Hot weather season
Also called: Summer season · Topic: Climate of India and the Monsoon · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 4 "Climate"
Meaning
The hot weather season lasts from March to May. As the sun moves north, the belt of greatest heat moves north too. It is about 38°C on the Deccan in March, 38-43°C in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in April, and about 48°C in northwest India in May. The south is milder, at 26-32°C.
Pressure falls over the north, and the ITCZ moves north. The ITCZ is the low-pressure belt where winds from both hemispheres meet. This low later pulls in the monsoon winds. Local storms mark the season: the hot, dry loo, evening dust storms, mango showers and nor'westers.
Example
In May, the loo blows across the northern plains on hot afternoons. It is strongest between Delhi and Patna and can cause heatstroke.
Don't confuse with
- October heat: this is the hot, humid spell after the monsoon withdraws, while the ground is still wet. The hot weather season comes before the monsoon and is mostly dry.