The climate plays an important role in affecting the economic pattern, way of life, mode of living, food habits, costumes and even the behavioural responses of the people.
During the winter season, the northern part of India is comparatively warmer than other areas in the same latitude. Thus, this region is also treated as the tropical region. The coastal areas of the India are washed by the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. It gives the whole region a typical tropical monsoon type of climate.
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Factors Affecting the Climate of India:
The climate of a region includes the study of temperature, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, the direction and velocity of winds over a long period of time. These elements of climate are directly and indirectly controlled and influenced by a number of factors. Some of them are as under.
1. The Himalaya Mountain Ranges:
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The high wall of the Himalaya mountain ranges along with its eastern and western off-shoots act as an effective climatic barrier. They protect India from the extremely cold winds which originate near the Arctic Circle and blow over Central Asia. These cold winds blow during the winter season.
During the summer season, the Himalaya mountain ranges check the moisture laden monsoon winds and helps in bringing plenty of rainfall in India. If there were no Himalaya mountain ranges, the climate of India would become hot and dry during the summer season and cold and dry during the winter season. Thus, the Himalaya mountain ranges have helped in developing a typical tropical monsoon type of climate in India.
2. Influence of the Water Bodies:
The water bodies surrounding India, i.e. The Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, exert moderating influence on the climatic conditions. These water bodies provide much needed moisture to the summer monsoons, which provide heavy rainfall. Moreover, the climate of the coastal areas is also modified by the influence of these water bodies.
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The places which are in the interior experience continental climate, as they are far away from the moderating influence of the water bodies. Thus, such places experience very hot summer and cold dry winters. In contrast the coastal areas enjoy almost the same type of climatic conditions throughout the years.
3. Impact of Prevailing Winds:
The monsoons are the prevailing winds over the whole of India. These winds are a unique feature of the climate of India. During the summer season, the monsoon wind covers the entire India and brings rainfall to practically every part of the country.
4. Latitudinal Extent:
The latitudinal extent (from about 8 °N to 37 °N) is an important factor which influences the climatic conditions of this region. The southern half of India lies in the tropical belt close to the Equator, and is surrounded by water bodies.
The northern half which is above the Tropic of Cancer lies in the temperate belt. This part is not only away from the Equator, but also away from the moderating influence of the water bodies. These two parts of India enjoy different climatic conditions due to their location and latitudinal extent.
5. Altitude of the Place:
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The temperature decreases with increase in height. For every 1000 metres of ascent, there is a drop of about 6 °C in temperature. Due to this reason, the places in the mountains are cooler than in the plains. Thus, the hill stations, such as Srinagar, Shimla, Mussoorie, Naini Tal, Darjiling, etc. remain cold almost throughout the year. Thus the towns and cities in the plains experience warm climate in comparison to hill stations.
6. Upper Air Circulation:
Higher up in the lower troposphere, about 3 to 5 km, above the sub-tropical high pressure belt, a different pattern of air circulation is observed. During the winter season, the western and central Asia remains under the influence of Westerly winds at an altitude of about 10 to 14 km. These winds blow from west to east, (across the Asian continent) north of the Himalaya mountain ranges and roughly parallel to the Tibetan Highlands. These are known as the Jet Streams.
The Himalayas act as a barrier in their path and the jet stream is divided into easterly and westerly jet streams. The westerly jet stream is responsible for developing western disturbances in the north-west India. These disturbances bring rainfall in the winter seasons.
The easterly jet stream blowing over northern India is responsible for developing tropical cyclones over India and Bangladesh. This depression caused by the upper air circulation has a great impact on the climatic conditions of India.
Presence of Relief Features The relief features of India affect the temperature, air pressure, direction and speed of wind and the amount and distribution of rainfall. The windward side of Western Ghats and Assam receive heavy rainfall during the summer months, whereas the southern plateaus remains dry or get less rainfall due to its leeward situation along the Western Ghats.