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GENERAL
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CLIMATE
[The section on 'Climate' is contributed by the Meteorological
Department of the Government of India, Poona.]
Seasons
The climate of this district is on the whole dry except in the
south-west monsoon season. The year may be divided into four
seasons. The cold season from December to February is followed by
the hot season from March to May. The period from June to
September is the south-west monsoon season while October and
November constitute the post-monsoon season.
Rainfall
The district has eight rain-gauge stations. While the rainfall
records at Bhir extend to about 85 years, those at the other seven
stations are available for a short period only, ranging from 8 to
17
years. Table 1 gives the rainfall at these stations and the
average for the district. The average annual rainfall for the
district is 750.1 mm. (29.53"). The rainfall in the district
increases from the west to the east, varying from 665.3 mm.
(26.19") at Ashti near the western border to 850.6 mm (33.49") at
Mominabad near the eastern border. About 80 per cent of the annual
rainfall is received in the south-west monsoon period. September
is the rainiest month. The variation in the rainfall from year to
year is fairly large. Taking the rainfall at Bhir, for example, in
the fifty-year period from 1901—1950, the highest annual rainfall
which was 182 per cent of the normal occurred in 1916. The lowest
annual rainfall was in 1912 when it amounted to only 28 per cent
of the normal. In the same fifty-year period there were as many as
17 years when the annual rainfall was less than 80 per cent of the
normal. Of these, two consecutive years of such low rainfall
occurred on five occasions and three consecutive years once.
On an average there are 41 rainy days (i.e., days with rainfall of
2.5 mm—10 cents—or more) in a year. This number varies from 39 at
Roti to 45 at Chausala.
The heaviest rainfall recorded in 24 hours at any station in the
district was 250.0 mm (10.00") at Mominabad on 24th June, 1951.
TABLE NO. 1
NORMALS AND EXTREMES OF RAINFALL
|
Station
|
Number of years
of data
|
January
|
February
|
March
|
April
|
May
|
June
|
July
|
August
|
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
(8) |
(9) |
(10) |
|
Bhir |
59 |
a 5.8 |
4.8 |
5.6 |
8.1 |
16.0 |
114.8 |
132.6 |
114.8 |
|
|
|
b 0.2 |
0.2 |
.04 |
.06 |
1.4 |
6.9 |
9.6 |
8.7 |
|
Chusala |
17 |
a 1.3 |
3.8 |
5.6 |
5.1 |
26.4 |
109.5 |
148.6 |
115.6 |
|
|
|
b 0.2 |
0.2 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
1.9 |
8.1 |
9.4 |
8.0 |
|
Mominabad |
9 |
a 0.0 |
2.8 |
4.1 |
15.7 |
21.1 |
127.5 |
212.3 |
195.8 |
|
|
|
b 0.0 |
0.2 |
0.4 |
0.9 |
1.0 |
5.6 |
11.3 |
10.8 |
|
Roti |
12 |
a 5.1 |
2.0 |
0.5 |
5.8 |
18.3 |
115.8 |
135.6 |
118.4 |
|
|
|
b 0.3 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
0.5 |
1.5 |
6.7 |
7.7 |
6.8 |
|
Georai |
10 |
a 0.5 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
5.6 |
23.1 |
145.3 |
222.5 |
170.4 |
|
|
|
b 0.1 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.4 |
1.0 |
7.0 |
10.7 |
8.8 |
|
Patoda |
10 |
a 0.0 |
2.8 |
6.9 |
4.8 |
34.5 |
100.3 |
175.3 |
131.3 |
|
|
|
b 0.0 |
0.1 |
0.7 |
0.5 |
1.7 |
7.0 |
9.9 |
8.4 |
|
Manjlegaon |
10 |
a 3.3 |
1.3 |
1.5 |
10.2 |
12.7 |
118.4 |
222.8 |
201.9 |
|
|
|
b 0.2 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
6.5 |
11.2 |
10.7 |
|
Ashti |
8 |
a 0.0 |
1.8 |
2.8 |
5.1 |
27.2 |
112.5 |
143.5 |
97.0 |
|
|
|
b 0.0 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
1.9 |
7.5 |
8.4 |
8.6 |
|
Bhir (District) |
-- |
a 2.0 |
2.4 |
3.4 |
7.5 |
22.4 |
118.0 |
174.1 |
143.1 |
|
|
|
b 0.1 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
1.4 |
6.9 |
9.8 |
8.9 |
(a) Normal rainfall in mm.
(b) Average number of rainy days (days with rain of 2. 5 mm. or
more).
* Based on all available data up to 1959.
