question_answer

In Table 1 the average mean monthly temperatures and amounts of rainfall of ten representative stations have been given. Study on your own and conven them into 'temperature and rainfall' graphs. See if you can arrive at some broad generalisations about our diverse climatic conditions. We hope you are in for a great joy of learning. Table 1

Now find out:

(a) Why are Tiruvanantapuram and Shillong are rainier in June than in July?

(b) Why is July rainier in Mumbai than in Tiruvanantapuram?

(e) Why are south-west monsoons less rainy in Chennai?

(d) Why is Shillong rainier than Kolkata?

(e) Why is Kolkata rainier in July than in June unlike Shillong which is rainier in June than in July?

(f) Why docs Delhi receive more rain than Jodhpur?

Answer:

(a) The Arabian sea branch of South-west monsoon reaches Tiruvanantapuram in June giving heavy rainfall in July. It moves northward and reaches Mumbai. The Bay of Bengal branch of South-west monsoons reaches Shillong in June and sheds heavy rainfall. By July it moves eastward and reaches Delhi.

(b) By July Arabian Sea branch of South-west monsoon reaches Mumbai and gives heavy rainfall. The winds move away from Tiruvanantapuram in July.

(c) Shillong is located on the southern slopes (windward side) of Khasi hills. Bay of Bengal branch strikes the Khasi hills and gives heavy rainfall on the windward side of Khasi hills. Whereas Kolkata is in the plains, there are no hills to obstruct the winds, thus Kolkota is less rainier than Shillong.

(d) Arabian sea branch of South-west monsoon first strikes the Western Ghats and gives heavy rainfall to the windward side. By the time it reaches Leeward side it has lost a lot of moisture. It then moves eastward, by the time it reaches east coast, where Chennai is located it has shed most of its moisture and Chennai gets scanty rainfall.

(e) In June, the Bay of Bengal branch of south-west monsoons first reaches Khasi hills and gives heavy rainfall to Shillong. The winds than move eastward and reach Kolkata in July and give 120 cm of rainfall. Thus Shillong is less rainy in July and Kolkata is less rainy in June.

(f) Delhi gets 56 cm of rainfall from the Bay of Bengal branch, and also from the Arabian Sea branch. By the time Bay of Bengal branch reach Jodhpur, it gives only 10 cm of rainfall. The Arabian Sea branch is almost dry by the time it reaches Jodhpur.