Climate of Uttarakhand | Uttarakhand State PSC (UKPSC): Preparation - UKPSC (Uttarakhand) PDF Download

 Page 1


Climate of Uttarakhand
The climate of Uttarakhand is sharply demarcated in its two distinct
divisions: the predominant hilly terrain and the smaller plain region. The type
of climate that is mainly found in the plains closely resembles the
corresponding state in the Gangetic plain. Summers are exceedingly hot with
temperatures crossing the 40°C mark and considerable humidity. Winters can
be chilly with temperatures going below 5°C at times.The climate in the
northern part of Uttarakhand is typically Himalayan. This mountain range
itself exerts an appreciable extent of influence on monsoon and rainfall
patterns.
Within the Himalayas, climate differs depending on altitude and
position.Climate ranges from subtropical in the southern foothills, averaging
summer temperatures of about 30° C (about 86° F) and winter temperatures
of about 18° C (about 64° F).Warm temperate conditions prevail in the
Middle Himalayan valleys, with summer temperatures usually hovering about
the mark of 25° C (about 77° F) and cooler winters.Cool temperate conditions
dominate the higher areas of the Middle Himalayas, where the summer
temperatures are usually around 15 to 18° C (59 to 64° F) and winters drop
below the freezing point. At altitudes over 4880 m (16,000 feet), the climate
is bitterly cold with temperatures consistently below the freezing point and
the area is perennially shrouded in snow and ice.The eastern flanks of the
Himalayan ranges are subject to heavy rainfall while the western section is
relatively dry.
Due to its complicated relief, microclimates are of considerable importance
in Uttarakhand. In the summer month valleys experience hot tropical climate,
at the same time at a distance about 70 km, mountain peaks bear some of the
highest snowfields of the world. Valley winds in narrow valleys and heavy
winter fog in wide valleys are conspicuous features of the weather in the
region. The precipitation of every locality is directly related not only to the
altitudinal zone in which it exists, but also to its situation in the front or rear
of a ridge or overlapping spur.
Page 2


Climate of Uttarakhand
The climate of Uttarakhand is sharply demarcated in its two distinct
divisions: the predominant hilly terrain and the smaller plain region. The type
of climate that is mainly found in the plains closely resembles the
corresponding state in the Gangetic plain. Summers are exceedingly hot with
temperatures crossing the 40°C mark and considerable humidity. Winters can
be chilly with temperatures going below 5°C at times.The climate in the
northern part of Uttarakhand is typically Himalayan. This mountain range
itself exerts an appreciable extent of influence on monsoon and rainfall
patterns.
Within the Himalayas, climate differs depending on altitude and
position.Climate ranges from subtropical in the southern foothills, averaging
summer temperatures of about 30° C (about 86° F) and winter temperatures
of about 18° C (about 64° F).Warm temperate conditions prevail in the
Middle Himalayan valleys, with summer temperatures usually hovering about
the mark of 25° C (about 77° F) and cooler winters.Cool temperate conditions
dominate the higher areas of the Middle Himalayas, where the summer
temperatures are usually around 15 to 18° C (59 to 64° F) and winters drop
below the freezing point. At altitudes over 4880 m (16,000 feet), the climate
is bitterly cold with temperatures consistently below the freezing point and
the area is perennially shrouded in snow and ice.The eastern flanks of the
Himalayan ranges are subject to heavy rainfall while the western section is
relatively dry.
Due to its complicated relief, microclimates are of considerable importance
in Uttarakhand. In the summer month valleys experience hot tropical climate,
at the same time at a distance about 70 km, mountain peaks bear some of the
highest snowfields of the world. Valley winds in narrow valleys and heavy
winter fog in wide valleys are conspicuous features of the weather in the
region. The precipitation of every locality is directly related not only to the
altitudinal zone in which it exists, but also to its situation in the front or rear
of a ridge or overlapping spur.
NOTE- Different sources give different altitude to these locations. We
have used altitude as shown in Google Earth. However the main purpose
of study is climatic variations.
The monsoon commences towards the end of June and ceases by the middle
of September. Winter depressions cause snowfall for 7 to 8 days every month
from January to March. April and May are marked by thunder and occasional
hailstorms. In May and the first half of June, before the break of the
monsoon, conventional rainfall takes place in afternoon in small amounts (12
to 25cm) almost every third or fourth day at higher elevations.
The zone of maximum precipitation, both summers and winters, lies
between 1200 and 2100m. The zone above 2400m experiences much lesser
amount of summer rainfall. There are marked differences in the amount of
rainfall, in the front or rear end of the main range. That is why Niti located
beyond snow clad peaks, gets only 14cm of rain during the summer period. In
general, the rainfall averages between 37-50cm from June to September in
the frontal zone and 20-25cm in the rear zone. Winter depressions cause 3 to
5 m of snowfall from November to May.The micro-climatic conditions
usually differ from valley to valley and locality to locality acoording to the i)
the direction of ridges ii) degree of slope iii) sunny or shady aspects of slope
iv) intensity of forest cover and v) nearness to glaciers.
The region can be divided into seven broad cloimatic zones, primarily
based on altitude as shown in below table:
Page 3


