KERALA PSC / PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY / CLIMATIC REGIONS OF EARTH / NOTES / OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

 

KERALA PSC / PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY / CLIMATIC REGIONS OF EARTH / NOTES / OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

KERALA PSC / PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY / CLIMATIC REGIONS OF EARTH / NOTES / OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Equatorial Rain Forest Climate

·      The equatorial region has the hot and wet climate between 5º and 10º north and south of the equator.

·      The great uniformity of temperature-throughout the year is the most outstanding characteristic of the equatorial climate

·      Cloudiness, heavy precipitation or rainfall, no winter and no dry season are other characteristic of the equatorial climate

·      Precipitation is heavy, between 150cm to 250cm and well distributed throughout the year

·      Abundant rainfall and high temperature throughout the year favour rich vegetation

·      Excessive heat and high humidity, prevalence of bacteria and insect or pests, dense forest, rapid deterioration of tropical soil due to leaching (soil erosion) by torrential rain etc… are factors affecting the development of equatorial regions.

 

Tropical Monsoon Climate

·      The Tropical Monsoon climate is well developed in Indian sub-continent, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, parts of Vietnam, South China and northern Australia

·      The tropical monsoon lands experiences on-shore we monsoon in the summer and off-shore dry monsoon in the winter

·      Generally, there are three distinct seasons in the tropical monsoon climate: The cool, dry season – October to February, The hot dry season – March to mid-June and the rainy season mid-June to September

·      When the North-East Monsoon passes over the Bay of Bengal it absorbs moisture and thus brings rain to the south-eastern tip of the Indian Peninsula

·      The hot dry season of the tropical monsoon climate have the characteristics of shifting heat, low relative humidity, no rain and frequent dust storms

·      The natural vegetation tropical monsoon lands are much affected by seasons. Trees are normally deciduous because of conspicuous dry period. They shed their leaves to face the drought.

·      Most of the tropical Monsoon forests produce valuable timber and durable hardwood. Teak, Sal, Eucalyptus, acacia etc… are the best known

·      Much of monsoon forest has been cleared for cultivation. Sugarcane, jute, hemp, cotton, tea, maize, wheat etc… are other important crops.

 

The Savanna/Sudan/Tropical Grassland Climate

·      This climate is found in the three southern continent, ie, Africa, South America and Australia

·      This type of climate has the feature of an alternate hot, rainy season and cool, dry season

·      In the northern hemisphere the hot, rainy season usually starts in May and continues upto September whereas in the southern hemisphere, this season is from October to March. The annual rainfall varies between 50 to 100cm and it is almost entirely concentrated in the summer

·      The temperature varies between 20ºC to 35ºC

·      The Sudan or Savanna climate is famous for tall grasses and short trees

 

The Tropical Desert Climate

·      Tropical Deserts are regions of excess heat and scanty rainfall.

·      This climate includes the great Sahara desert, the Great Australian Desert, Arabian Desert, Iranian Desert, Thar Desert, Kalahari and Namib Deserts. The Mohave and Mexican Desert of North America and the Atacama or Peruvian Desert have the same climatic conditions

·      There is no cold season in the tropical deserts and the average summer temperature is around 36º C. A dear, cloudless sky, intense insolation, dry air and rapid evaporation are some obvious reasons for high temperature

·      Days are very hot (45ºC) while nights are quite chill. Intense insolation in daytime and rapid radiation in the night due to cloudless sky are causes of variation of temperature

·      The predominant, vegetation of hot deserts is xerophytic or drought-resistant scrubs and bush.

