Climate of India: Vocabulary Review

A comprehensive set of vocabulary terms covering the factors affecting India's climate, the mechanism of monsoons, seasonal cycles, and global environmental impacts.

Climate

The sum total of weather conditions and variations over a large area for a long period of time, generally more than $30$ years.

Weather

The state of the atmosphere over an area at any point of time, which can change frequently.

Tropic of Cancer

The latitude at $23½°$ N that passes through the central part of India, dividing the country into tropical and sub-tropical climatic zones.

Equable Climate

A type of climate found in areas nearer to the sea, such as South India, where it is neither hot in summer nor very cold in winter.

Extreme Climate

A type of climate found in areas far from the sea, such as North India, characterized by high variations in temperature.

Altitude

The height above the average sea level, which influences temperature; higher elevations like Shimla are cooler than plains like Ludhiana.

Himalaya Mountain

A northern mountain range with an average height of $6000\,m$ that protects India from cold Central Asian winds and traps monsoon winds.

Jet streams

A narrow belt of fast blowing winds located generally at $12,000$ metre height above the sea level that influence the arrival of monsoons and western disturbances.

Western Cyclonic Disturbances

Cyclonic winds that originate near the Mediterranean Sea and bring moisture to North western India during the winter season.

Monsoon

Derived from the Arabic word ‘Mausim’, it refers to the seasonal reversal in the wind direction during a year.

Air Pressure

The weight of air that exerts pressure on the earth; it has an inverse relationship with temperature.

Monsoonal Trough

A low pressure area created by high temperatures that lies between Jaisalmer in the west and Balasore in Odisha in the east.

Burst of Monsoon

The arrival of the monsoon characterized by heavy rainfall that continues for several days, occurring first at the Kerala coast.

Rain Shadow Region

An area that receives less rainfall because it lies on the leeward side of a mountain range, such as the Deccan Plateau behind the Western Ghats.

Breaks in Monsoon

The wet and dry spells of the monsoon where rainless dry intervals occur between periods of rainfall.

Loo

Very hot and dry winds that blow over the North Indian plains during the summer season.

Kaal Baisakhi

Localized thunderstorms associated with violent winds and torrential downpours in West Bengal, meaning 'calamity for the month of Baisakh'.

Mango Showers

Pre-monsoon showers occurring towards the end of summer in Kerala and Karnataka that help in the early ripening of mangoes.

October Heat

The oppressive weather in the Northern plains during October, characterized by high temperature and humidity after the monsoon begins to withdraw.

Kharif

The cropping season that begins with the advancing monsoon in June and July.

Rabi

The cropping season during winter where crops are grown, often benefiting from winter rainfall.

Zaid

The cropping season occurring at the end of winter from March to May.

Global Warming

The increase in the Earth's surface temperature due to the trapping of reflected solar heat by greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide.