತಡ ಕೊಲ್ಲಿಗೆ; ಉತ್ತರದಲ್ಲಿ 'ಅಕ್ಟೋಬರ್ ಬಿಸಿ'; ಅಕ್ಟೋಬರ್–ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ ಈಶಾನ್ಯ ಮಳೆಯೇ ಕೋರಮಂಡಲ ಕರಾವಳಿಯ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಮಳೆ. ಉಷ್ಣವಲಯದ ಚಂಡಮಾರುತ ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್–ಮೇ ಅಥವಾ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿ ಅಕ್ಟೋಬರ್–ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ; ಕೊಲ್ಲಿಯಲ್ಲೇ ಹೆಚ್ಚು; ಅಲೆಯೇರಿಕೆಯೇ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಹಾನಿ; ದೆಹಲಿಯ IMD ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಹೆಸರಿಡುತ್ತದೆ. (→ English: retreating monsoon; north-east monsoon; tropical cyclone · हिन्दी: लौटता मानसून; उत्तर-पूर्व मानसून; उष्णकटिबंधीय चक्रवात)

In exam EnglishThe Tamil Nadu coast stays fairly dry from June to September, being on the leeward side of the Ghats and parallel to the Bay branch. In the retreating monsoon season (October and November) the low moves to the Bay of Bengal, north India feels 'October heat', and the north-east monsoon brings the Coromandel coast its main rain from October to December. A tropical cyclone can strike in April–May or, more often, October–December; the Bay of Bengal has far more than the Arabian Sea, storm surge does most of the damage, and IMD's Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre in New Delhi names the cyclones of the north Indian Ocean.
Climate of India at a glance
SeasonMonthsKey features
Cold weatherDecember–FebruaryHigh pressure in the north-west, dry offshore winds; western disturbances bring rain and snow; fog, frost, cold waves
Hot weatherMarch–MayHeat low from the Thar; loo and dust storms; kalbaisakhi, mango and blossom showers
South-west monsoonJune–SeptemberOnset in Kerala about 1 June; Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal branches; rain shadow in the Deccan; dry Tamil Nadu coast
Retreating monsoonOctober–NovemberOctober heat in the north; north-east monsoon on the Coromandel coast (to December); main cyclone season

ಭಾಗ 3: 200 ಸೆಂ.ಮೀ.ಗಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಕರಾವಳಿ–ಘಟ್ಟ, ಮೇಘಾಲಯ–ಈಶಾನ್ಯ, ಪೂರ್ವ ಹಿಮಾಲಯದ ತಪ್ಪಲು; 50ಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ರಾಜಸ್ಥಾನ, ಕಚ್, ಲಡಾಖ್. ವ್ಯತ್ಯಯ ಗುಣಾಂಕ ತೇವದ ಕಡೆ ಕಡಿಮೆ, ಒಣ ಕಡೆ 50%ಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚು. 25%ಕ್ಕೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಕೊರತೆ = ಹವಾಮಾನ ಬರ. ಬಯಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಸಿ ಅಲೆ 40°C + 4.5°C ಅಥವಾ 45°C; ಮೇಘಸ್ಫೋಟ ಗಂಟೆಗೆ 100 ಮಿ.ಮೀ. ಕೊಪೆನ್: ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಕರಾವಳಿ Amw, ಕೋರಮಂಡಲ As, ಪರ್ಯಾಯದ್ವೀಪ Aw. ದೀರ್ಘಾವಧಿ ಸರಾಸರಿ ಸುಮಾರು 87 ಸೆಂ.ಮೀ.; ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ 96–104%, ಕೊರತೆ 90ಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಕೆಳಗೆ, ಹೆಚ್ಚುವರಿ 110ಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಮೇಲೆ; ಮೊದಲ ಮುನ್ಸೂಚನೆ ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್ ಮಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ. (→ English: long period average (LPA); coefficient of variation · हिन्दी: दीर्घावधि औसत; विचरण गुणांक)

In exam EnglishPart 3, rainfall and forecasting: over 200 cm falls on the west coast and Western Ghats, in Meghalaya and the north-east and along the eastern sub-Himalaya; under 50 cm in western Rajasthan, Kachchh and Ladakh. The coefficient of variation is lowest where rain is heaviest and above 50 per cent in the driest areas. IMD calls a shortfall of more than 25 per cent a meteorological drought. On the plains a heat wave means at least 40°C and 4.5°C above normal, or 45°C; a cloudburst is about 100 mm or more in an hour over a small area. In Köppen's scheme the west coast is Amw, the Coromandel coast As and most of the Peninsula Aw. IMD (1875) forecasts the season against the long period average (LPA) of about 87 cm (1971–2020): normal is 96–104 per cent, deficient below 90 and excess above 110; the first forecast comes in mid-April.

Exam traps

Recap

Practice questions

Q1. Consider the following statements about the jet streams over India:
1. In winter the subtropical westerly jet flows south of the Himalaya.
2. The tropical easterly jet is present over the Peninsula throughout the winter.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer

Answer: A. 1 only

Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: the tropical easterly jet appears only in the monsoon months. So '2 only' and 'both' are wrong, and 'neither' is wrong because statement 1 is true.

Q2. Under the normal dates revised by IMD in 2020, the south-west monsoon covers the whole of India by about:

  1. 1 June
  2. 15 June
  3. 8 July
  4. 15 July
Show answer

Answer: C. 8 July

The revised normal date is about 8 July. 1 June is the onset over Kerala; 15 June is not a normal date for covering the country; 15 July was the old date before the 2020 revision.

Q3. The winter rainfall of Punjab and Haryana, useful for the wheat crop, is caused mainly by:

  1. The retreating south-west monsoon
  2. Western disturbances
  3. North-east trade winds from the Bay of Bengal
  4. Kalbaisakhi storms
Show answer

Answer: B. Western disturbances

Western disturbances from the Mediterranean region, steered by the westerly jet, bring this winter rain. The retreating monsoon gives rain mainly to the south-east coast; north-east winds over the Bay give winter rain to Tamil Nadu; kalbaisakhi are hot-season storms of eastern India.

Q4. Match List I with List II:
List I (Local storm or shower) — List II (Region)
A. Kalbaisakhi — 1. Coffee areas of Karnataka
B. Mango showers — 2. West Bengal
C. Blossom showers — 3. Kerala coast
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. A-2, B-3, C-1
  2. A-3, B-2, C-1
  3. A-2, B-1, C-3
  4. A-1, B-3, C-2
Show answer

Answer: A. A-2, B-3, C-1

Kalbaisakhi strikes West Bengal (A-2), mango showers fall on the Kerala coast (B-3) and blossom showers make coffee flower in Karnataka (C-1). Option (b) swaps kalbaisakhi and mango showers; (c) swaps the two kinds of shower; (d) puts kalbaisakhi in the coffee areas.

Q5. Which one of the following best explains why the Coromandel coast receives its main rainfall between October and December?

  1. Western disturbances reach the far south in these months
  2. North-easterly winds pick up moisture over the Bay of Bengal, aided by depressions and cyclones
  3. The Arabian Sea branch crosses the Western Ghats at full strength
  4. The ITCZ moves north over the Ganga plain
Show answer

Answer: B. North-easterly winds pick up moisture over the Bay of Bengal, aided by depressions and cyclones

The north-east monsoon winds gather moisture over the Bay and, with depressions and cyclones, bring rain to Tamil Nadu. Western disturbances affect the north-west; the Arabian Sea branch is a June–September feature and leaves this coast in rain shadow; the ITCZ is over the Ganga plain in July, not in October–December.

Q6. Consider the following statements about tropical cyclones affecting India:
1. The main cyclone season is October to December.
2. The Arabian Sea produces more cyclones than the Bay of Bengal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer

Answer: A. 1 only

Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: the Bay of Bengal produces far more cyclones. So '2 only' and 'both' are wrong, and 'neither' is wrong because statement 1 is true.

Q7. Which one of the following regions has both low annual rainfall and the least reliable rainfall in India?

  1. Western Rajasthan
  2. Meghalaya
  3. Konkan coast
  4. Lower Ganga plain
Show answer

Answer: A. Western Rajasthan

Western Rajasthan gets under 50 cm and has a coefficient of variation above 50 per cent. Meghalaya, the Konkan coast and the lower Ganga plain all receive heavy rain with low variability.

Q8. IMD classifies a south-west monsoon season as 'normal' when all-India rainfall is:

  1. 90 to 110 per cent of the LPA
  2. 96 to 104 per cent of the LPA
  3. 100 per cent of the LPA exactly
  4. Above 110 per cent of the LPA
Show answer

Answer: B. 96 to 104 per cent of the LPA

Normal is 96–104 per cent of the LPA. 90–110 per cent mixes in the below-normal and above-normal bands; an exact 100 per cent is too narrow to be a category; above 110 per cent is 'excess'.

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