Editing Climate of India (section)

==Regions==
{| align="right"
|-
| style="vertical-align:top;"| [[File:India average annual temperature map en.svg|thumb|upright|alt="India Average Temperature Map": A map of India overlaid with five zones. A violet zone, with ambient temperatures averaging less than 20.0 degrees Celsius, envelops Himalayan and trans-Himalayan India, as well as the Khasi Hills on the Meghalaya Plateau. A transitionary blue zone of between 20.0 and 22.5 degrees, lies just south of the violet areas; another blue area lies in the extreme southwest of the country, focused on the high Western Ghats. Two contiguous green areas (averaging 22.5 to 25.0 degrees) envelop the blue regions, with the northern one snaking into the Vindhya Range of central India. The remaining yellow and red areas, designating average temperatures above 25.0 degrees Celsius, constitute by far the greater part of the country.|Average annual temperatures across India:
{| cellspacing="0" align="center" style="background:#F9F9F9; font-size:100%; width:100%; %border:1pxblack;"
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| {{legend|#C6A0F3|< 20.0&nbsp;°C}}|| (< 68.0&nbsp;°F)
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| {{legend|#80B3F3|20.0–22.5&nbsp;°C}}|| (68.0–72.5&nbsp;°F)
|-
| {{legend|#CDDE7B|22.5–25.0&nbsp;°C}}|| (72.5–77.0&nbsp;°F)
|-
| {{legend|#FFF2B3|25.0–27.5&nbsp;°C}}|| (77.0–81.5&nbsp;°F)
|-
| {{legend|#DE877B|> 27.5&nbsp;°C}}|| (> 81.5&nbsp;°F)
|}]]
| style="vertical-align:top;"|
|}[[File:Koppen-Geiger_Map_v2_IND_1991–2020.svg|thumb|370px|right|India's [[Köppen climate classification]] map<ref name="Peel">{{cite journal | author1=Peel, M. C. | author2=Finlayson B. L. | author3=McMahon, T. A. | name-list-style=amp | year=2007 | title=Updated world map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification | journal=Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume=11 | issue=5 | pages=1633–1644 | doi=10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 | url=http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.html | issn=1027-5606 | doi-access=free | bibcode=2007HESS...11.1633P | access-date=2 October 2015 | archive-date=10 February 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210144308/http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.html | url-status=live }} ''(direct: [http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf Final Revised Paper] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203170339/http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf |date=3 February 2012 }})''</ref> is based on temperature, precipitation and their seasonality.
]]

India is home to an extraordinary variety of climatic regions, ranging from tropical in the south to temperate and alpine in the Himalayan north, where elevated regions receive sustained winter snowfall. The nation's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert.{{Sfn|Chang|1967}} The Himalayas, along with the [[Hindu Kush]] mountains in Pakistan, prevent cold Central Asian katabatic winds from blowing in, keeping the bulk of the Indian subcontinent warmer than most locations at similar [[latitude]]s.{{Sfn|Posey|1994|p=118}} Simultaneously, the Thar Desert plays a role in attracting moisture-laden south-west monsoon winds between June and October, which provide the majority of India's rainfall.{{Sfn|Chang|1967}}{{Sfn|NCERT|p=28}} Four major climatic groupings predominate, into which fall the seven climatic zones, that as designated by experts, are defined on the basis of such traits as temperature and precipitation.{{Sfn|Heitzman|Worden|1996|p=97}} Groupings are assigned codes (see chart) according to the Köppen climate classification system.

===Tropical===
A tropical rainy climate governs regions experiencing persistent warm or high temperatures, which normally do not fall below {{Convert|18|°C|°F|0|abbr=out}}. India predominantly hosts two climatic subtypes that fall into this group: [[tropical monsoon climate]] and [[tropical savanna climate]].

