GENERAL

CLIMATE

[The section on Climate is contributed by the Meteorological Department of the Government of India, Pune]

The climate of this district is characterised by a hot summer and general dryness throughout the year except during the south-west monsoon season. The year may be divided into four seasons. The period from about the middle of November to the end of February constitutes the winter season. The summer season extends from March to June. This is followed by the south-west monsoon season which extends upto the end of September. October and November constitute the post-monsoon season.

Rainfall. Records of rainfall in the district arc available for eleven stations for periods ranging from 67 to 100 years. The details of the rainfall at these stations and for the district as a whole are given in Tables 1 and 2. The average annual rainfall of the district is 846.5 mm (33.33"). The rainfall generally increases from the north-west towards the south-east in the district and varies from 767.3 mm. (30.21") at Telhara near the north-western border of the district to 926.8 mm. (36.49") at Washim near the south-eastern border of the district. The rainfall during the monsoon months constitutes about 85 per cent of the annual rainfall, July being the rainiest month. During the fifty year period, 1901 to 1950, the highest annual rainfall amounting to 150 per cent of the normal occurred in 1949, while the lowest annual rainfall which was only 45 per cent of the normal occurred in 1920. In the same fifty year period the annual rainfall in the district was less than 80 per cent of the normal in ten years, two of them being consecutive. Considering the rainfall at the individual stations, it is seen that two consecutive years of such low rainfall occurred once or twice at nine out of the eleven stations and for three consecutive years, once each at Patur, Shirpur and Murtizapur.

It will be seen from Table No. 2 that the annual rainfall in the district was between 600 and 1,100 mm. (23.62" and 43.34") in 42 years out of fifty.

On an average there are 48 rainy days (i. e. days with rainfall of 2.5 mm. or more) in a year in the district. This number varies from 42 at Balapur to 52 at Washim, Shirpur and Karanja.

The heaviest rainfall recorded in 24 hours at any station in the district was 355.6 mm. (14.00") at Washim on 26th June 1914.

Temperature: There is a meteorological observatory in the district at Akola, and the data from this observatory may be taken as representative of the meteorological conditions obtained in the district in general. Temperature rises rapidly after February till May which is the hottest month of the year. In May, the mean daily maximum temperature at Akola is 42.4° C. (108.3° F) and the mean daily minimum temperature is 27.5° C (81.5° F). The heat in the summer season is intense during the day and the nights are comparatively tolerable. During the period from April to June, on individual days, the day temperature rises upto about 46" or 47° C (114.8 or 116.6° F). The afternoon heat is sometimes relieved by thunder showers. With the arrival of the south-west monsoon in the district by about mid-June there is an appreciable drop in the day temperature and the weather becomes pleasant. After the withdrawal of the monsoon the day temperature increases gradually and a secondary maximum in day temperature is reached in October. However, night temperature decreases progressively after September. Both day and night temperatures decrease rapidly from October till December which is the coldest month in the year. The mean daily maximum temperature during this month is 29.3° C (84.7° F) and the mean daily minimum temperature is 11.9° C (53.4° F). In the rear of the western disturbances which move across north India in the winter months, cold waves affect the district at times and night temperatures may go down to about 2 to 4° C (35.6 to 39.2" F).

The highest maximum temperature recorded at Akola was 47.8° C (118.0° F) on May 22, 1947. The lowest minimum temperature was 2.2° C (36.0° F) on February 9, 1887.

Humidity. Except during the south-west monsoon season when the humidity is between 60 to 80 per cent, the air is generally dry over the district. The summer months are the driest when the relative humidity is even less than 20 per cent in the afternoons on many days.

Cloudiness. The skies are heavily clouded to overcast during the south-west monsoon season. In the latter half of the summer season and the post-monsoon season there is moderate cloudiness particularly in the afternoons. In the rest of the year clear or lightly clouded skies generally prevail.

Winds. Winds are generally light with some strengthening in speed in the latter part of the not season and in the early part of the monsoon season. The winds are mostly from the northeast or the east during the post-monsoon and early cold weather seasons. By February, winds become westerly to northwesterly and continue to be so till June. In the south-west monsoon season, winds, from directions between. south-west and north-west are most common.

Special weather phenomena. In association with monsoon depressions which originate in the Bay of Bengal and move from west to north-westwards through the central parts of the country, the district experiences strong winds and widespread heavy rain. Thunderstorms occur in all the months of the year, their frequency being the least during the months of December and January and highest during the months of June, July and September. Less frequently, storms and depressions of post-monsoon months (October and November) also affect the weather over the district.

Table Nos, 3, 4 and 5 below give the temperature and humidity, mean wind speed and frequency of special weather phenomena, respectively, at Akola.

TABLE No. 1

 Normals and Extremes of Rainfall, Akola District

TABLE NO. 1—contd.

TABLE No. 1—contd.

Normals and Extremes of Rainfall, Akola District

TABLE No. 1— contd.

(a) Normal rainfall, in millimetres and (b) average number of rainy days (days with rain of 2.5 mm or more). *Based on all available data upto 1959 (** Years are given in brackets)

TABLE No. 2

Frequency of Annual Rainfall, Akola District

(Data 1901-1950)

TABLE No. 3

Normals of Temperature and Relative Humidity

(AKOLA)

*Hours I. S. T.

TABLE No. 4

 Mean Wind Speed in Kilometres per Hour (AKOLA)

TABLE No. 5

Special Weather Phenomena

(AKOLA)

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