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Question
Why are Himalayas called perfect climate divide? Explain their two-fold functions in this regard.
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Solution
(i) Himalayas act as a shield to protect the sub-continent from the bitter cold winds of Central Asia.
(ii) They also act as a barrier for the rain bearing winds from leaving our country.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Name an area in India where Tropical Monsoon forest is found.
Give a reason for each of the following:
Kolkata receives heavier rain than Lucknow.
Give geographical reasons for each of the following
Kanpur has extreme temperature conditions.
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.
Give an account of weather conditions and characteristics of the cold season.
| 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 |
|
|
|
||||||||||
| 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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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. 
Which parallel of latitude divides India into the northern and southern halves.
Which type of climate is experienced in the Northern Plains of India? State one main characteristic of this type of climate.
Chennai has a lower annual range of temperature than Lucknow.
Mumbai receives rainfall in the summer season while Chennai receives rainfall from October to December. Why?