The most humid is the tropical wet climate—also known as the [[tropical monsoon climate]]—that covers a strip of southwestern lowlands abutting the [[Malabar Coast]], the [[Western Ghats]], and southern [[Assam]]. India's two island territories, [[Lakshadweep]] and the [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]], are also subject to this climate. Characterised by moderate to high year-round temperatures, even in the foothills, its rainfall is seasonal but heavy—typically above {{Convert|2000|mm|in|0|abbr=off}} per year.{{Sfn|Chouhan|1992|p=7}} Most rainfall occurs between May and November; this moisture is enough to sustain lush forests, swampy areas and other vegetation for the rest of the mainly dry year. December to March are the driest months, when days with precipitation are rare. The heavy monsoon rains are responsible for the exceptional biodiversity of tropical wet forests in parts of these regions.

In India a [[tropical savanna climate]] is more common. Noticeably drier than areas with a tropical monsoon type of climate, it prevails over most of inland peninsular India except for a semi arid [[rain shadow]] east of the Western Ghats. Winter and early summer are long and dry periods with temperatures averaging above {{Convert|18|°C|°F|0}}. Summer is exceedingly hot; temperatures in low-lying areas may exceed {{Convert|50|°C|°F|0}} during May, leading to heat waves that can each kill hundreds of Indians.{{Sfn|Farooq|2002}} The rainy season lasts from June to September; annual rainfall averages between {{Convert|750|and|1500|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} across the region. Once the dry northeast monsoon begins in September, most significant precipitation in India falls on [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Puducherry (city)|Puducherry]] leaving other states comparatively dry.

The [[Ganges Delta]] lies mostly in the tropical wet climate zone: it receives between {{Convert|1500|and|2000|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} of rainfall each year in the western part, and {{Convert|2000|and|3000|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} in the eastern part. The coolest month of the year, on average, is January; April and May are the warmest months. Average temperatures in January range from {{Convert|14|to|25|°C|°F|0|abbr=on}}, and average temperatures in April range from {{Convert|25|to|35|°C|°F|0|abbr=on}}. July is on average the coldest and wettest month: over {{Convert|330|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} of rain falls on the delta<!-- (temperature averages from Kolkata) -->.{{Sfn|Healy}}

Additionally, [[Nicobar Islands rain forests]] experience a [[Tropical rainforest climate]].<ref>{{WWF ecoregion|name=Nicobar Islands rain forests|id=im0133}}</ref> 

===Arid and semi-arid regions=== 
[[arid climate|Arid]] and [[semi-arid]] climate dominates regions where the rate of moisture loss through [[evapotranspiration]] exceeds that from precipitation;

A semi-arid steppe climate ([[Semi-arid climate#Hot semi-arid climates|hot semi-arid climate]]) predominates over a long stretch of land south of Tropic of Cancer and east of the [[Western Ghats]] and the [[Cardamom Hills]]. The region, which includes [[Karnataka]], inland [[Tamil Nadu]], western [[Andhra Pradesh]], and central [[Maharashtra]], gets between {{Convert|400|and|750|mm|1}} annually. It is drought-prone, as it tends to have less reliable rainfall due to sporadic lateness or failure of the southwest monsoon.{{Sfn|Caviedes|2001|p=124}} Karnataka is divided into three zones—coastal, north interior and south interior. Of these, the coastal zone receives the most precipitation, averaging {{convert|3,638.5|mm|in|1|adj=ri0|abbr=on}} per annum, far in excess of the state average of {{convert|1139|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}. In contrast to norm, [[Agumbe]] in the Shivamogga district receives the second highest annual rainfall in India. North of the [[Krishna River]], the summer monsoon is responsible for most rainfall; to the south, significant post-monsoon rainfall also occurs in October and November. In December, the coldest month, temperatures still average around {{Convert|20|–|24|C|F}}. The months between March and May are hot and dry; mean monthly temperatures hover around {{convert|32|C|F|0|abbr=on}}, with {{Convert|320|mm|in|1}} precipitation. Hence, without artificial irrigation, this region is not suitable for permanent agriculture.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

[[File:Thar Desert Sunset Rajasthan India.jpg|thumb|upright|left|alt=View of dunes at sunset. The setting sun hangs low and dim in a sky graded from fiery orange at top to maroon near the horizon. Terrestrial features are difficult to discern in the crepuscular illumination.|The [[Thar Desert]]]]

