Factors Determining Climate of India – Indian Geography Notes

The climate of India is determined by several factors, including:

1. Latitude: India’s location near the equator results in a tropical climate, with warm temperatures throughout the year.
2. Altitude: India’s diverse topography, including high-altitude regions in the north, can result in varying climates.
3. Monsoons: India experiences two monsoons each year, the southwest monsoon from June to September, and the northeast monsoon from October to December. The monsoons bring rainfall to different parts of the country, affecting the local climate.
4. Ocean currents: The Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal have a significant impact on the climate, especially along the coastal regions.
5. Wind patterns: Prevailing winds can bring moisture and affect temperature and rainfall patterns in different parts of the country.
6. Topography: The varied terrain of India, including mountains, plains, and coastal areas, can also impact the local climate.

These factors interact to create India’s diverse climate, which ranges from the tropical climate of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the temperate climate of the Himalayan regions.

The factors related to location and relief in India are:

1. India is divided into two parts by the Tropic of Cancer – northern part lies in sub-tropical and temperate zone while the southern part is in the tropical zone.
2. The tropical zone near the equator has high temperatures throughout the year.
3. The Himalayan Mountains act as a barrier to protect the country from cold winds and also force the monsoon winds to drop their moisture.
4. The different heating and cooling of land and sea creates different air pressures in different seasons.
5. Coastal areas have an equable climate, while interior areas have extreme climates.
6. Places in the mountains are cooler due to thin air and lower temperature.
7. The relief of India affects temperature, wind, and rainfall.
8. The windward side of Western Ghats and Assam receive high rainfall, while the southern plateau is dry.

The factors related to air pressure and wind are:

1. Distribution of air pressure and winds on the earth’s surface.
2. Upper air circulation that affects global weather due to various factors.
3. The inflow of western cyclones (disturbances in winter) and tropical depressions (during the monsoon) that bring rainfall to India.

These three factors can be explained separately for the winter and summer seasons.

The Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Temperature & Pressure:

1. The winter months’ surface pressure and winds in Central and Western Asia are affected by the distribution of pressure in the region.
2. A high-pressure center develops north of the Himalayas during winter, leading to a flow of air from the north to the Indian subcontinent.
3. The winds blowing from the high-pressure center in Central Asia reach India as a dry continental air mass.
4. When these continental winds interact with trade winds over northwestern India, a different pattern of air circulation is observed higher up, about three km above the earth’s surface.
5. Western and Central Asia are under the influence of westerly winds at an altitude of 9-13 km from west to east.
6. These winds, known as jet streams, blow across the Asian continent parallel to the Tibetan highlands.
7. The Tibetan highlands act as a barrier to the jet streams, causing them to get bifurcated.
8. Western Cyclonic Disturbances and Tropical Cyclones enter the Indian subcontinent during the winter months, originating over the Mediterranean Sea and brought in by the westerly jet stream.

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