Climate

• Karnataka has tropical monsoon climate. The main characteriatics of this climate are hot and moist summers and cool and dry winters. But there is diversity in the climate of this state. The main reason for this diversity are the influence of geographical location, oceans, physical features, vegetation and monsoon winds. Hence the annual temperature and distrubution of rain are not the same all over the state.

Climatic seasons

1. Summer season

2. Rainy season

3. Retreating monsoons

4. winter season

Summer season

• During this season, it is very hot, dry and sultry. March, the temperature rises uniformly all over the state and reaches the maximum during April and May.

• Raichur has recorded the temperature of 45.6 degree Celsius and it is the hottest place in Karnataka.

• The temperature is high even in the other districts of the northern maidan. In general, the whole of Karnataka experiences hot climatic conditions during this time.

• The humidity is lower in the Northern maidan than in the Southern maidan. In summer, due to great evaporation , rain -bearing clouds are produced and they bring conventional rain along with lightning and thunder. The Hailstones fall in some places.

• This generally takes place for a short time during the afternoon. Since these showers enable the flowering of coffee plants, they are called ‘cherry blossoms’ , and since they help the mango crops they are called ‘mango showers’

• About 70% of the annual rainfall of the state occur during this season.

Rainy season

• This is known as the season of south-west Monsoon winds.

• The Western ghats check the moisture-laden winds blowing from the Arabian sea, resulting in heavy rain.

• As it moves Eastward, the amount of rainfall gets reduces. This is because, the Eastern maidan is in the rain-shadow area. Agumbe is an area of heavy rainfall. Hence it is called ‘Cheerapunji of South India’ . Bhagamandala and Hulikal are the other places of heavy rainfall. Nayakna Hatti near Chellakere in Chitradurga records the lowest rainfall.

Retreating Monsoon

• This is also called the North-East Monsoon Season. Due to the decrease in temperature and increase in pressure, the winds blow from the North-east to the south-west . These winds are dry because they blow from the land.

• The winds which blow from the Bay-of-bengal bring little rain to the districts of the Southern maidan. Besides due to the cyclones coming from the Bay-of-bengal during November - december, rainfall occurs. During this season, the state receives about 12% of the rainfall.

• In this peroid , the weather condition are uncertain.

winter season

During this season , temperature, humidity and rainfall are low. The sky is clear. The average temperature is between 25 degree and 27 degree celcius. January is the month which records the lowest temperature.

This is called ‘the tourist month of the state’ . The minimum temperature recorded in Belagavi is 6.7 degree celcius.

• There is low temperature in other Northern districts

• rainfall during winter is minimum.

• Only one percent of the total rainfall is received during this time. There is heavy fog occasionally early in the mornings.