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Classification of the Uttar Pradesh climate

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{{EngvarB|date=June 2019}}
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The '''climate of [[Uttar Pradesh]]''' (U.P.) is primarily defined as [[humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] with dry winter (''Cwa'') type with parts of Western U.P. as [[semi-arid climate#Hot semi-arid climates|hot semi-arid]] (''BSh'') type. Alternatively, some authors refer to it as ''tropical monsoon''. Variations do exist in different parts of the large state, however the uniformity of the vast [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]] forming bulk of the state gives a predominantly single climatic pattern to the state with minor regional variations.
U.P. has a climate of extremes. With temperatures fluctuating anywhere from {{convert|0|°C|disp=or}} to {{convert|50|°C|disp=or}} in several parts of the state and cyclical droughts and floods due to unpredictable rains, the summers are extremely hot, winters cold and the rainy season can be either very wet or very dry.

==Seasons of Uttar Pradesh==
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) breakdowns the climate of India into the following seasons:<ref name=IMD1>{{cite web|last=S D Attri and Ajit Tyagi|title=CLIMATE PROFILE OF INDIA|url=http://www.imd.gov.in/doc/climate_profile.pdf|publisher=Indian Meteorological Department|accessdate=9 March 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721161444/http://www.imd.gov.in/doc/climate_profile.pdf|archivedate=21 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Climate|url=http://india.gov.in/knowindia/climate.php|publisher=India.gov.in|accessdate=9 March 2011}}</ref>
# Winter Season / Cold Weather Season (January and February)
# Summer season/ Pre-[[Monsoon of India|monsoon]] season/ Hot weather season/ Thunderstorm season (March, April and May)
# South-west [[Monsoon of India|Monsoon]]/ Summer [[Monsoon of India|Monsoon]] (June, July, August and September)
# Post-[[Monsoon of India|monsoon]] or Northeast [[Monsoon of India|monsoon]] or Retreating SW [[Monsoon of India|Monsoon]] season (October, November and December)
This classification is primarily [[Monsoon of India|Monsoon]] centric given the vast [[Monsoon of India#Significance|effect]] that it casts on the lives and agriculture of India.

==Classification of the Uttar Pradesh climate==
The climate of Uttar Pradesh is generally defined to be ''tropical monsoon type''.<ref name=EB>{{cite web|last=Mathur|first=Raj B.|title=Uttar Pradesh: Climate|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/620898/Uttar-Pradesh/46085/Climate|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|accessdate=9 March 2011}}</ref> However based on the [[Köppen climate classification]], it can be classified mostly as ''Humid Subtropical with dry winter (CWa) type'' with parts of Western U.P. as ''Semi-Arid (BS) type'' (refer to map of India above)

Based on IMD classification, UP has the following three predominant seasons:<ref name=season>{{cite web|title=Home » Uttar Pradesh Profile » Geography » Climate|url=http://www.uponline.in/Profile/geography/climate.asp|publisher=UPonline|accessdate=9 March 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721181639/http://www.uponline.in/Profile/geography/climate.asp|archivedate=21 July 2011}}</ref><ref name="Board2008">{{cite book|author=Upkar Prakashan – Editorial Board|title=Uttar Pradesh General Knowledge|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_ce8FpJzR-4C&pg=PA26|accessdate=9 March 2011|year=2008|publisher=Upkar Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7482-408-0|pages=26–}}</ref>
# Winter Season – November to February
# Summer season – March, April and May
# South-west Monsoon – June, July, August, September and October
Retreating Monsoon season, although existent, has a very negligible effect in Uttar Pradesh and only occasional mild showers are experienced in winter. Some of these showers are not even due to the Monsoon but due to western disturbances.<ref name=WesDist/>

The primary temperature, rainfall and wind features of the three Distinct Seasons of U.P. can be summarised as below:
#Summer (March–June): Hot & dry (temperatures rise to {{convert|45|°C|disp=or}}, sometimes {{convert|47|or|48|°C|1|disp=or}}); low relative humidity (20%); dust laden winds.
#Monsoon (June–October): 85% of average annual rainfall of {{convert|990|mm|in|0|disp=or}}. Fall in temperature on rainy days.
#Winter (November–February): Cool (morning temperatures drop to {{convert|3-4|°C|1|disp=or}}, sometimes below {{convert|−1|°C|1|disp=or}}); clear skies; foggy conditions in some tracts.

Given significant climatic differences, U.P. has been divided into two meteorological sub-divisions – U.P. East and U.P. West.<ref name=DM/>

==Geographical terrain==
The state of Uttar Pradesh is in the heart of [[Indo-Gangetic Plain]] with River [[Ganges]] flowing right through it, [[Himalayas]] to the north of it and the [[Chota Nagpur Plateau]] and the [[Vindhya Range|Vindhyas]] to the south of it.

