Social Studies VSQ (2 Marks)

The monsoon is considered a unifying bond because:

• The Indian landscape, its flora and fauna, etc. are highly influenced by the monsoon.
• These monsoon winds bind the whole country by providing water for agricultural activities.
• Most of the festivals in India that are related to agricultural cycle may be known by different names in different parts of the country, but their celebration is decided by the monsoon.
• Year after year, people of India from north to south and from east to west, eagerly await the arrival of the monsoon.

Malabar Coast gets rains from South-West Monsoon Winds.

The Indian desert located in the north-western part of India experience the highest diurnal range of temperature because of the sand present there quickly becomes hot during day and cools down rapidly during night.

India have a monsoon type of climate because the climate of India is governed by the monsoon winds which are limited between 20° North and 20° South.

The elements affecting the climate are Latitude, Altitude and Pressure & Winds, distance from the sea (continentality), ocean currents and relief features.

In peninsular India, temperature remains lower due to the moderating influence of the oceans.

The trade winds are the prevailing pattern of easterly surface winds Trade winds have been used by captains of sailing ships to cross the world's oceans.

As one goes from the surface of the earth to higher altitudes, the atmosphere becomes less dense and temperature decreases.

Tropic of Cancer.

Mumbai, since it is located very close to the Arabian sea.

India lies in the regions of north easterly winds.

The leeward side of mountains remains relatively dry.

Mawsynram in the southern region of Khasi hills in Meghalaya, receives the highest average rainfall in the world.

The Thar Desert experiences the highest range of temperature in a day.

The north-eastern part of India receives the maximum rainfall during the rainy season.

El Nino is a warm current which replaces the Peruvian cold current in summer.

The Tropic of Cancer (23° 30'N) is the imaginary line which divides India into almost two equal north and south parts.

Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andra Pradesh and etc.

The maritime climate in Kerala is due to its closeness or proximity to the Arabian sea.

Coastal areas experience less seasonal contrasts in temperature conditions.

Equable type of climate is found close to the sea.

An easterly jet stream, called the sub-tropical easterly jetstream blows over peninsular India, approximately over 14°N during the summer months.

By the beginning of October, the monsoon withdraws from the northern plains of India.

The cold weather season begins in mid-November in northern India.

The monsoon arrives at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula generally by the first week of June.

The found tropical climate in India.

The Himalayas prevent the cold winds from central Asia from entering the sub-continent. It is because of these mountains that this sub-continent experiences comparatively milder winters as compared to central Asia.

The thunderstorms are associated with violent winds, torrential downpours, often accompanied by hail.

Winter rainfall is locally known as mahawat.

Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere over an area at any point of time.

In some parts of Rajasthan the highest temperature is 50°C and it is around-45°C at Drass in Jammu and Kashmir.

The annual precipitation is over 400 cms in Meghalaya and less than 10 cms in Ladakh and western Rajasthan.

They play an important role in the cultivation of rabi crops.

India’s climate is described as ‘Monsoon Type’ climate.

These are strong gusty, hot dry winds blowing during the day over the north and northwestern India.

Around the time of the monsoon's arrival, the normal rainfall increases suddenly and continues constantly for several days. This is known as the 'burst' of the monsoon.

Kaal means destruction or calamity brought in the month of Baisakh. It is known as ‘Kaal Baisakhi’. It occurs in West Bengal and are pre-monsoon showers.

The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is a broad trough of low pressure in equatorial latitudes. This is where the north-east and the south-east trade winds converge.

El Nino is a warm ocean current that flows past the Peruvian coast in place of cold Peruvian current every 2 to 5 years.

It is an apparent force caused by earth’s rotation. Coriolis force is responsible for deflecting winds towards the right in northern hemisphere and towards the left in the southern hemisphere.

Dust storms blow in this month. These storms bring temporary relief as they lower the temperature.

Climate refers to the sum total of weather conditions and variations over a large area for a long period of time (more than 30 years).

SO means Southern Oscillation. Normally when the tropical eastern South Pacific ocean experiences high pressure, the tropical eastern Indian ocean experiences low pressure. This periodic change in pressure conditions is known as Southern Oscillation.

It means Inter Tropical Convergence Zone. It is a broad trough of low pressure in equatorial latitude. This is where northeast and southeast trade winds converge.

India's climate is tropical as well as sub-tropical.

Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere over an area at any point of time.

Monsoon refers to the seasonal reversal in the wind direction during a year.

ENSO is the combination of El Nino and southern oscillation. The changes in pressure conditions are connected to El Nino, hence the phenomenon is referred to as ENSO.

Sudden change in temperature with the South-East winds cause tropical cyclones on the coastline of Tamil Nadu.

The Western cyclonic disturbances are weather phenomena of the winter months brought in by the westerly flow from the Mediterranean region.