Climate of India

From GeoClasses

The Climate of India is difficult to generalize due to the countries large geographical and varied topography. India’s climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. The Himalayas ensure, by acting as barrier to the cold north winds from Central Asia, that northern India is warm or mildly cool during winter and hot during summer. So, although the Tropic of Cancer (the dividing line between the tropical and sub-tropical regions) passes almost through the middle of India, India as a whole is considered to be a tropical country.

Summer is from March – June. In (April) the temperature is 89.6F, in May (peak summer) 104F-120F. Himalayan region (northern) in May –77F. In May North to South there is drastic change in the temperature. In Southern India, the temperatures are higher on the east coast by a few degrees compared to the west coast. Altitude affects the temperature to a large extent, with the higher parts of the Deccan plateau and hills being relatively cooler. The Himalayan and Nilgiri hill stations offer some respite from the heat with a temperate high of 77F. Northeastern India also has a much milder climate with temperature rarely exceeding 89.6F. Even though the temperature is so high we have to wear traditional full dress (especially ladies). India’s population is more than 700,000,000. For all these people we need more water than we are getting now. Middle class people do not have Air Conditioners they are not affordable; we have to use hand fans.

• Sumarized from Wikipedia Climate of India, (version 22:58, 30 July 2005).