Tehri Climate and rainfall

District Tehri Garhwal: Geography Series – Climate and Rainfall

Tehri Climate and rainfall : Tehri Garhwal district lies in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state in India. The district has a diverse geography, with the Himalayan mountains, hills, valleys and plains. The climate and rainfall patterns also vary across the district.

Location and Administrative Divisions

• Tehri Garhwal district lies between latitude 30°2’60N and 31°2’0N and longitude 77°49’30E and 79°4’0E
• The district headquarters is at New Tehri
• The district is divided into 9 development blocks – Bhilangana, Ghansali, Jaunpur, Tehri, Devprayag, Pratapnagar, Narendranagar, Chamba and Thauldhar

Landscape and Physiography

• The district has elevations ranging from 300 meters to over 6000 meters
• The Bhagirathi river valley and tributaries dominate the landscape
• Lower hills, Middle Himalayas and Great Himalayan ranges are present
• Prominent peaks include Bandarpunch, Kedarnath, Kamet, Trishul, Nanda Devi

Climate Zones

The district has diverse climatic zones due to large elevation differences:

1. Sub-Tropical Zone (Up to 1200m): Hot summers and mild winters. Temperatures can exceed 40°C in summers and drop below 5°C in winters.
2. Warm Temperate Zone (1200m to 1800m): Moderate temperatures throughout the year. Summers average 25°C while winters average 15°C.
3. Cool Temperate Zone (Above 1800m): Cool summers and extremely cold winters with temperatures below freezing point and snowfall.

Rainfall Patterns

• The southwest monsoon brings rains from late June to mid-September
• Most rainfall occurs between 1200m to 2100m elevation
• Annual rainfall ranges from about 1500mm to 2500mm across the district
• Rainfall is higher on southern slopes compared to northern slopes

Spatial Variation

• Very high rainfall in upper Bhagirathi valley near Gomukh glacier (over 2500mm)
• Areas north of Tehri town receive lowest rainfall (1500mm-2000mm)

Seasonal Variation

• July and August receive the most rain
• 60%-70% of annual rains concentrated in monsoon months
• Some winter rainfall occurs due to western disturbances

Key Factors Influencing Climate and Rainfall

• Altitude: Temperature decreases by about 6°C for every 1000m rise in elevation
• Aspect: Southern slopes receive more solar radiation and rainfall
• Rain Shadow Effect: Northern slopes receive less rainfall compared to southern slopes
• Forest Cover: Denser forests have cooler temperatures
• Snow Cover: High snow cover in higher reaches moderates temperatures

Conclusion to Tehri Climate and rainfall

Tehri Climate and rainfall : Tehri Garhwal district has a diverse terrain, with elevations ranging from a few hundred meters in valleys to over 6000 meters in higher Himalayas. This extreme elevation range leads to high climatic variation within the district. While lower hills have a sub-tropical climate with hot summers and mild winters, the higher Himalayan region remains cool throughout the year with extremely cold winters. Similarly, rainfall patterns also vary, with very high rainfall in upper Bhagirathi valley near Gomukh glacier to relatively lower rainfall north of Tehri town. Factors like altitude, aspect, rain shadow effect, forest cover and snow cover collectively influence the climate and rainfall.