Class 9 Geography


Winter Season in India

There are four main seasons in India, viz. the cold weather season, the hot weather season, the advancing monsoon and the retreating monsoon.

The winter season begins from mid-November and stays till February; in northern India. December and January are the coldest months in the northern part of India. The temperature ranges between 10°-15°C in the northern plains, while it ranges between 24°-25°C in Chennai.

Features of Cold Weather Season

The northeast trade winds prevail over the country in this season. As these winds blow from land to sea, most parts of the country experience a dry season.

The weather is usually marked by clear sky, low temperatures and low humidity and feeble variable winds.

Cyclonic Disturbance

The inflow of the cyclonic disturbances from the west and the northwest is a characteristic feature of the cold weather over the northern plains. These low-pressure systems originate over the Mediterranean Sea and Western Asia and move into India. They cause winter rains over the plains and snowfall in the mountains. The winter rainfall is in small amount but is very important for the rabi crop. This rainfall is locally known as mahawat.

The peninsular region does not get a well-defined winter because of the moderating influence of the sea.