Geography: Climate of India and Major factors affecting Indian Climate

Geography: Climate of India

• A large part of India has tropical monsoon climate
• The South west monsoon controls the agriculture of India, which is the main occupation of the people. 

Season	Duration
Winter	December to February
Summer	March to May
Monsoons or Rainy season	June to September
Retreating monsoons	October and November

 

Major factors affecting Indian Climate

• Northward shifting of the Westerly Jet (north of Himalayas)
• Northward shifting of the ITCZ.
• S-E trade winds from S. hemisphere cross the equator and turn right due to Coriolis force.
• Latitudinal Extent
• Southern Seas
• Northern Mountains
• El – Nino
• La – Nina
• Westerlies in Northern part of India from Mediterranean (in winters)
• Easterlies due to Heating of Tibetan Plateau
• Jet streams

 

Some basic Terms Related to Pre-Monsoon

Mango Showers

• The pre-monsoon showers in the Indian states of Karnataka and Kerala that help in the ripening of mangoes
• Also known as April rains or Summer showers, they are a result of thunderstorms over the Bay of Bengal
• These summer rains normally come in the second half of the month of April
• The showers prevent the mangoes from dropping prematurely from trees and are crucial for the mango cultivators of South India

 

Cherry Blossom

• In Karnataka and associated region, the local thunderstorms are called as cherry blossoms
• Caused due to the meeting of humid sea winds and hot dry local wind
• Pre monsoon Showers which occur in the month of April & May

These showers help in the ripening of coffee plants

 

Kal Baishakhi

• Pre monsoon Showers
• Known as Kal Baisakhi at Bengal & Assam

 

Norwesters

• The shallow cyclonic disturbances that travel to India from Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf
• Cause rainfall in the East India viz. Assam, West Bengal, & Orissa during winter season