==Temperature==
Temperature varies from {{convert|0|to|46|°C|1}}.<ref name="Board2008"/> High temperatures of around {{convert|50|°C|disp=or}} have been recorded in [[Gonda district]] of U.P.<ref name=EB/>
Given such a wide range of temperature fluctuations in most parts of the state, it can lead to either cold waves or heat waves both resulting in substantial loss of life and economy.

===Heat waves===
In 2007, [[Banda, Uttar Pradesh|Banda]] with {{convert|45.5|°C|1|disp=or}} temperature was the leader in terms of hot districts of U.P. for several days.<ref>{{cite news|title=9 more succumb to heatwave in UP, rain claims 5 lives in south|url=http://news.oneindia.in/2007/06/08/9-more-succumb-to-heatwave-in-up-rain-claims-5-lives-in-south-1181531156.html|accessdate=10 March 2011|newspaper=OneIndiaNews.in|date=11 June 2007}}</ref> At least 62, people were reportedly dead during the heat wave that year.<ref>{{cite news|title=46 more perish in heat spell; toll crosses 100|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200706112201.htm|accessdate=10 March 2011|newspaper=The Hindu|date=11 June 2007}}</ref> In June 2009, 30 people died of heatstroke in U.P.<ref>{{cite web|title=120 die in unrelenting heatwave across India|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/120-die-in-unrelenting-heatwave-across-india-1.447520|work=25 June 2009|publisher=IOL.co.za|accessdate=10 March 2011}}</ref> Highest temperatures reached {{convert|49|°C|1|disp=or}} in [[Bundelkhand]] district of northern U.P.<ref>{{cite news|title=Deadly heatwave sweeps India|url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/deadly-heatwave-sweeps-india-416413.html|accessdate=10 March 2011|newspaper=BreakingNews.ie|date=26 June 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Deadly heat wave sweeps India|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/around-yorkshire/local-stories/deadly_heat_wave_sweeps_india_1_2356608|accessdate=10 March 2011|newspaper=Yorkshire Post}}</ref> In June 2010, [[Jhansi]] recorded the highest temperature of {{convert|46.7|°C|1|disp=or}}, the hottest for U.P. for that year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Heat tightens grip over N-India, Rajasthan hottest|url=http://www.zeenews.com/news635386.html|accessdate=10 March 2011|newspaper=Zeenews.com|date=20 June 2010}}</ref>

===Cold waves===
In recent years, winters at the end of 2007 and beginning of year 2008 caused a string of cold-wave related deaths in U.P.<ref name=CW1>{{cite news|last=IANS|title=Uttar Pradesh cold wave toll rises to 38|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_uttar-pradesh-cold-wave-toll-rises-to-38_1142961|accessdate=9 March 2011|newspaper=DNA|date=3 January 2008}}</ref> with temperatures as low as {{convert|2.8|°C|disp=or}} in the city of [[Meerut]], U.P. Simultaneously it also led to a loss of crops and agricultural produce. Similarly last part of 2009, saw the mercury-dipping to lows of {{convert|2.9|°C|disp=or}} in Meerut again causing loss of human life.<ref name=CW2>{{cite news|title=Three die due to cold in UP as winter firms its grip on north|url=http://www.zeenews.com/news590711.html|accessdate=9 March 2011|newspaper=Zeenews.com|date=27 December 2009}}</ref>
End of 2010 and starting of 2011 was no different with winters bringing news of cold-wave related deaths.<ref name=CW3>{{cite news|last=IANS|title=Four more die in freezing Uttar Pradesh, toll climbs to 63|url=http://www.sify.com/news/four-more-die-in-freezing-uttar-pradesh-toll-climbs-to-63-news-national-lbhuajfjfhh.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232312/http://www.sify.com/news/four-more-die-in-freezing-uttar-pradesh-toll-climbs-to-63-news-national-lbhuajfjfhh.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 October 2012|accessdate=9 March 2011|newspaper=Sify.com|date=7 January 2011}}</ref><ref name=CW4>{{cite news|title=Rajasthan temperature dips to {{convert|0|°C|disp=or}}, N India frozen|url=http://news.oneindia.in/2011/01/06/rajasthan-temperature-dips-to-0-n-india-frozen.html|accessdate=9 March 2011|newspaper=OneIndiaNews.com|date=6 January 2011}}</ref> This time [[Churk]] town in [[Sonbhadra district]] ranked coldest with {{convert|1.4|°C|disp=or}}.<ref name=CW3/> On 13 January 2013, [[Kanpur]] recorded its all-time low temperature when the mercury plunged to {{convert|−1.1|C|F|1|disp=or}} and on the same day [[Agra]] recorded {{convert|−0.7|C|F|1|disp=or}}. In the month of January in Lucknow temperature can plunge to 0℃ mark, like when Lucknow recorded {{convert|0.0|°C|disp=or}} on 18 January 2017. Agra and [[Muzaffarnagar]] are also notorious for chilly winds and temperature can plunge to sub zero mark.

