Climate of India
Theme 4 : India - A Diverse Country (My Watch Tower Social Studies)
Time to Camp - Exercises
A. Choose the correct answers and fill the OMR box.
1. The days are long and the nights are short in ________ .
a. winter. [ ]
b. monsoon. [ ]
c. summer. [✓]
d. spring. [ ]
2. The Northern part of India lies in the _________ zone.
a. temperate. [✓]
b. torrid. [ ]
c. tropical. [ ]
d. subtropical. [ ]
3. In winter, the Sun shines directly on ________ Hemisphere.
a. Western. [ ]
b. Northern. [ ]
c. Southern. [✓]
d. Eastern. [ ]
4. India can be divided into ________ climatic zones.
a. two. [ ]
b. three. [ ]
c. four. [ ]
d. five. [✓]
B. Fill in the blanks.
1. Nor'westers occurs during summer in the East and North-east of the country.
2. The south-west monsoon winds cause rainfall.
3. In India, winter begins around mid-November.
4. The weather is pleasant during spring.
5. Mountain climatic zone is extremely cold during winter.
C. State whether true or false.
1. The physical features of a place influence its climate. [T]
2. The Himalayas play an important role in shaping the climate of India. [T]
3. India experiences five main seasons. [F]
4. The cool sea breeze makes the southern coastal regions hot. [F]
5. The humid subtropical climate zone experiences snowfall during winter. [F]
D. Answer these questions.
1. What are the different climatic regions of India? Describe them.
= The different climatic regions of India are - Mountain climate, Humid subtropical climate, Desert climate, Semi-arid climate, Tropical wet and dry climate.
Mountain climate :-
Regions : Northern mountains and north-eastern hilly regions of India.
Characteristics : cool summers, wet monsoons, extremely cold winters.
Humid subtropical climate :-
Regions : Most of the Northern Plains and some parts of eastern India.
Characteristics : hot summers, cool winters and wet monsoons with eastern India receiving more rainfall than the western parts.
Desert climate :-
Regions : Thar Desert.
Characteristics : hot summer, very little rainfall in monsoons, cold winters.
Semi-arid climate :-
Regions : Parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and the Deccan Plateau.
Characteristics : hot summers, cool to cold winters, moderate rainfall in monsoons.
Tropical wet and dry climate :-
Regions : Coastal regions and parts of Central India.
Characteristics : hot summers, heavy rainfall in the monsoons, dry winters except in south-eastern coastal plains which experiences winter rainfall.
2. How does the Northern Mountains affect the climate of India?
= The Himalayas play an important role in shaping the climate of India. Even though the northern part of the country lies in the Temperate Zone, the North of India is not Temperate as the Himalayas prevent cold winds from the Arctic Region from entering India.
The Himalayas also ensure that the monsoon winds bring rainfall to India instead of crossing over to China.
3. Write a note on the summer season in India.
= Summer in India lasts from March to June, the hottest months of the year. During summer, the sunrays fall directly on the Northern Hemisphere. The vertical rays of the Sun are intense and make the Indian subcontinent extremely hot during this time. The days are longer than the nights.
During summer, scorching winds blow over the Northern Plains, causing severe heat waves. These winds, locally known as the loo, may also cause dust storms in various parts of the country. Local winds called the Nor'westers blow in the East and north-east of the country. These winds are accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms. They are good for rice, jute and tea cultivation. The coastal regions of South India are not as hot as the north because of the cool sea breeze.
4. What is meant by loo?
= During summer, scorching winds blow over the Northern Plains, causing severe heat waves. These winds, are locally known as loo.
5. Describe the winter season in India.
= In India, winter begins around mid-November and lasts till February. During this time, the Sun shines directly on the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, India receive slanting rays of the Sun leading to fall of temperature and cold weather conditions.
During winter, the days are shorter than the nights. Some areas in the Northern Mountains receive heavy snowfall, while the plains experience fog and rainfall occasionally. The extreme north-eastern parts of India and some parts of Punjab and Tamil Nadu experience rainfall during this season. The coastal regions of the South have moderate temperatures in winter due to the warm sea breeze.
We wear woollen clothes to keep ourselves warm and often enjoy drinking hot soup, coffee and tea in the winter season.
Picture Study
Look at the picture and answer the questions.
1. Which season is being shown here?
= Monsoon season is being shown here.
2. How is this season important to farmers?
= The monsoon or rainy season is an important season for India because our farmers depend on rainfall for the irrigation of crops.