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| The climate of India |
| India can be mainly divided into four climatic zones, namely Alpine, Subtropical, Tropical and Arid. Alpine Zone This climate zone can be experienced in the high altitudes of the Himalayas. In this region there are high climatic fluctuations due to steep altitude variations. Different types of climatic zones can be seen in this region. In the foothills there is a subtropical climate, wheras Alpine and Tundra Zones greet you at higher altitudes. Sub Tropical This zone is prevalent in most of the northern part of India, in fact it could be called the typical Indian climate. Summers are hot and wet while in winter temperatures may drop down to freezing point in higher ranges. Rainfall is common in summer season whereas winters are cold and dry. Tropical Tropical can be divided into two sub types, Tropical Wet Monsoon and Tropical Dry. The characteristics of Tropical Wet Monsoon include average temperatures, which normally do not fall below 18 ºC, accompanied by average to high rainfall. In theTropical Dry type rainfall is not so common. Arid High temperature and low rainfall are marked features of this climatic zone. It is prevalent in western part of the country and includes large part of Rajasthan. The temperature in this zone may shoot up to as high as 50 ºC in summer. Cycle of Seasons Though divided into different climatic zones, India seems to be unified by primarily four seasons - Winter, Summer, Advancing Monsoon and Retreating Monsoon. Winter December to February is the wintertime in almost all of India. At this time of the year days are cold with average temperature of 10-15 ºC but it can drop down to below 0 ºC in some higher ranges of northern India. Normally winters are dry in northern India. In the Southern part,the temperature difference is not so marked due to the moderating effect of the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. Summer March, April, May and June are the summer months in India. It is a time period when the rays of sun fall vertically on the Indian subcontinent. The average temperature is around 32 but in western regions the maximum temperature can be far above average. Hot wind, known as 'Loo', is the marked feature of summers in northern India. Advancing Monsoon This is the time period when India gets the major part of its rain. The months of June, July, August and September form the core of the Advancing Monsoon in almost all parts of country. The monsoon approaches with moisture laden winds, this sudden approach is marked with violent thunderstorms and lightening, known as the 'break' of the monsoon. Retreating Monsoon This season starts when the monsoon, after drenching the whole of India, begins to retreat. With the month of September, rainfall began to decrease and as we approach November, the monsoon is completely gone from most of India, except for Tamil Nadu and some other southern states, which also receive rain from the Western Disturbance. In recent times this cycle of seasons has been disturbed due to uncontrolled industrialization and other developmental activities resulting in drastic changes in climate. This has lead to climatic disasters such as Drought, Landslides, Floods and Global Warming. The unchecked cutting down of trees indirectly leads to landslide and drought. Annual Floods have become part of life in many regions of India and result in large-scale loss of life and property. The phenomenon of Global Warming is mainly the result of air pollution. The polluting industries and vehicles running endlessly on the roads emit hazardous gases such as Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Methane etc. These gases produce the 'Green House' effect, which leads to Global Warming. It may lead to very serious climatic changes. The increase in the average temperature of the earth will result in the melting down of the polar ice and glaciers, which in turn will lead to increased ocean level. This rising oceans level may submerge many of today's existing islands and coastal cities. |