Climate of Uttarakhand
The climate of Uttarakhand is sharply demarcated in its two distinct
divisions: the predominant hilly terrain and the smaller plain region. The type
of climate that is mainly found in the plains closely resembles the
corresponding state in the Gangetic plain. Summers are exceedingly hot with
temperatures crossing the 40°C mark and considerable humidity. Winters can
be chilly with temperatures going below 5°C at times.The climate in the
northern part of Uttarakhand is typically Himalayan. This mountain range
itself exerts an appreciable extent of influence on monsoon and rainfall
patterns.
Within the Himalayas, climate differs depending on altitude and
position.Climate ranges from subtropical in the southern foothills, averaging
summer temperatures of about 30° C (about 86° F) and winter temperatures
of about 18° C (about 64° F).Warm temperate conditions prevail in the
Middle Himalayan valleys, with summer temperatures usually hovering about
the mark of 25° C (about 77° F) and cooler winters.Cool temperate conditions
dominate the higher areas of the Middle Himalayas, where the summer
temperatures are usually around 15 to 18° C (59 to 64° F) and winters drop
below the freezing point. At altitudes over 4880 m (16,000 feet), the climate
is bitterly cold with temperatures consistently below the freezing point and
the area is perennially shrouded in snow and ice.The eastern flanks of the
Himalayan ranges are subject to heavy rainfall while the western section is
relatively dry.
Due to its complicated relief, microclimates are of considerable importance
in Uttarakhand. In the summer month valleys experience hot tropical climate,
at the same time at a distance about 70 km, mountain peaks bear some of the
highest snowfields of the world. Valley winds in narrow valleys and heavy
winter fog in wide valleys are conspicuous features of the weather in the
region. The precipitation of every locality is directly related not only to the
altitudinal zone in which it exists, but also to its situation in the front or rear
of a ridge or overlapping spur.
NOTE- Different sources give different altitude to these locations. We
have used altitude as shown in Google Earth. However the main purpose
of study is climatic variations.
The monsoon commences towards the end of June and ceases by the middle
of September. Winter depressions cause snowfall for 7 to 8 days every month
from January to March. April and May are marked by thunder and occasional
hailstorms. In May and the first half of June, before the break of the
monsoon, conventional rainfall takes place in afternoon in small amounts (12
to 25cm) almost every third or fourth day at higher elevations.
The zone of maximum precipitation, both summers and winters, lies
between 1200 and 2100m. The zone above 2400m experiences much lesser
amount of summer rainfall. There are marked differences in the amount of
rainfall, in the front or rear end of the main range. That is why Niti located
beyond snow clad peaks, gets only 14cm of rain during the summer period. In
general, the rainfall averages between 37-50cm from June to September in
the frontal zone and 20-25cm in the rear zone. Winter depressions cause 3 to
5 m of snowfall from November to May.The micro-climatic conditions
usually differ from valley to valley and locality to locality acoording to the i)
the direction of ridges ii) degree of slope iii) sunny or shady aspects of slope
iv) intensity of forest cover and v) nearness to glaciers.
The region can be divided into seven broad cloimatic zones, primarily
based on altitude as shown in below table: