This chapter distinguishes weather, which changes hour to hour, from climate, the long-term pattern of weather a region experiences over several decades. It introduces seasons — including the six traditional ritus of vasanta, grishma, varsha, sharad, hemanta and shishir — and explains how human, plant and animal life keeps rhythm with them. India's climate is remarkably diverse, ranging from alpine in the Himalayas to arid in the Thar Desert, subtropical in the northern plains, tropical wet on the west coast, semi-arid on the Deccan and tropical in the south and east. Five factors shape these climates: latitude (distance from the Equator), altitude (height above sea level), proximity to the sea (which moderates temperature), winds, and topography. The chapter then explores the monsoons — from the Arabic mausim, meaning 'season' — explaining how land heats faster than the ocean to draw in moisture-laden winds, producing the southwest summer monsoon and the northeast winter monsoon so vital to Indian agriculture. It links climate to culture, festivals and the economy, warning of 'monsoon failure'. It surveys climate-related disasters — cyclones, floods, landslides and forest fires — and closes with climate change, explaining how human burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases that trap extra heat, causing global warming and more extreme weather.
Weather, seasons and climateTypes of climate in IndiaFactors that determine climateThe monsoonsClimate disasters and climate change
Key terms
Climate
The long-term pattern of weather a region experiences over several decades, in contrast to weather, which changes from day to day.
Ritus
The six traditional Indian seasons — vasanta (spring), grishma (summer), varsha (rainy), sharad (autumn), hemanta (pre-winter) and shishir (winter).
Monsoon
Seasonal winds (from the Arabic mausim, 'season') that reverse direction between summer and winter, bringing India's vital rains.
Microclimate
A climate localised in a small area, such as an enclosed valley or an 'urban heat island', that differs from the surrounding region.
Greenhouse effect
The natural trapping of the Sun's heat by gases like carbon dioxide; human activity has intensified it, causing global warming.
Climate change
Significant, long-term shifts in temperature, precipitation and weather events, today driven largely by human activities.
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