The Climate of India
India is a large country, covering a whole variety of terrain including high mountains and vast plains. Due to this rainge of terrain, a variety of climatic conditions exists : the northwest plains contain areas of desert, while the northeast has fertile ricefields; the coastlands are largely tropical in nature while snowfields can be found in the north.
India's climate is dominated by the Asian monsoon.
The southwest monsoon prevails from June to October, the winds bringing rain and cloud as they blow from the southwest during that time.
The winds reverse their direction from Dec-Jan, bringing cool and dry weather to most parts of the country.
This is a time of clear skies and little rain. The weather becomes hotter from March to May as rains only return when the winds change to southwest again.
During the southwest monsoon, the rains usually reach the south of India during late May or early June, and only reach north India about six weeks later. The rains are torrential in some years, while in others they may be light and variable.
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Bombay |
| Month |
Rainfall(mm) |
Temperature (Celsius) |
| Ave. Monthly |
Ave. No. of Days with 1mm |
Average Daily |
Lowest Recorded |
Highest Recorded |
| Min |
Max |
| Jan |
2.5 |
0.2 |
19.3 |
29.6 |
13.5 |
35.6 |
| Feb |
2.5 |
0.2 |
20.0 |
29.6 |
14.6 |
36.9 |
| Mar |
2.5 |
0.1 |
22.6 |
31.1 |
16.1 |
40.2 |
| Apr |
2 |
0.1 |
25.0 |
32.3 |
21.1 |
39.4 |
| May |
12 |
1 |
27.0 |
33.4 |
23.3 |
39.5 |
| Jun |
592 |
17 |
26.3 |
32.0 |
22.2 |
35.4 |
| Jul |
682 |
25 |
25.3 |
30.1 |
22.2 |
32.4 |
| Aug |
487 |
25 |
24.9 |
29.6 |
22.6 |
33.6 |
| Sep |
307 |
15 |
24.9 |
30.5 |
19.9 |
34.0 |
| Oct |
61 |
5 |
24.8 |
32.5 |
21.4 |
37.5 |
| Nov |
23 |
2 |
23.0 |
23.9 |
17.8 |
38.2 |
| Dec |
2 |
0.1 |
20.9 |
31.6 |
13.7 |
35.7 | |
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Madras
|
| Month |
Rainfall(mm) |
Temperature (Celsius) |
| Ave. Monthly |
Ave. No. of Days with 1mm |
Average Daily |
Lowest Recorded |
Highest Recorded |
| Min |
Max |
| Jan |
27 |
2 |
20.4 |
28.8 |
15.8 |
33.1 |
| Feb |
34 |
1 |
21.6 |
30.7 |
15.8 |
35.8 |
| Mar |
4 |
0 |
23.5 |
33.2 |
18.0 |
38.5 |
| Apr |
12 |
1 |
26.2 |
35.6 |
21.4 |
41.9 |
| May |
39 |
2 |
27.7 |
38.0 |
21.4 |
44.1 |
| Jun |
71 |
8 |
27.4 |
37.4 |
20.1 |
42.7 |
| Jul |
121 |
10 |
26.0 |
35.3 |
21.2 |
39.9 |
| Aug |
138 |
11 |
25.6 |
34.5 |
21.3 |
38.5 |
| Sep |
161 |
10 |
25.3 |
34.0 |
21.1 |
38.4 |
| Oct |
373 |
12 |
24.4 |
31.9 |
19.4 |
36.5 |
| Nov |
409 |
12 |
22.7 |
29.5 |
17.8 |
33.2 |
| Dec |
152 |
7 |
21.5 |
28.4 |
16.8 |
31.8 |
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Calcutta
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| Month |
Rainfall(mm) |
Temperature (Celsius) |
| Ave. Monthly |
Ave. No. of Days with 1mm |
Average Daily |
Lowest Recorded |
Highest Recorded |
| Min |
Max |
| Jan |
11 |
1 |
13.8 |
26.4 |
8.2 |
32.6 |
| Feb |
30 |
2 |
16.9 |
29.1 |
8.1 |
36.4 |
| Mar |
35 |
3 |
21.7 |
33.5 |
12.7 |
39.4 |
| Apr |
60 |
5 |
25.1 |
35.3 |
16.1 |
41.5 |
| May |
142 |
9 |
26.0 |
35.4 |
19.6 |
43.3 |
| Jun |
288 |
15 |
26.5 |
34.0 |
21.4 |
43.0 |
| Jul |
411 |
21 |
26.1 |
32.3 |
23.1 |
39.7 |
| Aug |
349 |
20 |
26.1 |
32.1 |
22.7 |
35.5 |
| Sep |
288 |
16 |
25.8 |
32.4 |
22.7 |
36.2 |
| Oct |
143 |
8 |
23.9 |
32.3 |
18.7 |
35.3 |
| Nov |
26 |
2 |
19.6 |
30.3 |
12.0 |
34.3 |
| Dec |
17 |
1 |
14.5 |
27.0 |
9.5 |
32.3 |
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New Delhi
|
| Month |
Rainfall(mm) |
Temperature (Celsius) |
| Ave. Monthly |
Ave. No. of Days with 1mm |
Average Daily |
Lowest Recorded |
Highest Recorded |
| Min |
Max |
| Jan |
19 |
2 |
7.6 |
21.0 |
2.6 |
28.6 |
| Feb |
20 |
3 |
10.1 |
23.5 |
1.8 |
31.8 |
| Mar |
15 |
3 |
15.3 |
29.2 |
5.3 |
39.4 |
| Apr |
21 |
2 |
21.6 |
36.0 |
12.9 |
43.2 |
| May |
25 |
3 |
25.9 |
39.2 |
15.5 |
45.0 |
| Jun |
70 |
6 |
27.8 |
38.8 |
19.9 |
45.0 |
| Jul |
237 |
13 |
26.8 |
34.7 |
20.1 |
43.3 |
| Aug |
235 |
12 |
26.3 |
33.6 |
21.2 |
41.8 |
| Sep |
113 |
6 |
24.7 |
34.2 |
17.3 |
39.2 |
| Oct |
17 |
2 |
19.6 |
33.0 |
12.8 |
38.1 |
| Nov |
9 |
1 |
13.2 |
28.3 |
6.8 |
33.6 |
| Dec |
9 |
2 |
8.5 |
22.9 |
1.3 |
29.1 |
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