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Question
Give the characteristics and effects of the monsoon rainfall in India.
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Solution
Characteristics of monsoon rainfall in India:
- The duration of the monsoon is between 100 to 120 days from early June to mid-September. Around the time of its arrival, the normal rainfall increases suddenly and continues for several days. This is known as the ‘burst’ of the monsoon.
- The monsoon has characteristic wet and dry spells or ‘breaks’ in rainfall. The monsoon rains take place only for a few days at a time. They are interspersed with rainless intervals.
- The moisture is carried by pulsating southwesterlies that are affected by different atmospheric conditions, thereby giving monsoon rains an uncertain character. The annual rainfall is highly variable from year to year.
- The rainfall is unevenly distributed across the Indian landscape. Parts of the western coast and northeastern India receive the maximum rainfall. Regions such as parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Leh, and the leeward side of the Western Ghats receive very little rainfall.
Effects of monsoon rainfall in India:
- Indian agriculture is largely dependent upon the water from the monsoon rains. Late, low, or excessive rains have a negative impact upon crops.
- Due to the uneven distribution of rainfall across the country, there are some regions that are drought-prone and some that are flood afflicted.
- The monsoon provides India with a distinct climatic pattern. Hence, in spite of the presence of great regional variations, it has a unifying influence upon the country and its people.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
How is the winter rainfall of the northwest part of India different from the winter rainfall of the southeast part of India?
Study the climatic data of station x given below and answer the questions that follow:
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Temperature in °C |
24.5 | 25.7 | 27.7 | 28.4 | 30.0 | 36.2 | 31.0 | 30.2 | 29.8 | 28.0 | 25.9 | 24.7 |
| Rainfall cm | 4.6 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 4.6 | 8.6 | 11.4 | 11.8 | 30.6 | 35.0 | 13.9 |
- Calculate the total annual rainfall experienced by the station.
- What is the annual range of temperature?
- On which coast of India does the station lie? Give the reason for your answer.
Study the climate data given below and answer the questions that follow:
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Temperature in °C |
23.1 | 24.8 | 26.5 | 29.2 | 32 | 32.8 | 33.1 | 32.1 | 30.5 | 29.3 | 28.7 | 26.1 |
| Rainfall cm | 15.3 | 10.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 4.5 | 6.1 | 10.2 | 10.5 | 20.1 | 16.8 | 19.0 |
- Calculate the annual rainfall experienced by the station.
- Suggest the name of this station, giving a reason for your answer.
- Name the season during which the rainfall is heaviest.
Study the data of distribution of temperature and rain for Station X and answer the questions that follow :
(i) Is Station X in the coastal area or in the interior of the country?
(ii) Calculate the total annual rainfall for Station X.
(iii) Name the wind that brings most of the rainfall to Station X.
| Stations | Latitude | Altitude (Metres) | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May. | Jun. | July. | Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Annual Rainfall |
|
Temperature (°C) |
20.5 |
22.7 |
25.2 |
27.1 |
26.7 |
24.2 |
23.0 |
23.0 |
23.1 |
22.9 |
18.9 |
20.2 |
|||
| Bengaluru | 12°58'N | 909 |
|
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|
||||||||||
| Rainfall (cm) | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 4.5 | 10.7 | 7.1 | 11.1 | 13.7 | 16.4 |
