Class-IX Social Science Geography Contemporary India -I Chapter 4: Climate

1. Choose the correct answer from the four alternatives given below.
(i). Which one of the following places receives the highest rainfall in the world?
(a) Silchar
(b) Mawsynram
(c) Cherrapunji
(d) Guwahati
Ans: (b) Mawsynram
(ii). The wind blowing in the northern plains in summers is known as:
(a) Kaal Baisakhi
(b) Loo
(c) Trade Winds
(d) None of the above
Ans: (b) Loo
(iii). Monsoon arrives in India approximately in:
(a) Early May

(b) Early July
(c) Early June
(d) Early August
Ans: (c) Early June
(iv). Which one of the following characterises the cold weather season in India?
(a) Warm days and warm nights
(b) Warm days and cold nights
(c) Cool days and cold nights
(d) Cold days and warm nights
Ans: (c) Cool days and cold nights
2. Answer the following questions briefly.
(i). What are the controls affecting the climate of India?
Ans: The controls affecting the climate of India are temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity and precipitation.
(ii). Why does India have a monsoon type of climate?
Ans: India comes in the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and together with factors such as El Nino, Coriolis Force and Jet Streams, India gets a unique type of climate which is called the Monsoon type of climate in India.

(iii). Which part of India does experience the highest diurnal range of temperature and why?
Ans: The North-western part of India experiences the highest diurnal range of temperature as it receives the least amount of rainfall and also it is away from sea. So, the temperatures go to the extreme in this part of India.
(iv). Which winds account for rainfall along the Malabar coast?
Ans: The Malabar Coast gets most of the rainfall from the Southwest monsoon winds. Sometimes, although rare, this coast experiences cyclones as well which bring rainfall.
(v). Define monsoons. What do you understand by “break” in monsoon?
Ans: Monsoon break takes place due to the reversal of the wind direction. This includes a wet and dry spell during the rainy season during which very less rainfall takes place.
(vi). Why is the monsoon considered a unifying bond?
Ans: The monsoon in India influences almost all of the Indian Subcontinent and most of the activities take place based on these winds. The flora and fauna thrive in the subcontinent due to the monsoons and the crops are grown successfully based on the timings of the monsoons. Many festivals also take place based on the monsoon across India. So, the monsoon is called a unifying bond in India.
3. Why does the rainfall decrease from the east to the west in Northern India?
Ans: The rainfall in the eastern part of India occurs due to the Bay of Bengal branch of southwest monsoons. As the winds move from Bengal to the Gangetic plains, their moisture content decreases and by the time they reach Punjab region, they are almost dry. So, a decrease is seen in the amount of rainfall from east to west.
4. Give reasons as to why.
(i). Seasonal reversal of wind direction takes place over the Indian subcontinent?
Ans: The seasonal reversal of wind direction over the Indian subcontinent takes place due to pressure differences. The El Nino also plays a major role in the seasonal reversal of wind direction over the Indian subcontinent.
(ii). The bulk of rainfall in India is concentrated over a few months.
Ans: The monsoon season begins in India from June and by mid-July, it covers almost all of the Indian Subcontinent. The retreat of monsoons begins from September and not much rainfall occurs after that. Hence, in the Indian subcontinent, the rainfall is concentrated over a few months.
(iii). The Tamil Nadu coast receives winter rainfall.
Ans: The Tamil Nadu coast, known as the Coromandel Coast receives winter rainfall as the north-eastern winds, which are retreating monsoon winds take up moisture as they move over Bay of Bengal during winters and pour the rains due to obstruction from the Eastern Ghats. Since the Coromandel Coast falls on the windward side, it gets winter rainfall.
(iv). The delta region of the eastern coast is frequently struck by cyclones.
Ans: The Bay of Bengal is the centre of various pressure changes so many cyclones develop in this region. Hence, the delta region of the Bay of Bengal witnessed multiple cyclones.

(v). Parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the leeward side of the Western Ghats are drought- prone.
Ans: The parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the leeward side of the Western Ghats are drought prone as the Arabian Sea branch does not give enough rainfall in that region as it falls on the leeward side. The Aravalli mountains lie parallel to the direction of the winds, so they do not force the winds to cause rains. Also, the Bay of Bengal branch becomes dry till it reaches Rajasthan.
5. Describe the regional variations in the climatic conditions of India with the help of suitable examples.
Ans: There is a huge regional variation in the climatic conditions of India. The Temperature and Precipitation vary not only from place to place but also from season to season.
● In summers, the temperature goes up to 50°C in certain parts of Rajasthan but it barely crosses 20°C in Pahalgam in Kashmir region.
● In winters, the night temperature in Dras sector of Kashmir is below freezing point around -45°C but in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala it hardly goes below 20°C.
● In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the difference between day and night temperature is barely 7° – 8°C.
● The coastal areas experience less contrast in the temperature, whereas the seasonal contrasts are more in the interior of the country.
● There is a decrease in rainfall generally from east to west in the northern plains.
● Most parts of India get rainfall from June to August – September, whereas the Coromandel Coast gets rainfall in the winter season. Odisha gets rainfall from cyclones too.

6. Give an account of weather conditions and characteristics of the cold season.
Ans: Following are the features of the cold season of India:
● The winter season begins from mid-November and continues till February in northern India.
● December and January are the coldest months in the northern part of India which consists of Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, etc.
● The average temperature ranges between 10°-15°C in the northern plains, while it ranges around 24°-25°C in Southern India.
● The northeast trade winds prevail over the entire country in this period. As these winds blow from land to sea, most parts of the country experience a dry climate.
● The weather is usually marked by clear skies, low temperatures, low humidity and weak variable winds.
● The inflow of the cyclonic disturbances from the west and the northwest is a characteristic feature of the cold weather over the northern plains of India.
● These low-pressure systems originate over the Mediterranean Sea and Western Asia and move into India. They cause winter rains over the north western plains and snowfall in the mountains.
● The winter rainfall is in small amounts but is very important for the rabi crops which are harvested in March – April.
● The peninsular region does not get a well-defined winter because of the moderating influence of the sea and its location in the Torrid Zone.
7. Give the characteristics and effects of the monsoon rainfall in India.

Ans: The characteristics of the monsoon rainfall in India are:
● The duration of the monsoon varies from 100 to 120 days which is from early June to mid- September.
● Around the time of its arrival, the normal rainfall increases suddenly and continues regularly for several days. This is also called the ‘burst’ of the monsoons.
● The monsoons are distinguished from the pre-monsoon showers because of their increase in rainfall amount and regularity.
● The monsoon arrives at the southern tip of the Indian Peninsular generally by the first week of June.
● The rainfall is unevenly distributed across the country. The effects of the monsoon rainfall in India:
● The agriculture in India largely depends on Indian monsoons for water. Late, low or excessive rains have a highly negative impact upon crops.
● Due to uneven distribution of rainfall across the country, there are few places that are drought prone such as Marathwada and Vidarbha and few are flood prone such as Assam.
● The monsoon provides India with a diverse climatic pattern.
Map Skills: On an outline map of India, show the following.
i. Areas receiving rainfall over 400 cm.
ii. Areas receiving less than 20 cm of rainfall.
iii. The direction of the south-west monsoon over India.
Ans: