Write a short note on precipitation in India.

Ans. There are variations in the form, types as well as amount and the seasonal distribution as given below:
(a) Form: Precipitation is mostly in the form of snow-fall in the upper parts of Himalayas. It, however, rains over the rest of the country.
(b) Variations in amount: The annual precipitation varies from over 400 cm in Meghalaya to less than 10 cm in Ladakh and western Rajasthan.
(c) Difference in period : Most parts of the country receive rainfall from June to September. But some parts like the Tamil Nadu coast get most of its rain during October and November.
(d) Less contrasts in coastal areas: In general, coastal areas experience less contrasts in temperature conditions. Seasonal contrasts are more in the interior of the country. There is decrease in rainfall generally from east to west in Northern plains.
(e) Effects of precipitation: The variations in precipitation have given rise to variety in lives of people in terms of the food they eat, the clothes they wear and also the kind of houses they live in. For example, the houses in Rajasthan have thick walls and flat roofs while the houses in the Tarai region have sloping roofs.