15.3 |
6.1 |
1.3 |
88.9 | ||
|
Temperature (°C) |
24.4 |
24.4 |
26.7 |
28.3 |
30.0 |
28.9 |
27.2 |
27.2 |
27.2 |
27.8 |
27.2 |
25.0 |
|||
|
Mumbai |
19° N | 11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainfall (cm) |
0.2 |
0.2 |
– |
– |
1.8 |
50.6 |
61.0 |
36.9 |
26.9 |
4.8 |
1.0 |
– |
183.4 | ||
|
Temperature (°C) |
19.6 |
22.0 |
27.1 |
30.1 |
30.4 |
29.9 |
28.9 |
28.7 |
28.9 |
27.6 |
23.4 |
19.7 |
|||
|
Kolkata |
22°34'N | 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainfall (cm) |
1.2 |
2.8 |
3.4 |
5.1 |
13.4 |
29.0 |
33.1 |
33.4 |
25.3 |
12.7 |
2.7 |
0.4 |
162.5 | ||
|
Temperature (°C) |
14.4 |
16.7 |
23.3 |
30.0 |
33.3 |
33.3 |
30.0 |
29.4 |
28.9 |
25.6 |
19.4 |
15.6 |
|||
|
Delhi |
29° N | 219 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainfall (cm) |
2.5 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
1.0 |
1.8 |
7.4 |
19.3 |
17.8 |
11.9 |
1.3 |
0.2 |
1.0 |
67.0 | ||
|
Temperature (°C) |
16.8 |
19.2 |
26.6 |
29.8 |
33.3 |
33.9 |
31.3 |
29.0 |
20.1 |
27.0 |
20.1 |
14.9 |
|||
|
Jodhpur |
26°18'N | 224 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainfall (cm) |
0.5 |
0.6 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
1.0 |
3.1 |
10.8 |
13.1 |
5.7 |
5.7 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
36.6 | ||
|
Temperature (°C) |
24.5 |
25.7 |
27.7 |
30.4 |
33.0 |
32..5 |
31.0 |
30.2 |
29.8 |
28.0 |
25.9 |
24.9 |
|||
|
Chennai |
13°4'N | 7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainfall (cm) |
4.6 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
1.8 |
3.8 |
22.2 |
8.7 |
11.3 |
11.9 |
30.6 |
35.0 |
0.2 |
128.6 | ||
|
Temperature (°C) |
21.5 |
23.9 |
28.3 |
32.7 |
35.5 |
32.0 |
27.7 |
27.3 |
27.9 |
26.7 |
23.1 |
20.7 |
|||
|
Nagpur |
21°9'N | 312 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainfall (cm) |
1.1 |
2.3 |
1.7 |
1.6 |
2.1 |
22.2 |
37.6 |
28.6 |
18.5 |
5.5 |
2.0 |
13.9 |
124.2 | ||
|
Temperature (°C) |
9.8 |
11.3 |
15.9 |
18.5 |
19.2 |
20.5 |
21.1 |
20.9 |
20.9 |
17.2 |
13.3 |
10.4 |
|||
|
Shillong |
24°34'N | 1461 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainfall (cm) |
1.4 |
2.9 |
5.6 |
14.6 |
29.5 |
47.6 |
35.9 |
34.3 |
30.2 |
18.8 |
3.8 |
1.0 |
225.3 | ||
|
Temperature (°C) |
26.7 |
27.3 |
28.3 |
28.7 |
28.6 |
26.6 |
26.2 |
26.2 |
26.5 |
26.7 |
26.6 |
26.5 |
|||
|
Thiruvananthapuram |
8°29'N | 61 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainfall (cm) |
2.3 |
2.1 |
3.7 |
10.6 |
20.8 |
35.6 |
22.3 |
14.6 |
13.8 |
27.3 |
20.6 |
7.5 |
181.2 | ||
|
Temperature (°C) |
−8.5 |
−7.2 |
−0.6 |
6.1 |
10.0 |
14.4 |
17.2 |
16.1 |
12.2 |
6.1 |
0.0 |
−5.6 |
|||
|
Leh |
34°N | 3506 |
|
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|
|
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|
|
|
|
Rainfall (cm) |
1.0 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
– |
0.5 |
8.5 |
In above Table the average mean monthly temperatures and amounts of rainfall of ten representative stations have been given. It is for you to study on your own and convert them into ‘temperature and rainfall’ graphs. A glance at these visual representations will help you to grasp instantly the similarities and differences between them. One such graph (Figure 1) is already prepared for you. See if you can arrive at some broad generalisations about our diverse climatic conditions. 
Re-arrange the ten stations in two different sequences:
(i) According to their distance from the equator.
(ii) According to their altitude above mean sea-level.
The North East Monsoons bring almost no rain to most of India.
Name the state of Indian Union where the rainy season is very short?
Name the regions of moderate rainfall in India.
Name two rainiest stations.
