A. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
- Winds coming down the Himalayas during winter causes cold waves / cold weather.
- There is a drop of 1°C in temperature for every 165 metres above the surface.
- The Arabian Sea branch of the monsoons leads to rain in Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the month of June.
- Of the three, Patna, Cochin and Kolkata, Patna has an extreme climate.
- The cyclones that cause rain in winter in the north-western region are called western disturbances.
B. Match the rows.
| Place | Description |
| Kochi | Lower latitude |
| Chandigarh | Higher latitude |
| Mumbai | Windward side of Western Ghats |
| Mawsynram | Meghalaya |
| Rain in January | Western disturbances |
C. Write true or false. Correct the false sentences.
- Delhi gets more rain than Kolkata.
- False
- Correct sentence: Kolkata gets more rain than Delhi because it is closer to the Bay of Bengal and receives more moisture from the monsoon winds.
- Mawsynram in Meghalaya is the wettest place in the world.
- True
- (Mawsynram receives the highest average rainfall in the world.)
D. Choose the correct answer.
- The monsoon season is experienced in which of these periods?
- (c) June to September
- Which of these places has an equable climate?
- (b) Chennai (Chennai has maritime climate due to its location near the sea)
- Which of these states experiences Mango showers?
- (d) Kerala (Mango showers are pre-monsoon showers that help in the ripening of mangoes in Kerala and Karnataka)
- Mawsynram is located in which of these states?
- (b) Meghalaya
- Which of these cities receives rainfall in winter?
- (b) Chennai (Chennai receives rainfall from the northeast monsoons during the winter months)
E. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.
1.Which winds bring most of the rain to India?
Most of the rain in India is brought by the South-West Monsoon winds. The South-west Monsoon winds blow from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal from June to September.
2.Which two areas receive rain in winter?
The North East Monsoon brings rain in winter to Tamil Nadu and the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh. Western disturbances also bring rainfall in some parts of northwestern India.
3. What do you know about loo?
In the summer season, Loo, which are strong hot winds, blow in North and Western part of India. Loo can be very harmful it can lead to heat stroke.
4. Why does the south-west monsoon break into two branches?
When monsoon winds reach the southern tip of India, they are divided by western Ghats. This happens because of the shape of the Indian peninsula.
5. What are western disturbances?
Cyclonic storms which are known as western disturbances originate in Mediterranean Sea and they travel towards the eastward’s direction. Western disturbances bring winter rainfall to the north western parts of India, especially Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh.
F. Give reasons for the following.
- Why does Kolkata have a more equable climate compared to Bhopal and Jaipur?
Kolkata is located near the Bay of Bengal, so it experiences a maritime climate with less temperature variation. Bhopal and Jaipur are located in the interior of the country, away from the sea, so they experience an extreme climate with hot summers and cold winters.
2. Why are the monsoon winds crucial for bringing rain to India during the monsoon season?
India is an agricultural country and most of its farming depends on rainwater. The monsoon winds bring moisture from the sea and cause rainfall across the country. If the monsoons fail, it leads to droughts, crop failure, and water shortage.
3. Why do the Himalayas act as a barrier to cold winds from Central Asia entering India?
The Himalayas are very high mountains that block the cold winds coming from Central Asia and the Arctic region. This prevents these cold winds from entering India, keeping the Indian subcontinent warmer during winter compared to other regions at the same latitude.
G. Answer the following questions in four or five sentences.
- Discuss the factors that affect the climate of India.
The climate of India is affected by several factors:
- Latitude: The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of India, so the southern part has a tropical climate while the northern part has a subtropical climate.
- Altitude: Temperature decreases with an increase in altitude. Places like Darjeeling and Ooty are cooler than the plains.
- Distance from the sea: Coastal areas like Mumbai and Chennai have equable climate, while interior places like Delhi and Bhopal have extreme climate.
- Himalayas: They act as a barrier and protect India from the cold winds of Central Asia.
- Monsoon winds: The south-west and north-east monsoons bring most of the rainfall to India.
2. Explain the terms ‘kalbaisakhi’ and ‘mango showers’.
- Kalbaisakhi are violent thunderstorms that occur in West Bengal and Assam during the summer months, especially in the month of Baisakh (April-May). These storms bring heavy rainfall, thunder, and lightning. They are also called “Nor’westers” because they come from the north-west direction.
- Mango showers are pre-monsoon showers that occur in Kerala, Karnataka, and some parts of Tamil Nadu. These showers help in the early ripening of mangoes, hence the name “mango showers”. They usually occur in the months of April and May.
3. What problems would India face if the Himalayas did not exist as they do today?
If the Himalayas did not exist, India would face several problems:
- Cold winds: The cold winds from Central Asia and Siberia would enter India freely, making winters extremely cold.
- No monsoon rains: The Himalayas trap the monsoon winds and force them to shed their moisture over the Indian subcontinent. Without the Himalayas, the monsoons would pass over India and cause very little rainfall.
- Desertification: Much of India might turn into a desert due to lack of rain.
- Agriculture loss: Indian agriculture, which depends on monsoon rains, would be severely affected.
4. What do you understand by the term ‘retreating monsoons’?
Retreating monsoons refer to the withdrawal of the south-west monsoon winds from India. By September or October, the monsoon winds start retreating from northern India. During this time, the skies become clear and the weather becomes pleasant. The retreating monsoons pick up moisture from the Bay of Bengal and cause rainfall in Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh during October to December. This rainfall is called the north-east monsoon.
5. Why do some areas in India receive winter rainfall?
Some areas in India receive winter rainfall due to the following reasons:
- Western disturbances: These are cyclonic storms that originate in the Mediterranean Sea and bring rainfall to north-western India, including Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh. This rainfall is beneficial for Rabi crops like wheat.
- North-east monsoons: The retreating monsoons pick up moisture from the Bay of Bengal and cause rainfall in Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh during the winter months.