1. Weather vs Climate
Weather – condition of the atmosphere at a particular place and time
(e.g., today it is hot / rainy / cloudy).
Climate – average weather condition of a place over a long period (usually 30 years or more).
Climate – average weather condition of a place over a long period (usually 30 years or more).
हिंदी:
Weather = आज कैसा मौसम है? (छोटा समय)
Climate = यहाँ सालों से कैसा मौसम रहता है? (लंबा समय)
2. Main Features of Indian Climate
- Strongly influenced by the monsoon winds.
- Marked seasonal contrast – hot summer, cool winter, rainy season.
- Great variation from place to place – very wet in Meghalaya, very dry in Rajasthan.
- India is described as having a “Monsoon type of climate”.
हिंदी: भारत का मौसम = Monsoon type of climate – यह वाक्य सीधा NDA में पूछा जा सकता है।
3. Factors Affecting Climate of India
(1) Latitude
• Tropic of Cancer (23½° N) passes almost through the middle of India. • North of it – more typical continental climate. • South of it – more tropical climate.
(2) Altitude (Height)
• Hill stations like Shimla, Ooty are cooler than nearby plains due to higher altitude.
(3) Distance from Sea
• Coastal areas (Mumbai, Chennai) – moderate climate (not very hot or very cold). • Interior areas (Delhi, Nagpur) – more extreme summers and winters.
(4) Relief / Topography
• Himalayas protect India from cold winds from Central Asia → milder winters in North India. • Himalayas also stop monsoon winds → heavy rainfall on windward slopes.
(5) Monsoon Winds
• South-West Monsoon winds bring most of the rainfall in India (June–Sept). • Direction and strength of winds strongly affect rainfall distribution.
• Tropic of Cancer (23½° N) passes almost through the middle of India. • North of it – more typical continental climate. • South of it – more tropical climate.
(2) Altitude (Height)
• Hill stations like Shimla, Ooty are cooler than nearby plains due to higher altitude.
(3) Distance from Sea
• Coastal areas (Mumbai, Chennai) – moderate climate (not very hot or very cold). • Interior areas (Delhi, Nagpur) – more extreme summers and winters.
(4) Relief / Topography
• Himalayas protect India from cold winds from Central Asia → milder winters in North India. • Himalayas also stop monsoon winds → heavy rainfall on windward slopes.
(5) Monsoon Winds
• South-West Monsoon winds bring most of the rainfall in India (June–Sept). • Direction and strength of winds strongly affect rainfall distribution.
हिंदी Short Points:
Latitude, Altitude, Sea से दूरी, Himalaya, Monsoon – ये पाँच factor याद रखें।
4. Seasons of India (Simple 4-Season Model)
India’s climate can be divided into four main seasons:
- Cold Weather Season – Winter (December to February)
- Hot Weather Season – Summer (March to May)
- South-West Monsoon Season – Rainy (June to September)
- Retreating / North-East Monsoon Season – Post-monsoon (October & November)
हिंदी:
Dec–Feb = ठंड
Mar–May = गर्मी
Jun–Sep = South-West Monsoon (बारिश)
Oct–Nov = Retreating Monsoon / North-East Monsoon
5. Brief Description of Each Season
Cold Weather Season (Dec–Feb)
• Low temperatures, clear sky in most parts of India. • North-West India may get Western Disturbances → winter rain in Punjab, Haryana etc.
Hot Weather Season (Mar–May)
• High temperatures; loo (hot, dry winds) in North-West & North India. • Thunderstorms in some regions; Nor’westers (Kalbaisakhi) in Bengal & Assam.
South-West Monsoon Season (Jun–Sep)
• Onset over Kerala around early June. • Two branches: Arabian Sea branch & Bay of Bengal branch. • Heavy rainfall along the Western Ghats, NE India (Meghalaya, Assam) and parts of Ganga plain.
Retreating / North-East Monsoon Season (Oct–Nov)
• South-West Monsoon withdraws from North India. • North-East Monsoon brings rain to TN coast, parts of Andhra, Odisha. • Cyclones often affect east coast during this period.
• Low temperatures, clear sky in most parts of India. • North-West India may get Western Disturbances → winter rain in Punjab, Haryana etc.
Hot Weather Season (Mar–May)
• High temperatures; loo (hot, dry winds) in North-West & North India. • Thunderstorms in some regions; Nor’westers (Kalbaisakhi) in Bengal & Assam.
South-West Monsoon Season (Jun–Sep)
• Onset over Kerala around early June. • Two branches: Arabian Sea branch & Bay of Bengal branch. • Heavy rainfall along the Western Ghats, NE India (Meghalaya, Assam) and parts of Ganga plain.
Retreating / North-East Monsoon Season (Oct–Nov)
• South-West Monsoon withdraws from North India. • North-East Monsoon brings rain to TN coast, parts of Andhra, Odisha. • Cyclones often affect east coast during this period.
हिंदी Highlight:
• South-West Monsoon → मुख्य बारिश पूरे भारत में
• North-East Monsoon → खासकर Tamil Nadu coast के लिए बहुत महत्वपूर्ण
6. Rainfall Distribution in India (Very Short)
- Very high rainfall (> 200 cm): Western Ghats (west side), North-East India (e.g., Mawsynram, Cherrapunji).
- Moderate rainfall (100–200 cm): Ganga-Brahmaputra plains, eastern coasts.
- Low rainfall (< 50 cm): Rajasthan (Thar Desert), parts of Ladakh & Gujarat.
7. Western Disturbances & Retreating Monsoon (Exam Points)
- Western Disturbances – temperate cyclones from Mediterranean region; bring winter rain to North-West India (Punjab, Haryana, Western UP).
- Retreating Monsoon – withdrawal of South-West monsoon; associated with clear skies, rising temperatures and occasional cyclones in Bay of Bengal.
हिंदी:
Winter में उत्तर-पश्चिम भारत की हल्की बारिश = Western Disturbances की देन।
Oct–Nov की समुद्री आँधियाँ व बारिश (TN coast) = Retreating + North-East Monsoon।
📘 Practice Questions (NDA Style)
1. India has mainly which type of climate?
a) Continental b) Monsoon type c) Tundra d) Desert
2. The Tropic of Cancer passes through:
a) Middle of India b) Only Southern India c) Only Northern border d) Only Western coast
3. The South-West monsoon in India normally begins from:
a) Gujarat coast b) Tamil Nadu coast c) Kerala coast d) Odisha coast
4. Most winter rain in North-West India is caused by:
a) South-West Monsoon b) North-East Monsoon c) Western Disturbances d) Cyclones from Arabian Sea
5. Tamil Nadu coast receives maximum rainfall during:
a) South-West Monsoon (Jun–Sep) b) North-East Monsoon (Oct–Nov) c) Winter d) Hot weather season
a) Continental b) Monsoon type c) Tundra d) Desert
2. The Tropic of Cancer passes through:
a) Middle of India b) Only Southern India c) Only Northern border d) Only Western coast
3. The South-West monsoon in India normally begins from:
a) Gujarat coast b) Tamil Nadu coast c) Kerala coast d) Odisha coast
4. Most winter rain in North-West India is caused by:
a) South-West Monsoon b) North-East Monsoon c) Western Disturbances d) Cyclones from Arabian Sea
5. Tamil Nadu coast receives maximum rainfall during:
a) South-West Monsoon (Jun–Sep) b) North-East Monsoon (Oct–Nov) c) Winter d) Hot weather season
Answers:
1 – b) Monsoon type
2 – a) Middle of India
3 – c) Kerala coast
4 – c) Western Disturbances
5 – b) North-East Monsoon (Oct–Nov)
1 – b) Monsoon type
2 – a) Middle of India
3 – c) Kerala coast
4 – c) Western Disturbances
5 – b) North-East Monsoon (Oct–Nov)
Quick Recap | सार
Now you should be able to:
- Recall the most important ideas of this topic.
- Solve typical NDA-style questions from this chapter.
- Spot and avoid common traps used in competitive exams.
Self-check: 3–4 random questions उठा कर देखिए – अगर आसानी से हो रहे हैं, तो chapter strong है।
Common Exam Mistakes | आम गलतियाँ
- Concept ठीक से clear न करना और सीधे रटने की कोशिश करना।
- Question पूरी तरह पढ़े बिना answer mark कर देना।
- Figures, dates, या formulas को last step में verify न करना।
NDA में smart strategy यह है कि आसान वाले सवाल पहले, doubtful बाद में – और silly mistakes से बचना सबसे ज़रूरी है।