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| :: GENERAL
- INDIAN WEATHER |
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India is a country of vast physical
distances. There are mountains to the north, flat plains
at the centre and a humid, coastal belt to the south.
The climate is dictated by its geography.
The country does not enjoy a uniform temperature at
any given point. While the plains reel under the heat,
the people at the foothills of the Himalayas, wait
for the snow to melt on the high passes. India has
three definite seasons -- summer, monsoon and winter.
Although in some cases, there is hardly ever any winter
as in Mumbai, others like Ladakh hardly have a summer
to speak of.
The best time to travel varies depending on the region
you wish to visit. |
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| Summer |
| From the end
of February, the northern plains of India start to
warm up and by mid-April the heat soars up incredibly,
often hitting the high forties.
In central India, temperatures range from 45°c and above. The weather
turns dry and a fine film of dust can be discerned in the air making
visibility hazy. In late May,
humidity is at its highest. This is the sign of an approaching monsoon
in the northeast and the southwest. The heat at this time of the
year is unbearable. It grabs you by the throat and drains you of
all energy.
This is the best time to visit the cooler hill-stations like the
Garhwals in the north and Sikkim in the east. The hills in the south
of India such as Kodaikanal, Munnar and Coorg are also quite bracing.
The snow is clears away from the passes by June at places like Ladakh
and Rohtang and the roads re-open for travel. |
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| Monsoon |
| The
rains have a dramatic emotional link with the Indians.
With 70 per cent of the population occupied with
farming, a lot of livelihoods depend on how well
the monsoon pours. Generally around the first week
of June, the monsoon clouds appear with the southwesterly
winds that advance to the north and slowly spread
to the rest
of India. The northern reaches of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh lie
in the rainshadow region and do not get as plastered by the torrent
as the northeast. Landslides are a common phenomenon in the Garhwal.
The deep south of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and the Andamans receive
rains in mid-October to the end of December. When it does not pour, the climate is hot and sticky. The sun shines
intermittently during this season. Incessant rain also leaves a trail
of destruction behind: homeless people, uprooted trees and disrupted
railway lines. Travel during this time can be a difficult experience. |
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| Winter |
Around October
the monsoon abates in most parts of India and temperatures
cool off, making this the best time to travel. The
countryside is green and lush, the air clear and
sharp. The Himalayas are clearly visible in the daylight.
The northern cities, including Delhi, Shimla and
Chandigarh become crisply cool at night in December
and January.
The far north remains icy cold but the snow makes skiing a pleasure
at places such as the Kullu Valley. Southern India never really gets
cold but the temperature turns comfortably warm. Around February,
the heat is back and cycle of seasons begins anew. |
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