NOTES
CLIMATE INDIA
Distribution of Rainfall
The distribution of rainfall in India is influenced by the physiography of the
country and the distance from the seacoast. The monsoon winds obstructed by the
Western Ghats bring Orographic or Relief rains. The amount of rainfall
increases with the increase in height. Mahabaleshwar receives an annual
rainfall of 675 cm. On the eastern part of Western Ghats rain shadow area gets
very little rains towards the foothills. In this region, Wai gets 75cm of
rainfall during this period.
The
monsoon winds blowing over the Bay of Bengal enter the hilly region of Garo,
Khasi and Jaintia. While passing through these narrow gaps in the hills, these
winds rise upward and give torrential rains in this area. In the surroundings
of Cherapunji located on the southern slopes of Khasi hills in Meghalaya, the
annual average rainfall is 1200 cm. On the other hand, Shillong located in the
rain shadow region receives 140 cm of rainfall, while Gauwahati receives only
100 cm.
The
amount of rainfall in the country decreases from the coastal areas to the
interior region. While passing away from the coastal areas, as they keep giving
rains, they keep becoming dry. The amount of rainfall decreases from western
coast towards northeast direction and from Bengal towards Punjab through Ganga
plains. In winter, eastern coast of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu receive more
rains and decrease towards the interior.
Cyclone
prone areas Vulnerability to cyclones is not
uniform along Indian coasts. The following segments of the east coast of India
are most vulnerable to cyclones
i) North Orissa, and West Bengal
coasts.
ii) Andhra Pradesh coast between Ongole and
Machilipatnam.
iii) Tamil Nadu coast, south of Nagapatnam.
The West coast of India is less vulnerable to cyclones than
the east coast of India. (Show Map)
Flood prone areas India is
one of the worst flood-affected countries, being second in the world after
Bangladesh and accounts for one fifth of global death count due to floods. About
40 million hectares or nearly 1/8th of India’s geographical area is
flood-prone. The plains of north Bihar are some of the most susceptible areas
in India, prone to flooding. (Show map)
Drought prone areas In
some parts of India, the failure of the monsoons result in water shortages,
resulting in below-average crop yields. This is particularly true of major
drought-prone regions such as southern and eastern Maharashtra, northern
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.
El Niño: A phenomenon in the
equatorial Pacific Ocean characterized by increased sea surface temperature
La Niña:
A phenomenon in the equatorial Pacific Ocean characterized by a decreased sea
surface temperature