Most of western [[Rajasthan]] experiences an arid climatic regime ([[Desert climate#Hot desert climates|hot desert climate]]). [[Cloudburst]]s are responsible for virtually all of the region's annual precipitation, which totals less than {{Convert|300|mm|in|1}}. Such bursts happen when monsoon winds sweep into the region during July, August, and September. Such rainfall is highly erratic; regions experiencing rainfall one year may not see precipitation for the next couple of years or so. Atmospheric moisture is largely prevented from precipitating due to continuous [[vertical draft|downdrafts]] and other factors.{{Sfn|Singhvi|Kar|2004}} The summer months of May and June are exceptionally hot; mean monthly temperatures in the region hover around {{Convert|35|°C|°F|0}}, with daily maxima occasionally topping {{Convert|50|°C|°F|0}}. During winters, temperatures in some areas can drop below freezing due to waves of cold air from Central Asia. There is a large diurnal range of about {{Convert|14|C-change|F-change|0}} during summer; this widens by several degrees during winter. There is a small desert area in the south near [[Adoni]] in Andhra Pradesh, the only desert in [[South India]], experiencing maximum temperatures of {{convert|47|C|F|0}} in summers and {{convert|18|C|F|0}} in winters.{{fact|date=November 2024}}
[[File:Dust Strom in India.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Dust storm in the [[Thar Desert]]]]

To the west, in [[Gujarat]], diverse climate conditions prevail. The winters are mild, pleasant, and dry with average daytime temperatures around {{convert|29|C|F|0|abbr=on}} and nights around {{convert|12|C|F|0|abbr=on}} with virtually full sun and clear nights. Summers are hot and dry with daytime temperatures around {{convert|41|C|F|0|abbr=on}} and nights no lower than {{convert|29|C|F|0|abbr=on}}. In the weeks before the monsoon temperatures are similar to the above, but high humidity makes the air more uncomfortable. Relief comes with the monsoon. Temperatures are around {{convert|35|C|F|0|abbr=on}} but humidity is very high; nights are around {{convert|27|C|F|0|abbr=on}}. Most of the rainfall occurs in this season, and the rain can cause severe floods. The sun is often occluded during the monsoon season.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

East of the [[Thar Desert]], the [[Punjab]]–[[Haryana]]–[[Kathiawar]] region experiences a tropical and sub-tropical steppe climate. Haryana's climate resembles other states of the northern plains: extreme summer heat of up to {{convert|50|C|F|0|abbr=on}} and winter cold as low as {{convert|1|C|F|0|abbr=on}}. May and June are hottest; December and January are coldest. Rainfall is varied, with the [[Sivalik Hills|Shivalik Hills]] region being the wettest and the [[Aravalli Range|Aravalli Hills]] region being the driest. About 80 percent of the rainfall occurs in the monsoon season of July–September, which can cause flooding. The Punjabi climate is also governed by extremes of hot and cold. Areas near the [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] foothills receive heavy rainfall whereas those eloigned from them are hot and dry. Punjab's three-season climate sees summer months that span from mid-April to the end of June. Temperatures in Punjab typically range from {{convert|-2|to(-)|40|C|F|0|abbr=on}}, but can reach {{convert|47|C|F|0|abbr=on}} in summer and fall to {{convert|-4|C|F|0|abbr=on}} in winter (while most of the nation does not experience temperatures below {{convert|10|C|F|0|abbr=on}} even in winter). The zone, a transitional climatic region separating tropical desert from humid sub-tropical savanna and forests, experiences temperatures that are less extreme than those of the desert. Although the average annual rainfall is {{Convert|300|–|650|mm|in|1}}, it is very unreliable; like in much of the rest of India, the southwest monsoon accounts for most precipitation. Summer daily maxima are around {{Convert|40|°C|°F|0}}. All this results in a natural vegetation typically comprising short, coarse grasses.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

===Subtropical humid===
Most of Northeast India and much of North India are subject to a [[humid subtropical climate]] and a [[oceanic climate|subtropical highland climate]]. Though they experience warm to hot summers, temperatures during the coldest months generally fall as low as {{Convert|0|°C|°F|0}}. Due to ample monsoon rains, India has two subtropical climate subtypes under the [[Köppen climate classification|Köppen system: ''Cwa'' and ''Cwb''.]]{{Sfn|Kimmel|2000}} In most of this region, there is very little precipitation during the winter, owing to powerful anticyclonic and [[Katabatic wind|katabatic]] (downward-flowing) winds from Central Asia.