 

The Mid-Latitude/Temperate Desert Climate

·      The Mid-Latitude Deserts are rainless regions because of their interior location in the temperature latitudes, well away from the rain-bearing winds

·      Summers are very hot (50ºC) and winters are extremely cold with two months below freezing point

·      The annual precipitation in summer is less than 10cm. Due to coldness and elevation, snow falls in winter

 

The Warm Temperature Western Margin/Mediterranean Climate

·      This climate is found between 30º to 45º latitudes in both the hemisphere on the western side of each continent

·      The most outstanding feature of this climate is the winter rain under the influence of on-shore Westerlies and a dry, warm summer. Summer is dry because trade winds blow off-shore

·      The mean annual rainfall is more than 60cm. Usually, the rain comes in heavy showers

·      Summer temperature ranges between 20º-27º, while winter temperature are 4º to 10ºC

·      The Mediterranean lands are noted for its orchard farming. A wide range of citrus fruits are grown, in which viticulture (grape farming) is predominant

 

The Warm Temperature Eastern Margin/China Type Climate

·      This climate is found on the eastern margins of continents in warm temperature latitudes, just outside the tropics

·      It is found in both the hemisphere between 20º to 45º latitudes

·      This climate is typified by a warm moist summer and cool, dry winter. The mean monthly temperature varies between to 13ºC to 27ºC, which is strongly modified by maritime influence

·      The warm eastern margin are the most productive parts of the middle latitudes due to adequate rainfall, no prolonged drought and warm enough cold season. Sericulture rice, tea, tobacco, coffee, maize, cotton etc are grown in farms

·      This climate experiences local cold winds

 

The Cool Temperature Western Margin/West European Climate

·      The Cool Temperature Western Margins of the continents are the regions of much cyclonic activity and has the permanent influence of Westerlies throughout the year

·      The mean annual temperature is usually between 5ºC to 15ºC while the annual range of temperature is less than 10ºC

·      Summers are never very warm in this climate while winters are milder than the similar latitude in the eastern margins of the continents

·      There is no dry season as the westerly winds blow from the ocean throughout the year. Rainfall is mostly of cyclonic origin

·      The natural vegetation of this type of climate is deciduous forest

 

The Temperate Continental/Steppe Climate

·      This climatic region is located in the interiors of the continents. It is the home of temperate grasslands, which have different names in different continents

·      The climate of the temperate grasslands is continental with extremes of temperature. Summers are warm with a temperature over 20ºC while winter months are very cold well below freezing point

·      Though, the temperate grasslands lie in the westerly wind belt, they are so remote from maritime influence that the grasslands are practically treeless.

 

The Cool Temperate Eastern Margin/Laurentian Climate

·      This climatic region is found on the eastern margins of continents between 40º to 65º latitudes of northern hemisphere. It is absent in the southern hemisphere

·      It has features of both the maritime and continental climates

·      The Laurentian type of climate has cold, dry winter and warm, wet summers. Winters temperatures may be well below freezing point while summers are as warm as the tropics (21ºC-27ºC)

·      The annual rainfall is 75 to 153cm. Winter is dry and cold because the winds are dry blowing from the interior

·      This climate has the mixed vegetation of cool temperature forest and coniferous forest

·      Agriculture is less important in view of the severity of the winter and its long duration

 

The Cool Temperate Continental/Siberian/Taiga Climate

·      This climate region is found in the northern hemisphere where the continents within the high latitude have a broad east-west spread

·      The Climate of the Taiga type is characterized by a bitterly cold winter of long duration and a cool brief summer

·      The annual precipitations ranges between 35 to 60cm

·      The natural vegetation’s are well adapted as per the climatic conditions. They are known as Taiga confers

·      The coniferous forest belts of Eurasia and North America are the richest sources of soft wood for use in building construction, paper and pulp, rayon and other branches of chemical industry

 

The Arctic or Polar/Tundra Climate

·      Winters are very much cool and long whereas summers are cool and brief. The warmest month temperature is below 10ºC

·      Precipitation is mainly in the form of snow in the winter and in the form of sleet and rain in summer

·      Only lowest form of vegetation like mosses, lichens and sedges are found

·      Mammals like the reindeers, wolves, foxes, muskox, Arctic hare and Lemmings, and amphibious like animal as seals and walruses live in tundra regions

 

Highland/Montane Climate

·      All the mountains and plateaus of the world above 1500 metre height comprise this type of climate

·      The windward slope of mountains receive heavy rainfall while the leeward sides are dry

·      In the northern hemisphere southern slopes of mountains are warmer

KERALA PSC / PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY / CLIMATIC REGIONS OF EARTH / NOTES / OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS / STUDY MATERIALS / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE