The Season of India

India is a sub-tropical country, which means that the climate of this country is mostly moderate, warm, and humid. This country witnesses a diverse range of seasons, from scorching heat to chilling cold. The tropic of Cancer passes through the country, and for this reason, the climate of most of the regions of the country is tropical in nature. The famous climate scientist, Koppen, categorised the world climate on the basis of vegetation and annual precipitation.

Types of Seasons of India

According to Koppen, India has mainly six types of seasons, which are: summer season, rainy season (commonly known as the monsoon season), post-monsoon period (commonly known as the Sharath season), autumn season, winter season, and spring season. The climatological department of India follows this international standard of climatic division. Generally, in India, the summer season consists of 3 months, namely March, April, and May. The monsoon, or rainy season, consists of four months, namely June, July, August, and September. Whereas October and November are considered the post-monsoon season (or Sharath season), the end of November is usually considered the autumn season, while December and January are usually considered the winter months, and February and the first week of March are usually considered the spring season. Though there are some local variations that can be seen in the seasons of India, for example, the climate in the Thar Desert area is very warm as the temperature usually ranges between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius in the daytime. Another such example is that the temperature in the Himalayan region is pretty low and snowfall is a common occurrence in the winter months. The monsoon season is the longest in India and it has a deep impact on India’s geographical, socio-economic, and climatic conditions. In the summer months, due to high temperatures, a low-pressure region is created in north-west India. For this region, the south-east trade wind starts to flow from the ocean towards the land, and for this reason, this wind is full of moisture. The monsoon wind has two main branches, which are the south-west monsoon branch and the north-east monsoon branch. This south-west branch of the monsoon is divided into two classes, which are the Bay of Bengal branch and the Arabian Sea branch. The Arabian Sea branch of the monsoon wind first gets obstructed at the coast of Kerala, and the first rainfall in India takes place. Then it flows over Mumbai, one of its small branches gets obstructed in the Aravalli branch, and a small amount of rainfall occurs in the eastern part of Rajasthan. The Bay of Bengal branch of the monsoon gets obstructed in the Himalayas and a heavy amount of rainfall occurs in the north-east and eastern parts of India. In the monsoon season, north-east India receives the maximum amount of rainfall, and by the end of August, the south-west monsoon has lost most of its strength. This season is the most productive season on earth and it is the longest monsoon period. In winter, the temperature rapidly falls in the northern part of India, but the temperature of the coastal areas is still relatively high. For this region, a high-pressure region is created in northern India and a low-pressure region is created in the coastal area. For this reason, the wind blows from northern India towards South India during this time, and when it flows over the Bay of Bengal, it acquires moisture when it gets obstructed at the Coromandel coast. In this way, the Coromandel coast receives rainfall twice a year. This monsoon is also known as the North-east monsoon or retreating monsoon. Also, in the winter season, northern parts of India receive a scanty amount of rainfall due to western disturbances. In this season, temperatures drop rapidly, and snowfall occurs in the mountain regions.

Types of crop seasons in India

There are three major crop seasons in India. These three crop seasons are Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid. The Kharif crop season starts in the monsoon period, especially in June, and ends mostly in October. The Rabi season refers to the cropping season in winter. The Zaid season, also known as the summer cropping season, indicates the cultivation period between March and June.

Conclusion

Though India witnesses a diverse range of seasons, most of the regions of the country have a tropical climate, or in simpler terms, the climate is warm and humid. The monsoon is a very important aspect of the seasons in India. It also has a significant impact on the economy and the lives of millions of Indians. For all these reasons, the aspirants must have a clear concept of the seasons in India.