Humid subtropical regions are subject to pronounced dry winters. Winter rainfall—and occasionally snowfall—is associated with large storm systems such as "Nor'westers" and "[[Western disturbances]]"; the latter are steered by [[westerlies]] towards the Himalayas.{{Sfn|Das et al.|2002}} Most summer rainfall occurs during powerful thunderstorms associated with the southwest summer monsoon; occasional [[tropical cyclones]] also contribute. Annual rainfall ranges from less than {{Convert|1000|mm|in|0}} in the west to over {{Convert|2500|mm|in|0}} in parts of the northeast. As most of this region is far from the ocean, the wide temperature swings more characteristic of a [[continental climate]] predominate; the swings are wider than in those in tropical wet regions, ranging from {{Convert|24|°C|°F|0}} in north-central India to {{Convert|27|°C|°F|0}} in the east.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

===Mountain===
[[File:Pangong Tso lake.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Daytime view of a large body of water standing before a prominent peak, which communicates with several others partly out of view and behind. A gravel beach at the far end of the lake gives way to steep slopes leading up to the peaks; The mountains lack trees. Patchy snowcover defines their recesses, and whitish vein-like streaks extend up from the base of the largest.|[[Pangong Tso|Pangong Lake]] in [[Ladakh]], an [[arid]] montane region lying deep within the Himalayas.]]

India's northernmost areas are subject to a montane, or alpine, climate. In the Himalayas, the rate at which an air mass's temperature falls per kilometre (3,281&nbsp;ft) of altitude gained (the [[lapse rate|dry adiabatic lapse rate]]) is 9.8&nbsp;°C/km.{{Sfn|Carpenter|2005}} In terms of [[environmental lapse rate]], ambient temperatures fall by {{Convert|6.5|C-change|1}} for every {{Convert|1000|m|ft|0}} rise in altitude. Thus, climates ranging from nearly tropical in the foothills to tundra above the [[snow line]] can coexist within several hundred metres of each other. Sharp temperature contrasts between sunny and shady slopes, high diurnal temperature variability, temperature inversions, and altitude-dependent variability in rainfall are also common.

The northern side of the western Himalayas, also known as the trans-Himalayan belt, has a [[Desert climate#Cold desert climates|cold desert climate]]. It is a region of barren, arid, frigid  and wind-blown wastelands. Areas south of the Himalayas are largely protected from cold winter winds coming in from the Asian interior. The leeward side (northern face) of the mountains receives less rain.

The southern slopes of the western Himalayas, well-exposed to the monsoon, get heavy rainfall.  Areas situated at elevations of 1,070–2,290 metres (3,510–7,510&nbsp;ft) receive the heaviest rainfall, which decreases rapidly at elevations above {{Convert|2290|m|ft|0}}. Most precipitation occurs as snowfall during the late winter and spring months. The Himalayas experience their heaviest snowfall between December and February and at elevations above {{Convert|1500|m|ft|0}}. Snowfall increases with elevation by up to several dozen millimetres per 100&nbsp;metre (~2&nbsp;in; 330&nbsp;ft) increase. Elevations above {{Convert|6000|m|ft|0}} never experience rain; all precipitation falls as snow.{{Sfn|Singh|Kumar|1997}}

[[File:Fort Bandhavgarh National Park Madhya Pradesh India.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Daytime view of a small marshy lake surrounded by dry brush in winter. Behind the lake in the far-middle distance, a large stand of trees interposes itself in front of a lone massif in the far distance. The sun is out of view to the left.|A winter scene in [[Bandhavgarh National Park]], Madhya Pradesh.]]