Climates of India Class 7 Notes Social Science Chapter 3

Students read RBSE Class 7 SST Notes Chapter 7 Climates of India Class 7 Notes before attending weekly tests.

Class 7 Climates of India Notes

Class 7 SST Chapter 7 Climates of India Notes

Class 7 SST Chapter 7 Notes – Climates of India Notes Class 7

→ Weather, Seasons and the Climate – Weather is the condition we experience daily, such as rain, bright sunshine, or wind. It is short-term. Climate is the pattern of weather an area or a region experiences over several decades. Seasons are related to both weather and climate.

→ Seasons and their importance – Seasons occur due to the Earth revolves around the Sun. There are four main seasons across most regions of the world-spring, summer, autumn and winter. In India, along with these four seasons, there is also a rainy season, and because the rainfall occurs at a specific time, the rainy season or monsoon holds special significance here.

→ Types of Climates in India – India is a land of diversity and so is the case with its climate-

1. Alpine climate in the Himalayan mountains
2. Temperate climate in the Hilly regions
3. Subtropical climate in the Northern Plains
4. Arid climate in the Thar Desert
5. Tropical wet climate in the Western Coastal Strip
6. Semi-arid climate in the Deccan Plateau
7. Tropical climate in Eastern India and the southern peninsula.

→ Factors Determining the Climate – The climate of a region is determined by several factors, including-

1. Latitude – Places near the Equator, that is, at low latitudes, are warmer, while those near the poles are colder.
2. Altitude – Temperature decreases with increasing altitude.
3. Proximity to the sea-Temperatures in coastal areas do not vary much.
4. Winds-Winds affect not only temperature, but also humidity, and in turn, precipitation.
5. Topography-Mountains, hills, valleys, slopes, coasts, etc influence the distribution of winds and rainfall.

→ The Monsoons – The monsoon season is central to life in India. During the summer, landmass heats up, creating a powerful low-pressure system that draws moisture-laden winds from the sea, resulting in rainfall. In winter, the winds reverse and blow from the land to the ocean. These are dry winds that bring cold weather to south India, but a part of them, passing over the Bay of Bengal, collect some moisture and bring rainfall to parts of east and south India. This is called the winter or northeast monsoon.

→ Climate and our Lives – Climate affects agriculture, food, clothing, festivals, culture, and livelihoods. The success or failure of the monsoon directly impacts agricultural production and the economic situation.
(i) Cyclones – Every year the Indian Coastline, especially the Eastern coast witness several cyclones. The Indian Meteorological Department keeps tracks of coming cyclones and provides information on the formation, evolution, place of landing etc. When the low pressure system is intense and the wind speeds are higher cyclones are formed.

(ii) Floods – A flood occurs when water overflows into normally dry land. Flood occurs frequently during the monsoon. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh are vulnerable Ip floods. In the Himalayan region floods occurs when glacier lakes overflow.

(iii) Landslides – A landslide is the sudden collapse of rock, soil or debris often triggered by heavy rain, earthquakes or volcanic activity. Landslides are common in hilly and mountainous regions such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the Western Ghats and hilly regions.

(iv) Forest fires – Forest fires are uncontrolled fires that spread rapidly across vegetation, often fuelled by dry climatic conditions, droughts or high winds. Forest fires are common in states with large forested or grassland areas such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh as well as mountain ranges such as the Western Ghats.

→ Climate Change – Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature, precipitation, and weather events. In recent times, climate change has been largely driven by human activities, leading to rising temperatures and more severe natural disasters.