==Precipitation==
It rains over most of U.P. with very few arid or semi-arid patches. Snowfall doesn't occur but hail-storms, frost and dew occur often in U.P. The type of rainfall that U.P. receives is [[orographic]], [[cyclonic]] and [[Convection rain|convectional]].<ref name="Board2008"/>

===Rain===
Primarily a summer phenomenon, the Bay of Bengal branch of the [[Monsoon of India|Indian Monsoon]] is the major bearer of rain in most parts of U.P. It is the South-West Monsoon which brings most of the rain here, although rain due to the ''[[western disturbances]]''<ref name=WesDist>{{cite news|last=Sethi|first=Nitin|title=Met dept blames it on 'western disturbance'|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-02-13/india/27887812_1_met-dept-disturbance-rains|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811031649/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-02-13/india/27887812_1_met-dept-disturbance-rains|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 August 2011|accessdate=9 March 2011|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=13 February 2007}}</ref> and North-East Monsoon also contribute small quantities towards the overall precipitation of the state.<ref name="Board2008"/>
The rain in U.P. can vary from an annual average of 170 cm in hilly areas to 84 cm in Western U.P.<ref name="Board2008"/> Given the concentration of most of this rainfall in the 4 months of Monsoon period, excess rain can lead to floods and shortage to droughts.<ref name=EB/> As such these two phenomenons of floods and droughts are a common recurrence in the state.

===Floods in U.P.===
Floods are a known hazard of U.P. due to overflowing of its main rivers like [[Ganges|Ganga]], [[Yamuna]], [[Ramganga]], [[Gomti]], [[Sharda River|Sharda]], [[Ghaghra]], Rapti and [[Gandak]].<ref name=DM>{{cite web|title=Disaster Management Department, Govt of U.P.|url=http://rahat.up.nic.in/disaster_management.htm|work=rahat.up.nic.in|accessdate=9 March 2011}}</ref> Estimated annual losses due to floods in U.P. is {{INRConvert|4.32|b}}.<ref name=DM/> Major flood management efforts have been undertaken to mitigate the risk. Most of these floods occur due to the [[Monsoon of India|Monsoon]] rains and overflowing of rivers during the rainy periods. Year 2010 witnessed one such year of flooding in U.P.<ref name=Flood1>{{cite news|title=Floods play havoc in Bihar & Uttar Pradesh|url=http://www.samachartoday.com/floods-play-havoc-in-bihar-uttar-pradesh/10174|accessdate=9 March 2011|newspaper=Samachar today|date=28 August 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715234027/http://www.samachartoday.com/floods-play-havoc-in-bihar-uttar-pradesh/10174|archivedate=15 July 2011}}</ref><ref name=Flood2>{{cite news|title=Nine die in Uttar Pradesh India floods: Toll 429|url=http://chimalaya.org/2010/10/02/nine-die-in-up-floods-toll-429/|accessdate=9 March 2011|newspaper=Climate Himalaya Initiative-NEWS|date=2 October 2010}}</ref>

===Droughts in Uttar Pradesh===
Shortage of rain during the highly variable Monsoon season can cause droughts in U.P. leading to severe loss to man and property. Recent 2002 and 2004 drought related financial estimates have been reported to be {{INRConvert|75.4|b}} and {{INRConvert|72.92|b}}.<ref name=DM/>
The recurrence of a major deficiency in annual rainfall follows a 6–8 years cycle in Eastern U.P. whereas in Western U.P., it is a 10 years cycle.

==Wind==
In summers, hot winds called ''[[loo (wind)|loo]]'' blow all across U.P. They are dust-laden and quite damaging.<ref name="Board2008"/> In winters, dry and rainless winds blow across the state. Fog may also form in parts of U.P.<ref name="Board2008"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Weather}}
*[[Geography of Uttar Pradesh]] (section of [[Geography of Uttar Pradesh#Climate|Climate]])
*[[Uttar Pradesh]] (Section of [[Uttar Pradesh#Climate|climate]])
*[[Climate]]
{{Koppen}}
{{Uttar Pradesh topics}}

{{Climate of India by state or territory}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Climate of Uttar Pradesh}}
[[Category:Geography of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Climate of India]]

Climate of Uttar Pradesh - Revision history

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2804:431:C7DB:291C:294E:B77A:7C1F:7CF1: /* Classification of the Uttar Pradesh climate */