Climate North India
The Indian climate is essentially sub-tropical, i.e. with a relatively high temperature scale and a marked alternation between wet and dry seasons. In northern India, winters are mild with cool nights, but it never freezes on the plains. Summer follows immediately afterwards, with sweltering heat and thermometers regularly topping 45°C in desert areas. The monsoon, a climatic phenomenon unique to India, arrives from June to September. Moist air masses from the south and the Indian Ocean are blocked by the Himalayan chain and pour their torrential rains onto the plains and lower Himalayas. This is followed by the more pleasant post-monsoon period. The rains stop, temperatures are pleasant, even in the northern Himalayas, and nature overflows with life, gorged with the rains of the previous months.
General presentation
North Indians will proudly tell you that their country, too, has four seasons, but they are different from ours: winter (temperate), summer (scorching), monsoon (torrential) and post-monsoon (pleasant). The length of the seasons differs between the high Himalayan mountains and the Indian plateau. The country is crossed by the Tropic of Cancer, which separates the tropical zones (to the south) from the subtropical zones (to the north). However, India's specific geographical situation, with the Himalayas forming a barrier to the north and east, means that almost the entire country has a tropical climate. This is characterized by periods of abundant rainfall and high average temperatures. The natural barrier formed by the Himalayas blocks cold winds from Central Asia in winter. Conversely, it prevents heat from escaping in summer. As a result, temperatures in northern India are higher than in other countries at the same latitude. The Köppen classification, which organizes the different climates according to their temperatures and rainfall, lists 4 different climates in India: a savannah climate with dry winters over a large part of the north, a semi-arid steppe climate that is dry and hot in the central part and in Gujarat, a dry and hot desert climate in the north-west in the Thar Desert, and a temperate climate with hot summers in the north. These climates also apply to the Himalayan zone, but with great variations in temperature due to altitude.
The Indian plateau in tune with the seasons
- Winter: the winter period is short, from December to February. Temperatures drop, but it never freezes. The day/night temperature range is 10°C to 15°C. At night, the thermometer doesn't fall below 5°C, while during the day it's between 15°C and 20°C. Days are sunny, with a few rainy days in late January/early February. On the whole, the climate is dry.
- Summer follows winter, with no real transition period. Temperatures soar in just a few dozen days. Summer lasts from March to June. From the end of March, the thermometer oscillates between 35°C and 42°C, sometimes even higher, during the day. At night, it rarely drops below 25°C. The record heat was recorded at 51°C in Phalodi, Rajasthan, on May 19, 2016.
- The monsoon: from June to September, huge quantities of water fall on the country. In May, winds reverse and air masses from the southern hemisphere are magnetized by a low-pressure system centered over Pakistan and Iran. They pick up moisture over the Indian Ocean and approach India from the southern tip. The wet wave climbs northeastwards before bending westwards along the Himalayas. Unable to break through the mountains, the clouds burst into heavy rain and completely inundate the foothills. Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat experience only a milder version of this phenomenon, due to their semi-desert climate. The monsoon is a climatic phenomenon peculiar to India.
- The post-monsoon period: from mid-September onwards, the rains become increasingly scarce. They give way to a pleasant off-season, with temperatures not exceeding 30°C. The undergrowth is carpeted with greenery, the grasses are tall and the crops are ripening in the sun. As the weeks go by, the humidity level falls.
The Himalayan peculiarity
The Indian Himalayas share the same climate as the rest of the country: subtropical and dry. The very high altitude of this mountain range means that its highest and most northerly regions experience long, very cold winters. The climate also varies between the western and eastern parts of the range. Rainfall is higher in the lower and middle areas than at very high altitudes. It is also higher in the east than in the west. This is due to the proximity of the Bay of Bengal to the eastern part of the range, with sea inlets that have only a few kilometers to travel before hitting the mountain foothills and dumping their rains. As a result, the Meghalaya, a tropical foothill area, has one of the highest rainfall rates on the planet. The average annual rainfall in Darjeeling (West Bengal) is 3,000 mm, compared with 1,530 mm in Shimla (Himachal Pradesh). As for Leh, the capital of Ladakh, in the very north of India, it only receives between 75 mm and 150 mm of rain per year. The clouds are blocked before they reach this high plateau area. The monsoon period also affects the Himalayan range, and during these months, rain or snow (depending on altitude) is a regular feature.
North India, when to go?
The best time to explore the lowlands (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Central India) is in winter, from November to February. Nights can be cool, with temperatures below 10°C, but days are pleasant and sunny. Rains are rare and mosquitoes hibernate. Summer is the best time to visit the lower Himalayas, and Indians are not mistaken: many come here in search of coolness. Shimla, Manali and Mussoorie are popular resorts from April to June. With the arrival of the monsoon, landslides are frequent and can cut off roads. The same applies to the eastern Himalayas, where the heat and humidity start to arrive in early March. Post-monsoon is certainly the mildest time to visit the lower Himalayas. There are fewer people and temperatures are very pleasant up to 3,000 metres. On the other hand, in Ladakh, the northernmost part of the Indian Himalayas, the period from May to September is more suitable. The monsoon doesn't reach there, and in winter, at altitudes of 5,000 metres or more, it gets very cold. The gusty winds, which can reach 160 km/h, only add to this feeling.