** Years given in brackets.
TABLE NO. 1 Continued
NORMALS AND EXTREMES OF RAINFALL
|
Station
|
Number of years
of data
|
September |
Oct-ober |
Nov-ember |
Dec-ember |
Annual |
Highest annual
rainfall as percent-age of normal year** |
Lowest annual
rainfall as percent-age of normal year** |
Heaviest rainfall
in 24 hours |
|
Amount (mm) |
Date
|
|
(1) |
(11) |
(12) |
(13) |
(14) |
(15) |
(16) |
(17) |
(18) |
(19) |
(20) |
|
Bhir |
59 |
a 199.9 |
53.6 |
32.5 |
7.6 |
696.1 |
179
(1916) |
28
(1912) |
191.8 |
1887 August 17 |
|
|
|
b 8.5 |
3.6 |
1.4 |
0.2 |
41.7 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Chusala |
17 |
a 178.3 |
70.4 |
29.5 |
5.8 |
699.9 |
149
(1956) |
67
(1952) |
134.6 |
1951 July 16 |
|
|
|
b 8.9 |
4.5 |
2.1 |
0.2 |
44.7 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Mominabad |
9 |
a 208.8 |
50.3 |
12.2 |
0.0 |
850.6 |
140
(1956) |
60
(1952) |
254.0 |
1951 June 24 |
|
|
|
b 10.1 |
3.2 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
44.5 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Roti |
12 |
a 204.2 |
89.1 |
25.4 |
3.3 |
723.8 |
122
(1949) |
63
(1952) |
173.5 |
1947 August 13 |
|
|
|
b 9.0 |
4.3 |
1.4 |
0.2 |
38.2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Georai |
10 |
a 158.0 |
56.1 |
22.9 |
2.3 |
806.7 |
127
(1956) |
64
(1952) |
105.4 |
1950 September 8 |
|
|
|
b 7.3 |
3.0 |
1.0 |
0.2 |
39.2 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Patoda |
10 |
a 196.0 |
74.7 |
19.6 |
5.1 |
731.3 |
142
(1956) |
59
(1951) |
116.8 |
1954 September 1 |
|
|
|
b 7.7 |
3.6 |
0.8 |
0.2 |
40.6 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Manjlegaon |
10 |
a 191.3 |
46.2 |
18.3 |
0.0 |
828.7 |
113
(1957) |
53
(1952) |
146.8 |
1957 July 28 |
|
|
|
b 8.7 |
3.0 |
1.0 |
0.1 |
43.3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Ashti |
8 |
a 165.9 |
87.4 |
14.2 |
7.9 |
665.3 |
134
(1956) |
65
(1952) |
100.3 |
1956 July 19 |
|
|
|
b 7.4 |
4.0 |
1.9 |
0.3 |
41.1 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Bhir (District) |
-- |
a 185.3 |
66.0 |
21.8 |
4.1 |
750.1 |
167
(1961) |
26
(1912) |
-- |
-- |
|
|
|
b 8.5 |
3.7 |
1.3 |
0.2 |
41.9 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
(a) Normal rainfall in mm.
(b) Average number of rainy days (days with rain of 2. 5 mm. or
more).
* Based on all available data up to 1959.
** Years given in brackets.
Temperature
The only meteorological observatory in the district which is at
Bhir began functioning only recently. The description of the
temperature and ether meteorological conditions in the district
which follows is based on the records at the meteorological
observatories in the neighbouring districts and the meagre records
for Bhir. The cold weather commences towards the end of November
when temperatures begin to fall. December is the coldest month,
with the mean daily minimum temperature at about 12°C (53.6°F) and
the mean daily maximum at about 29°C (84.2°F). In the cold season
the district is sometimes affected by cold waves in association
with the passage eastwards of western disturbances across north
India. On such occasions the minimum temperatures may drop to
about 3°C or 4°C (37.4° or 39.2°F). Although on an average the
temperatures in January and February are slightly higher than in
December, the rapid rise in temperatures starts only by about the
beginning of March. May is the hottest month with the mean daily
maximum temperature at about 42°C (107.6°F). On individual days
the day temperature may be as high as 460C (114.8°F). With the
advance of the south-west monsoon into the district by about the
second week of June the temperatures fall appreciably and the
weather is pleasant throughout the south-west monsoon season. By
about the first week of October the monsoon withdraws and the day
temperatures increase slightly and a secondary maximum is reached
in October. Thereafter the temperatures begin to decrease
gradually.
Humidity
The relative humidities are high during the south-west monsoon
season. After September the humidities decrease gradually and in
the cold and summer seasons the air is dry, particularly in the
afternoons when relative humidity may be less than 30 per cent.
Cloudiness
Skies are heavily clouded to overcast in the south-west monsoon
season. There is a rapid decrease of cloudiness in the
post-monsoon months. In the rest of the year the skies are
generally clear or lightly clouded.
Winds
Winds are moderate in strength in the latter half of summer and in
the south-west monsoon period and light in the rest of the year.
During the south-west monsoon season winds blow predominantly from
directions between south-west and north-west. In the post-monsoon
and winter months winds are from directions between east and
north. From about the beginning of summer winds from directions
between south-west and north-west appear and these predominate by
May and continue till the on-set of the monsoon.
Special weather Phenomena
Thunder showers occur in the summer and monsoon months, their
frequency being higher in June and September. Dust raising winds
are common in the summer afternoons.
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